Okay - been spending some time in the house / run with the girls in the morning before work and when I get home at night.
Mrs M and the kids also go talk to them inbetween but they still don't like being within about 6 feet of us unless they have to (I close pop hole and walk in the house!)
I try to handle them more in the evening just before they tuck up for the night but they don't seem to enjoy it that much and Doris decided to let me know this evening by giving my hand a good peck as I tried to stroke her.
I know its only been a week (and I am addicted to chickens already) but is there a set time before the girls will actually approach us / take food from our hand / not use my hand as a pecking post when they are picked up?
Any advice appreciated to tame the wild women at the bottom of the garden
Mine were taking from hand within a week so don't give up!!
It was easier as it was Spring/summer. They still don't really like being handled but I can stroke them OK if they're within distance.
I have put a bench in my pen and sit there to give them their treats. I chuck corn on the floor of the pen but I hold the jug of mealworms/ grapes etc on my lap and throw small handfuls near to me.
They soon start jumping on the bench or even in my lap
It took a good few weeks to get them to jump on my lap in the garden (aided by a lap full of mealworms!). You will find, as the weather gets better and you can spend a really good amount of time in the garden with them that they should become tamer. My three (well two of them anyway) got really tame over the summer but because I am spending less time just sitting quietly with them, they have gone semi-wild again. Hopefully this will improve over the summer again.
Don^t worry, they are all different, I^ve known Molly and Dolly for 5 years and they will not be touched under any circumstances, Silkie loves being stroked and Alice and Abby would peck whenever they could. The best way to make friends is to have treats on you to get them used to taking them out of your hand. Gradually give them a little stroke on their chests, some do not mind but others will move away. If they bend down as if they are laying they are being submissive so they are not really happy being touched. Alice now loves being stroked and jumps on any part of you to get attention, Abby still would rather peck but a gentle touch with the back of the hand makes her stop. Quite honestly they are like any other creature, i.e. they have a friendly tempermant or are more cautious. I am sure I learnt most of this on the forum when I asked about this quite awhile ago, good luck and I hope you do make some friends! I could do without Alice perching on my head though!
Some don't mind being picked up. Others hate it.
Hand feeding is the way to go. But not easy in this weather. I haven't picked any of mine up for over a week or so. No need to.
Wendy
If you keep picking them up when they don't want it I'd have thought that will make them more wild. Let them know that when they see you there will be things they like, not fuss that they don't like.
When they get to know you is the time to start petting, if you must.
as P.penn says some will be more friendly than others. I had one that loved her crop being stroke. I also have a hen now that will perch on my arm as long as I don't touch her. Other hens are happy to feed around my feet and one from my hand but their golden rule is I must not stroke them otherwise they are off.
Actually Alice loves being stroked in an upward motion from her feet to her tail. Yes this sounds weird but a few weeks ago I noticed her back feathers were sticking together and gently parted them and removed whatever sticky substance she had got on them. Since then, when she jumps on my lap I just had a feel to make sure she was clean and she makes soft clucking noises and puts her head to one side. BUt of course, as everyone else says don^t pet them if they are not happoy about it. Mind you at least I can look over her for any problems very easily.
My Girls really dont like being picked up, having said that i have just had to rescue all of them as they didnt want to walk back down the garden to get their tinned corn!
They will sit on my lap and did so back in the summer, but i only pick them up if i need to!
