[dawneb]

hello I am new to keeping chickens. We have had our chooks for a month  now and have found this forum fab for ideas and advise. We have 2 goldlines one has been laying for a week and the other is yet to lay.The trouble we are having is that they keep pecking us.I have 3 children so chose goldlines because we were told they were friendly.They keep running to us in yhe garden and are pecking our legs trousers shoes hands and have even my 3year olds eyelid when he bent down to stroke one. Its sad because my children are running scared and i have to limit the time the chooks are out of the run. please help what are we doing wrong.

[WG.]

Welcome dawneb.  I know almost nothing about chooks but an expert will be along soon.

[Aunt Sally]

Welcome to the forums Dawn  

It's normal for chooks to peck at things.  It's the only way to find out what's edible.  You will need to get them accustomed to people and being handled and hand fed if you want them to become pets.

[dawneb]

thanks for that.Thought we were doing something wrong needed to be reassured.

[muntjac]

only go outside with corn in ya pocket .take a few seeds out n hold em out in ya hand .if they take it all well n good of not just drop a few on the ground so thhey see its ur hand with the treats in ... fellas ,it werks on women to    

[chicksforkicks]

true dat!  

[mambo]

Hi Dawn,

When I first got my hens they were very nervous and skittish. Munty's advice is excellent, small children can hold a corn cob at arms length and the chucks will peck at it from a safe distance. If you have a local Lidel store they are on offer at 19p each ( I stock up each week!)

I also found that they became much more relaxed as dust was approaching and they were getting ready to roost and were happy to be stroked and handled.

Keep perservering, I'm sure that they'll soon tame up !

[ChickenAnn]

I think once they're used to you then they'll be a bit more gentle. It must be disappointing, but I imagine it's just curiosity really.
One of our chickens would always peck at wedding rings if you held your hand toward her, but she seems to've got bored of that now. We've only had them about 4 weeks though, so am not exactly an expert!

[lucyeff]

Hi Dawn! I'm a newbie too so can't offer much advice as I still have 'L' plates on, just to say hi and I'm sure the chickens're worth persevering with. We have a 2yr old and they're great with her (so far! ), it's lovely to watch. I'm sure you'll get them eating out of your hand instead of your eating your trousers with the great advice from here.

Good luck  

Lucy

[GrannieAnnie]

Our Amberlink POL's have decided they don't like the dog!  If she comes into their run with me, they soon have her running outagain, as 2 of them always go for her nipples!!!!!! lol

This morning when I let them out, she was looking through the pop hole at them.  2 Goldlines came out first, okay, then the next 2 were Amberlinks and they both pecked her nose as they came out!!!!! lol  Then one of htem chased her to the gate, where she sat cowering, until I let her out!!!!! lol

Its weird, becuse she catches rats, mice and moles and kills them, but won't touch the chickens.  She did growl the other day though when they caught her in a tender spot!!!!  

[babe]

only go outside with corn in ya pocket .take a few seeds out n hold em out in ya hand .if they take it all well n good of not just drop a few on the ground so thhey see its ur hand with the treats in ... fellas ,it werks on women to    

so true munty, any fella with a few bits of corn in his pocket and im just putty in his hands      

[muntjac]

 

[Lost in France]

Now is that popcorn you're talking about...?!!

Judi

[lucyeff]

only go outside with corn in ya pocket .take a few seeds out n hold em out in ya hand .if they take it all well n good of not just drop a few on the ground so thhey see its ur hand with the treats in ... fellas ,it werks on women to    

so true munty, any fella with a few bits of corn in his pocket and im just putty in his hands      

Pork scratchings werk for me, proper Yorksher y'see    

[babe]

only go outside with corn in ya pocket .take a few seeds out n hold em out in ya hand .if they take it all well n good of not just drop a few on the ground so thhey see its ur hand with the treats in ... fellas ,it werks on women to    

so true munty, any fella with a few bits of corn in his pocket and im just putty in his hands      

Pork scratchings werk for me, proper Yorksher y'see    

eew no, you can guarentee i'd get the hairy one - pork scratching that is