Help Me!

[Rosie.]

I have finally managed to convince my dad to let me get some ex-batt hens.
We made a house and temporary coop over ther summer holidays and we got the hens from the rspca this afternoon
I now have 8.
But now they are here i'm feeling a little out of my depth. I know they will be a anxious for a few weeks but how do i make them less scared of me- i really want them to like me.
any other tips would really help too!

thank you
Rosie.

[BrideXIII]

well I am sure you will get some great advice from all our chook lovers on here, I can't help you , other than to say , well done YOU!!, and I envy you, I would love to have some, but my beloved housing asc, says no
good luck with them, and a little love and care goes a long way.

[digthatchick]

They have just had a long journey, been handled a lot, and are now in a strange home, they will love you for rescuing them but give them a few days to settle in. Keep the in their house with a run if you have one for at least a week, just going in quietly to feed them and sitting and watching them (this bit becomes addictive!!) Soon they will literally be eating out of your hand

[MaureenHall]

Yes, well done you!!! Let them find their own way around, inot and out of the coop, where the food is and where the water is. Once they've done that (couple of days) then you can start interacting with them. I found that if I took a chair outside and sat quietly with a dish of food, made bok-bok noises to them quietly, eventually their curiosity overcame them and they started coming to me rather than me going to them. They were eating out of my hand within a fortnight and climbing on my knee in about 3 weeks. Don't make loud noises or sudden movements and they'll trust you. Above all, have the confidence I know you have to believe in yourself. You've made the first step by rescuing the chooks, it's quite easy from now on Good luck

[Snadger]

Well done you! As a recent freshman to the school of chookology I can say that mine were with me only days before they settled in. They are addictive and it is very soothing just to sit and watch them going about their business.
Now,............. they go beserk when I go near the run as I usually have a treat for them.
A few days and it will seem like they are part of the furniture!

[Rosie.]

I tell you what they are pretty strange
i have seen two, yes TWO. still in the bude battery this morning,
flying, YES FLYING! into the window in there shed... strange things these chooks!

[di]

Can't really add anymore!!Take it at their pace,sit in with them with some corn in your hand,maybe at first throw it just by your feet.They'll soon get used to you.You'll have great fun with them!
And yep,they very strange indeed!!