Ordered my 1st chicks!!

[Mutt Farm]

Can you train any chicken? Or does the chicken have to demonstrate special abilities?

You can train any chicken, any animal for that matter. It's the untold miracle of rewarding a positive behavior. It's WAY fun!

 

[Blooie]

Shoot! After 48 years I still don't even have Ken trained. <sigh>

 

[KatharinetheGr8]

@Bridebeliever and @Mutt Farm I've had great success training my dogs, just no inclination to train chickens. Although I may like to train them to "come" to their coop when free-ranging when I need to put them up. Any tips on training this behavior? Bribery with treats?

 

[Mutt Farm]

Shoot! After 48 years I still don't even have Ken trained. <sigh>

You're killing me!

 

[KatharinetheGr8]

@Blooie that's hilarious!

 

[Mutt Farm]

@Bridebeliever and @Mutt Farm I've had great success training my dogs, just no inclination to train chickens. Although I may like to train them to "come" to their coop when free-ranging when I need to put them up. Any tips on training this behavior? Bribery with treats?

Easy! Get ya some tasty treats. FD meal worms, rolled oats, fresh veggies, whatever. Don't ever randomly give them. Pick a word or a call. Offer the special nummies in the coop or close to it and keep repeating the same call as they are munching. It's best to start in the run to establish that as home base. Do that for a few days and they'll come running!

 

[KatharinetheGr8]

Perfect! I can do that! Thanks @Mutt Farm

 

[Blooie]

He's getting better. Now stuff gets set on the counter right by the trash can, which is closer than he used to get it but not quite IN the can. He rinses his ice cream bowl after his snack. It doesn't quite make it to the dishwasher but the sink is close, right? No more shorts hung on the doorknob. Now they are carefully laid on top of the washing machine. I think he wants to make sure I see them. Ah, yeah....I'd rather not, thanks.

But he's good with the chickens, so that counts, right? We built the coop and run together, and he tried really hard to limit the cuss words to 3 and 4 word phrases. He gathers eggs if my legs are bothering me, and makes sure they have food and water for me then, too. He's amazing with the grandkids - he says they are the best part of who he is and he shows them that everyday. So I'll take the shorts on the washer, the dish left in the sink and the empty wrapper on the counter top. It's all good.

 

[N F C]

Yep, you have a keeper Blooie

 

[KatharinetheGr8]

@Blooie Ken sounds like a catch, despite his leaving the shorts conveniently on the washer for you. We all have our quirks. I know my husband drives me crazy by leaving his knife in the mayo jar so the handle gets good and greasy and grosses me out when I inevitably have to fish it out. But I annoy the crap out of him by my refusal to empty the vacuum after I use it so I get even with him. As long as you have a good balance then there can be peace on the homefront.