A Smart-ish Hen

[MageofMist]

Did you do anything to train them to go from their room to the door going outside or from the door going outside to their room? My chooks just want to peck around in the house when they come out of their room and it's the same outside when I let them out of the run, they just want to peck around on the ground. I'm hoping they will go to the door and go in and out without being carried. I just haven't figured out how to teach them to do it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Well, my two starter silkies were kept inside for about a week before we started letting them out, so they thought of the house as their coop. As for the rest of the house if they get in another room they aren't allowed in... I penguin waddle with the chickens against my feet to get them out of the room, as they are too stubborn to move themselves and I hadn't got enough arms to carry them all, I started off with 2 and now have 12 of the buggers!

As for getting them in quickly when they are outside, tapping a plate with a fork or rattling the food bucket will cause them to chase you to the end of the earth. People who say silkies are slow and that is why they are so easy to catch, have never seen one in full sprint when food is involved.

 

[BantyChooks]

Silkies? Slow? Never. Them buggers are fast, especially if you need to grab 'em for mite treatment.

 

[MageofMist]

Silkies? Slow? Never. Them buggers are fast, especially if you need to grab 'em for mite treatment.

Mine are quite easy to treat for mites as I can either just pick them up, or they'll just trot to try and avoid me, not scared of me, but not wanted to be picked up either. Mine are lazy buggers until food is involved or when I open the door to let them out, heck, this morning I had a hen jump up at me and KICK ME because she was so exited over going out and I didn't move fast enough... I thought it was Scruff, the youngest cockerel coming of age and getting feisty, but instead I snatched a hen out of the air!