Anybody else call their girls?

[BigBlueHen53]

Yup, i yell CHICKEEEENS, too! My kids go out there and make clucking noises which amazes me. They don't meow when they want the cat, or bark when they want the dog, so, why .....? But sometimes I go out there and say nothing and they still come running, so maybe they just think i am the Food Goddess and they shouldn't miss an opportunity to get their goodies, lol!

 

[Punkybrewster]

Yup. I call chick, chick, chick in a high toned voice and they all come running.

 

[~KH~]

Mine always come when called (and the ones I have now will come running to the edge of the fence if they even see a glimpse of me). The first ones I had in Idaho, I had trained to stay off the patio on the back of the house (I didn't enjoy cleaning the poo off it), but when I introduced 2 new chickens to the small flock, the new girls didn't quite get it, so I ended up putting fencing up.

 

[Chickassan]

No need, they're food trained. I just walk out with a plastic cup anybody in eye shot of the cup will be at my feet shortly.
Despite being an ordinary solo cup, it holds unbelievable power.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

No need, they're food trained. I just walk out with a plastic cup anybody in eye shot of the cup will be at my feet shortly.
Despite being an ordinary solo cup, it holds unbelievable power.

 

[Chickassan]

I like taking people around the yard who don't know they're trained carry a cup and get mobbed by chickens from every direction.
Iv'e seen grown men run.
This isn't the reason I trained them just a fun oopsie.
I did it because they free range, i'm lazy and chickens see way better than they hear.
Also training can start early day 3 or 4, so by the time chicks can run loose they are trained to come back...i'm too old to chase babies.

 

[harmonyp]

When I want to gather them up, I grab some sort of foodstuff and yell "trEEEats". Seeing their waddling bodies in a full run is hysterical. It's also a LOT easier than trying to herd them somewhere.

 

[BantyChooks]

I use "Here, chick chick chick". Or a four note whistle for smaller treats. They all come pouring out of the woods when I use it.

Chickens are quite intelligent, at least in some areas and in some birds. I had one chicken that understood pointing, which is more than you can say for some human babies. I could point at food behind her and she'd turn around and grab it. None of my others have picked up on it, though; just her. To me, that isn't so much a learnt behaviour as it is the ability to understand a "delayed reward" in a very small capacity. She was a good hen and a flock matriarch.