Australorps breed Thread

[DeesHens]

Mine will peck hard at times but I train them as I do puppies.....if they are trying to take the treats hard, I yell "Ouch" if it doesnt stop them, then I close my hand so they can no longer access the seed. I use black sunflower seeds most of the time for hand treats. Once my hand is closed and they stop, I open it again. If they do it again, I repeat the ouch and close my hand. If by the third time they haven't stopped, I take my hand away and treats are done for that period of time. If they get aggressive with each other, which happens some times, I correct the behavior from the mean hen. I don't think we give chickens much credit for how smart they are. I have found that they will adjust their behavior for something they really want. Food seems to be a good motivator for chickens.

A hen that is pecking your hands hard needs to know that it hurts. Unless you let her know that you don't like it (as any other hen would who is over her in the pecking order) she will continue to do it. Is she top hen and there is no one else to challenge her?

Thanks you so much for your suggestions. I agree that chickens are much smarter than most folks understand. I had not thought to yell "Ouch" but I may have exclaimed it as a reaction to pain. LOL At times I get pecked just for being there not necessarily for having food in my hand. My 3 yr. old Betsy Barr Rock is the lead hen and I have seen her correct Peppa & Bella after I corrected them after they have pecked me. I really get a kick out her doing that reinforcing the lesson. Betsy doesn't peck me but when she was less than a year old she did much like Peppa & Bella do. After I nursed her from death door she became very sweet toward me. Pay back?

Peppa and Bella have always pecked me even though I have corrected them by pecking them back with my finger or by gently hanging them by their feet for a minute or by holding them tight against me for 5 minutes. All of which I was instructed by others to do to change their behavior. It seems to make them mad and then the next time I go to the paddock it seems they are more aggressive & peckish really.

They do the submissive squat for me, seem very friendly and enjoy following me around the paddock telling me long stories. LOL Peppa has always acted like the watchdog really. I think she has the rooster role so she tends to challenge me more often. Bella is the one that usually pecks my hand hard whereas Peppa sneaks up behind me and pecks the back of my leg. Does not hurt as I wear snow pants in the winter and overalls to protect my clothes the rest of the year. Honestly the idea of her acting that way does bother me. I know if I could spend more than a couple hours a day with them they would be better trained but that is my limit right now. Bella is at the bottom of the pecking order and she is my most lovely bird physically.

Betsy is hard on her and doesn't let her eat with them very often. I have warned Betsy and even nudged her away when she is too mean to Bella. Well, I hope I didn't bore everyone with all these details. LOL Just thought if you had a good picture maybe you could offer some more suggestions.

~Dee~

 

[DeesHens]

Quote: Great suggestions Gramma Chick. I have been hand feeding mine since just about day 1. My two sisters have always been peckish in competing for food for sure. Cannot imagine trying to tame a large flock. LOL Chaos! ~Dee~

 

[DeesHens]

Quote: Are you standing holding Josefina under your arm or sitting with her on your lap when you stroke her area around her "giblets". You are talking about below the crop, right? I was holding Peppa today after she was very naughty sneaking up and pecking the back of my leg. I gently put her under my right arm to keep her wings from flapping and spoke sweetly to her to calm her. But I really could not stroke her there with my arm under her if you know what I mean. So then I was wondering if you had her on your lap? Yes, that vid would come in handy about now. LOL Certainly is fun trying to train Peppa but I think my old girl, Betsy Barr Rock would be the one more inclined to fall asleep. Peppa isn't ready to roost at night when the other two are asleep. She would rather sit on the door step and be the watch dog. ~Dee~

 

[bhaugh]

it is very frustrating - I like my BA's they are easy going healthy birds but I am still getting a brown egg every day from the Red Star and nothing from the two BA's - starting to think one of the BA's may be a roo or something and the other is just lazy.

I will say I'm a bit disappointed by my lorps as well. The one who just started to lay, Jedi, has gone back to being a bit more aloof along with her side kick Ruthie. I'm not sure I will stay with lorps but for now I will enjoy them. I would like birds who have the personality of my barred rock but take to confinement better than the rock who really doesnt care for it.

 

[Gramma Chick]

it is very frustrating - I like my BA's they are easy going healthy birds but I am still getting a brown egg every day from the Red Star and nothing from the two BA's - starting to think one of the BA's may be a roo or something and the other is just lazy.

How about some pics of the 2 ?

Quote: Great suggestions Gramma Chick. I have been hand feeding mine since just about day 1. My two sisters have always been peckish in competing for food for sure. Cannot imagine trying to tame a large flock. LOL Chaos! ~Dee~

Just a thought is there food on your jeans ? Mine will peck my clothes if they see a food splash or a button .
In general they dont peck me ..if they do I pick them up & give them a stern talking to .Shaking them & grabbing their head
My young americana roo is most prone to do this..
" You dont Peck MAMA ! " I tell him . Get right in their face ! Give it Stink EYE ..
If it is a light peck ..from a hen ..I usually ignore it ...If it hurts I dont ignore it ..I react immediately .

 

[hellbender]

I will say I'm a bit disappointed by my lorps as well. The one who just started to lay, Jedi, has gone back to being a bit more aloof along with her side kick Ruthie. I'm not sure I will stay with lorps but for now I will enjoy them. I would like birds who have the personality of my barred rock but take to confinement better than the rock who really doesnt care for it.

Although my birds are free-range, there are times when they simply must stay in and few birds that I've seen will stand confinement better if they are not over crowded and are well fed.

The Australorps and NN's do equally well.

 

[chickisoup]

My girls, especially my little Leghorn mutt, pull on my jeans when they want to be picked up.

 

[DeesHens]

Quote: How about some pics of the 2 ?

Quote: Great suggestions Gramma Chick. I have been hand feeding mine since just about day 1. My two sisters have always been peckish in competing for food for sure. Cannot imagine trying to tame a large flock. LOL Chaos! ~Dee~

Just a thought is there food on your jeans ? Mine will peck my clothes if they see a food splash or a button .
In general they dont peck me ..if they do I pick them up & give them a stern talking to .Shaking them & grabbing their head
My young americana roo is most prone to do this..
" You dont Peck MAMA ! " I tell him . Get right in their face ! Give it Stink EYE ..
If it is a light peck ..from a hen ..I usually ignore it ...If it hurts I dont ignore it ..I react immediately .
Nope. Nothing on my clothes to entice them to peck. Unless the sheen from the black nylon attracts them to peck?
Something funny did happen recently though. I had my snow pants in the wash so I wore my light blue denum overalls instead.
I haven't worn them since the warmer weather. Anyway, the girls acted scared of me as if I were a foreign intruder invading.

Next day back to the black snow pants and they were calm as can be.
I wore those blue denium overalls all spring, summer and fall so you would think they wouldn't mind. They must of forgot?

The ole "stink eye", huh. Wow! Peppa is really good at that. I will give her one back next time.

They must of known I was talking about them because today they were "angels". LOL Well, maybe yesterdays hold firmly for 5 minutes made an impact?
I appreciate your input very much Gramma Chick. I will follow your lead and see what comes of it during the next few weeks.

~Dee~

 

[DeesHens]

My girls, especially my little Leghorn mutt, pull on my jeans when they want to be picked up.

LOL That would be funny if that is what Peppa is asking for all along wouldn't it.

~Dee~

 

[DeesHens]

Quote: So sorry your Lorps are not laying for you, informative, and yours are aloof, bhaugh. I can only tell you from my single experience with them that mine lay almost every day (from day one). They most frequently are running to me for attention. (treats) Follow me around chatting in a friendly manner while I clean up. But like any animal I dare say they don't all act the same within the breed for one reason or another. I don't believe it means that the breed as a whole is problematic. But I do understand your frustration that things are not going the way you hoped for when you chose them. ~Dee~