Can you traumatize your chickens?

[dangerouschicken]

my cornish x goes nuts around food

That is your answer right there. He is a Cornish Cross and they are programmed to eat and eat and eat. They don't know anything else except pooping, sleeping, and eating some more. Don't be so hard on him. It is all he understands.​

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

My little Serama roo tried bossing the others around AND me for that matter but I kept pushing at his chest and flicking his beak with my finger nail when he did that. He stopped. Serama's are MUCH smaller then the standard roo but I do think you need to show him who's boss right from the start. And be consistent with him too. Not mean, but just let him know you mean business. Good Luck

 

[WrenAli]

Quote:
Nailed it on the spot. I don't put up with any aggressive animals. Chickens are on the small side for what I have but I don't allow my animals, boys especially, to be aggressive to me or any people. Nip it in the bud off the bat and you won't have a problem. Even works with my 1600lb cows. I'm not any harder on them than another animal of the same species would be if need be. It's my rule of thumb. All prey animals work the same, chickens are no different.


As for the chicken being food crazy, it's a cornish thing. Mine almost bowl me over when I go to feed. Yeesh!

 

[chicknhawaii]

Yep my Cornish X is the same way and even though I'm no expert, there's no way to stop the food conflict. If it weren't for food, my Cornish X and 2 RSLs would get along just fine. They roam the yard together but stay in separate areas otherwise, food and water separated b/c the RSLs have food all the time and Cornish X gets fed twice a day.

Tapping her beak deters her for a bit but not for long. A tap on her back or neck doesn't work for long either. I don't think - for my flock anyway - there's a way to keep them together when there's feeding involved...I could be wrong though.

 

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
That is your answer right there. He is a Cornish Cross and they are programmed to eat and eat and eat. They don't know anything else except pooping, sleeping, and eating some more. Don't be so hard on him. It is all he understands.

This is your answer.

Do you plan to use the cornish cross for meat? If not he won't live much longer than a year or so at the longest. Their internal organs give out and they usually die of a stress induced heart attack.

 

[Colored Egg Farmer]

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Well, I'm not getting mad, but if you have to take a golf club to him, why don't you just make him stew and get yourself a decent rooster?

becasue he is a desent rooster now The golf club was really not to hit him hard just to keep him away from me and the other rooster. My poor brahma rooster got picked on too. But now the leghorn (problem) is one year old and hasn't even tried going after eather of us. I rather rehibilitate a chicken than have it for dinner.

I have heard the dog wisperer say this its not the dogs fault its yours. Your not beign dominent enough and have to show the dog who is boss before it will ever listen to you.

 

[LynneP]

A second feeder might be the easiest solution. When mine hit 7 weeks and were consuming a lot more feed, I noticed more competition even though they always have food. All I did was set up feeder #2 and things calmed down.

I'd be afraid of harming a chicken, and I find that a loud voice is usually enough, or if I need to get past the flock a gentle step forward and they part to let me through. Also if you want them to accept handling, especially when ill or injured, you don;t want them to fear your hand. I don't even feed by hand, I want them to understand hands are for reassurance and petting. I was given this advice by an experienced poultryman before I got chicks.

I don't think they process events the way mammals do, but they sure remember! Even my alpha girl, Tibet, remembers that once I touched her middle toe on the left while in a crowd and when she sees my barn shoe, she squawks before she moves to remind me not to fo that again!