Chicken Obedience Training

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Quoting myself a little... Chickens are like pigs with wings crossed with T-Rex miniature!
It was my EE Missy who started begging at the door and entering if it opened and no one gave treats yet. My BR Dasher recently decided pecking me was the way to go. I'll not be having any of that, so began some discipline on the spot after a painful grab of the inside of my elbow. (I made a hawk noise and mocked pecking at her with my fingers). Donner if she can find the food cache will do her best to get at and consume all she can eat!
Enter the beginnings of obedience training beyond just basic come, go, good, and no commands in the developing language of chicken-human-ese.
Dasher now flies up to get her handheld bites (AKA yumyums) :wee:ya
 
Evening class with Little Puffs snack since all 3 girls begging on the porch begins:
By name 1 bite per bird until named gets to eat it. Extra measures had to be taken at first. Arm to ward off interceptors. Scold if they snatch out of turn. Praise with each success and repeat each round.
They do seem to be starting to catch on!
If am saying Missy but Dasher or Donner shove in front of her, then withdraw the treat and try again in Missy's face. By 5 or 6 rounds they were taking turns. :yesss:
Then a handful yumyums on ground = class dismissed.
 
Chickassan said:
You will love that you've done this when it's time to deworm or give medication soo handy! :)
Click to expand...
Oooh... Hope will not have to do that. I must assume due to being free ranging that the birds *must* have worms, but have not heard that there is any problem with that unless there is a unhealthy symptom in the bird.
Perhaps they could even benefit in terms of weight control, so long as there's adequate nutrition provided?

Today class dismissed early due to cold and snow. The birds acted very bossy this morning, though. They did not want little puffs and made it very clear. They actually DID take them with coaxing and then threw to the ground. So then they got to have deli meat and I refilled their near empty feeder. Dismissed with handful of wild bird seed mix.
Next class 2 hours.
 
I hope you don't either, but if they do get them you will have to deworm because the parasites take more nutrition than the chickens can spare when the load gets heavy. Just know you're good to go now if you ever have to. I give mine wormer on bread when the need arises and its so much easier when everyone just takes their little piece and no more. :)
Boonie Stomper said:
Oooh... Hope will not have to do that. I must assume due to being free ranging that the birds *must* have worms, but have not heard that there is any problem with that unless there is a unhealthy symptom in the bird.
Perhaps they could even benefit in terms of weight control, so long as there's adequate nutrition provided?

Today class dismissed early due to cold and snow. The birds acted very bossy this morning, though. They did not want little puffs and made it very clear. They actually DID take them with coaxing and then threw to the ground. So then they got to have deli meat and I refilled their near empty feeder. Dismissed with handful of wild bird seed mix.
Next class 2 hours.
Click to expand...
 
Good girls each paid their egg this afternoon. Gave short class - reinforcing names, taking turns taking from hand and not intercepting. Had more success!
RR Donner is trying to copy BR Dasher taking by jumping. Raised the bar for Dasher. No problems. Donner as heavy as she is has gained considerable leg strength since I got her (at first she could not get up to even the lowest roost - now she's a regular high shelf gal).
 
OMG, the title of this thread cracked me up and got my attention!

There are only two “commands” my flock knows:

1. If I yell “treats!” they cone running and file into their pen to see what I’ve got.

2. I noticed they have two distinct predator calls. The ground predator call sounds like the egg song. The aerial predator call, however, sounds more like a trill. So when a hawk is around, I attempt the aerial predator call... and it WORKS! The girls run for cover.

You’re right; they’re smart. Pretty awesome.
 
@micstrachan - that makes great sense! Well when I have heard it a couple of times a sort of a purring noise that i thought was an "I'm comfortable" could that have been the same thing as the predator call? In those cases it was during roost linearly evening (don't know maybe I startled them).
The birds can teach us things for certain though.
Will try and study their vocals more when am back this weekend (no class till get back).
 

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