Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[thedragonlady]

YES! And they would STILL open it ten times each evening and look, then turn around and say, "There's nothin' to eat in this house!" You are a good mama, it is plain to see.

When my oldest had his 16th birthday party there were several boys his age and a few younger ones, my other sons included. I beat them all in arm wrestling except the last one...and my arm was plumb wore out by then! And this was half the second string football team....you can bet those boys behaved.

A single mom has to have something to stand on when raising boys without the help of a father figure, so discipline has to be consistent and make an impression the first time.

Kids love boundaries and they love and respect a parent in whom they can count on to be the same every day and consistent in enforcing the rules. It makes them feel secure while growing up and they have some parenting skills of their own when they get their own families. I've found that animals are the same way...they crave boundaries and someone who can tell them where those boundaries are. Makes them feel secure too.

Bee, I raised my 11 lb wonder son and a step son. My step son sent me a birthday card when he was 21 saying, "Thanks for never making threats, always promises." Both boys knew where they stood , and what the consequences would be for bad behaviour.They're both successful guys now.

 

[Beekissed]

I've found, and apparently you have also, that kids and dogs like to have some secure boundaries so that they can enjoy life without worrying about overstepping the bounds. When they have someone to pull them back, redirect their actions and point them in the right way they seem so much more well rounded and content as adults~be they dogs or kids. Unruliness tends to grow up to be discontented-ness.

I like that...no threats, only promises.

I was the same way and when you stand by your word, you don't have to punish in anger. You just fulfill your promises and that is usually done with a calm sense of purpose rather than an angry, reflexive action.

 

[galanie]

I've found, and apparently you have also, that kids and dogs like to have some secure boundaries so that they can enjoy life without worrying about overstepping the bounds.  When they have someone to pull them back, redirect their actions and point them in the right way they seem so much more well rounded and content as adults~be they dogs or kids.  Unruliness tends to grow up to be discontented-ness.

I like that...no threats, only promises.   I was the same way and when you stand by your word, you don't have to punish in anger.  You just fulfill your promises and that is usually done with a calm sense of purpose rather than an angry, reflexive action. 

 

Yes Yes yes. To you and Dragon Lady both. Everyone, even adults, need clear boundaries and consequences for crossing them. Confusion over this causes lots of troubles. I've discovered this not only as a parent but as a supervisor in a large facility, believe it or not. Never, ever, never, threathen. And never make punishment "punative." It should never be retaliation that motivates but consequences. "Sorry, but you do this, then that happens." No matter the age. I've supervised men in their 70's that responded well to this type of thing. And you know what? The wise people appreciate it. Fair, honest, and firm. Wins the day no matter the age or situation. And this is especially important in animals. Even more so than in people. Be consistent!!!

PS - and yet I"m constantly amazed by the people that think I'm threatening them when I make a promise. "If you do that, I'm going to (fill in the blank)." Then when I do, SURPRISE is all that person sees. I mean really, didn't i say I would? LOL.

 

[Beekissed]

That is because we live in a couple of generations of people who have been threatened by their parents and the parents weren't consistent in following through. Kids learn this real quick and no longer believe anyone in authority will follow through. They are always shocked and feel like a person is being vindictive or mean when they follow through on the "if you do this, this will happen" scenario. For all the world as if you were being unfair.

They grew up without consequences...and being grounded is not a consequence. Neither is being sent to time out or sent to your room. Consequences should be severe enough to be remembered and avoided in the future. Don't know why parents cannot seem to grasp this.

I have worked in very few places in my life where there are firm consequences and the work ethics and performance shows it. The bane of my existence is to work with chronically lazy, careless and selfish people~when I am none of these things. It usually means that I am doing all the work.

Thus is the collapse of our society...

 

[Maven]

My take on it. Fake eggs do help show them where to lay. It is not a cure-all but it does help. Another benefit, at least I think it is. A couple of times I've had snakes eat the golf balls. They could not crush them and could not get back out the way they got in. The hole they used was too small when they are full of golf ball. I usually don't bother a nonpoisonous snake unless it is eating eggs or chicks. In this case those eggs were soon rinsed off and back in the nests where they belonged. An ax works great in retrieving the eggs.

If the pullet is just starting to lay and just drops the egg at random, I'm not too concerned. She probably has not yet learned to control it. You can lock them in the coop if you want and if you built the coop big enough to start with, but I don't.

If the pullet is laying in the same spot every day, it is not at random. She has decided that is where she wants her nest to be. I've remedied this two different ways. I lock the flock in the coop for a week and remove the eggs from the outside nest. Sometimes this solves the problem. Sometimes I have to do it again a few times. Eventually it solves the problem but some of them can be pretty stubborn.

As an aside, I've noticed that a hen that was laying in the coop but then hid a nest sometimes goes broody in a month or two. Not always but sometimes.

The other thing I've done when I catch a hen setting on a nest and laying where I don't want her to, I'll take her off the nest and lock her in a nest box until she lays. I've done that three different times with different hens. That normally takes about a half hour for them to lay but I have had one that took 3 hours. She is the only one I had to do it to a second time. The other two caught on the first time.

Thanks, Ridgerunner!!

I'm in short supply right now because I really thought as late as I was keeping them in they would lay in the coop first! WRONG!

So, because it is all I have, I put a golf ball in one nest box they have been 'practicing' in and one of those plastic Easter eggs filled with dirt in another one. Soon as I get a chance I'll get more for the other nest boxes! Since these girls are the first they don't have an older hen to show them how it is done. I will work through it with them as you suggest and then hopefully I'll have good hens to show future pullets the ropes

 

[delisha]

Grounding is consequences. Some people do not believe in physically hitting anyone. If you do it to an adult it is called assault and you go to jail. You do it to a child and it is called discipline. We each have our own personal ways and one way is not better than another as long as the result is a happy well adjusted child.

 

[mlowen]

amen, sister! lovely, well-mannered, well-adjusted, and loved.

 

[galanie]

That is because we live in a couple of generations of people who have been threatened by their parents and the parents weren't consistent in following through.  Kids learn this real quick and no longer believe anyone in authority will follow through.  They are always shocked and feel like a person is being vindictive or mean when they follow through on the "if you do this, this will happen" scenario.  For all the world as if you were being unfair. 

They grew up without consequences...and being grounded is not a consequence.  Neither is being sent to time out or sent to your room.  Consequences should be severe enough to be remembered and avoided in the future.  Don't know why parents cannot seem to grasp this.  

I have worked in very few places in my life where there are firm consequences and the work ethics and performance shows it.  The bane of my existence is to work with chronically lazy, careless and selfish people~when I am none of these things.  It usually means that I am doing all the work. 

Thus is the collapse of our society...

 

People have had it drilled into their heads that violence begets violence. That is not completely true. When being abusive, that does beget people that are abusive to their kids often. Or those that refuse to use any physical punishment at all. Both are extremes. Physical punishment is necessary for a well adjusted kid, but has to be delivered by someone that is not being abusive. Those who did not grow up in a household that this was being practiced in correctly do not know where the line is. And I'll tell you I've had to put up with more brats that anyone should ever be abused by from this type of household. YES. When I have to put up with an out of control brat, I am being abused.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

I am literally down to 3 threads on BYC; this one, the Road Less Traveled, and the Broody Hen threads.
Thanks for the shared wisdom, so I can spend my time reading things that make sense and make a difference.
I really appreciate the more than 3 Wise Men and all the Wise Women, here on the front porch!

 

[galanie]

I am literally down to 3 threads on BYC; this one, the Road Less Traveled, and the Broody Hen threads.
Thanks for the shared wisdom, so I can spend my time reading things that make sense and make a difference.
I really appreciate the more than 3 Wise Men and all the Wise Women, here on the front porch!

Funny thing here, I'm down to only a few I follow also. The rest seem to be things that have been answered here and in the FF feeds thread time and time again. I get weary of reading title after title after title that have been solved in just a couple of threads. Many times more than once, since reading the whole thread for someone just coming here takes so long. And no, I'm not being ugly here. It does take a long time. I'm lucky enough to have caught all of them when they were first getting going.