clicker training a chicken?

[chubbydog811]

so i got a clicker to start making an effort at training my year and some old basset hound(who might i add, is a monster, if anyone knows of any good trainers in NH, PLEASE fill me in on where to go!)...

i know you can clicker train anything, but how and why would you clicker train a chicken? its something im very interested in getting into, but i dont know where to start...any ideas what age range might benefit most from it - i have from week olds to a 4 year old? this is my first clicker, and im sure im going to go around the farm trying to clicker train every animal we have (goats, chickens, horses, dogs, ect...least the fish arent at risk for harrassment from it!)...but not quite sure where to start...

anyway, any info on it, or tips from people who have experience, would be greatly appreciated!

 

[CarriBrown]

YouTube has a ton of videos on that!

CLICK HERE

 

[notsooldmcdonald]

I've wondered the same myself, but to this point haven't pursued it because I haven't had the time to devote to it....I do currently have a house chicken, though...hmmm.

As for good dog trainers, Dee Ganley came very highly recommended to me for my young, exuberant GSP. She's in the Andover area.

Good luck!
-Christian

 

[verthandi]

I used a clicker to teach my chickens to come to the coop. I didn't follow the normal pattern of training though. I have to leave for work at noon time and like to have the chickens in the coop before I leave. I click and when they are in the coop they get rewarded with treats. Now I just have to click and they come running. (they still get treats though

)

 

[chubbydog811]

notsooldmcdonald - ill have to look into that trainer...im having a horrible time with my pup...not listening, scared to death of men, bites, ect...i didnt buy him from a 8 week old, i got him at 6 months, and there was some major damage done already that i couldnt see when i met him!

and thats a good idea for reasons to clicker your chickens! i would have never though to clicker them for going in their coop - we dont have free range chickens because of wild animals, and stupid dogs, but maybe that would make is so they can go out when im watching?

does anyone know of any books to get to learn more about it? i was looking on the borders website, and couldnt find any...maybe i wasnt typing the right keyword? there were tons for horses and dogs, and inside birds, but im not sure if the "house" bird would be the same as a chicken?

 

[pawsplus]

The Baileys, pre-eminent behaviorists, used to run "chicken camps" -- they took their chickens around so that trainers (dog trainers who use positive reinforcement) could work with them. Chickens require lightning-quick clicker-finger reflexes -- when you are trying to capture a behavior, you have to click at the moment it occurs and we all know how quick chickens are! I'm an experienced dog trainer and I use the clicker, but I haven't honestly worked w/ my chickens. I did one do a chicken camp, though! It was awesome!

Marian Bailey has passed away and Bob is elderly. But there is a website w/ more info here:

http://www.hsnp.com/behavior/

As for clicker training in general, Karen Pryor is the goddess.

Here is her website:

http://www.clickertraining.com/

The best thing to do to start is to get one of the clicker startup kits -- there is even one for birds!

http://www.clickertraining.com/store/?item=clickerkits

More on clicking w/ birds:

http://www.clickertraining.com/allanimals

Enjoy!

 

[pawsplus]

Quote:
Just FYI, if you are using the clicker as the CUE, that's not clicker training. The click is supposed to be the conditioned reinforcer--you wait for them to enter the coop or you lure them in w/ food and then you click to tell them "that's right!" THEN they get the food. They learn that the click means "you got it right -- treats on the way!" If you use it as the cue, then that's no different than using a word or a signal as the cue to enter the coop -- it's fine, but it's not actually clicker training.

 

[pawsplus]

And here's a video on chicken camp -- looks like Terry Ryan has taken it over.

http://clickerpets.stores.yahoo.net/chcltr.html

Articles on chicken training here (scroll down):

http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/index.htm

 

[pawsplus]

Quote:
Au contraire!

Fish are fun to clicker train! You use a light instead of a clicker, but same thing.


http://www.clickertraining.com/node/30

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/1182

This DVD has a segment on training a fish:

http://www.clickertraining.com/store/?item=clickervideos


And a more complete collection of bird stuff on Karen's page:

http://www.clickertraining.com/birds

 

[chubbydog811]

i actually was looking at Karen Pryor's website last night. there was a lot of useful info on there...though i didnt see that there was a bird section, i was mainly looking for my dog and horses, and the thought just kind of hit me "i want to clicker train my chicken!"...lol...

anyway....the poor fish...i dont think i would want to tourchure them that much...i have a hard enough keeping them alive as it is!!