Clicker training

[PaulaSB12]

I had my first session of clicker training the chickens today. I would say half are getting the idea that when they hear that click a bowl of chicken treat is put in front of them. One of my legbars and two of my silkies are a bit nervous and the other cream legbar likes the food but prefers my finger so a bit of work on that. What I want is to be able to click and get them to follow then I can get them into the run on night shift at about 4pm and keep them save. That way they can free range in the garden all the time.

 

[sumi]

We trained a rooster to come when we made clucking or kissing sounds. But we started when he was a tiny chick and he was rewarded with food and treats. Chickens' heads and crops are closely connected, so try the treats and see what happens?

 

[galanie]

Any sound you make when giving treats will be associated with getting food. That's why mine come running when I say "C'mon girls!!"

You make the sound before giving the treat and while they're eating it the first few times. Be it a certain word or a click, doesn't matter if you just want them to come to you. And always give the treat. If you fake them out too many times, they'll quit coming.

 

[Auscal]

Now I stop to think about it, I have unconciously applied clicker training principles, and trained my chickens.

To start, I had a small plastic tub of scratch/wild bird seed mix. I'd walk over to the area I kept it in, shake the container, then throw a small amount to the birds. Within two of three days, they were coming running to the sound of the rattled container. I also added a verbal cue (reverting to training language here) of "chook, chook , chook". Within another two or three days they were coming running when I started to walk over to were the container sat. Now I can move chickens from one area to another by calling "chook, chook, chook", if they don't respond to that , the shake of the scratch container always brings them running.

I don't think there is anything unusual about this. Most people who keep their chickens as more than livestock, will always be recognised as the bringers of treats