Copper's Chicken Service: where do you take your chickens for a walk( do you? )

[Lacy Duckwing]

@cluckmecoop7 walks her chickens on a leash! Or at least she used to...

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Thanks for the tag, Lacy!

Yeah, I do. I even wrote this article.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-use-a-chicken-harness.75209/
Kiwi has since passed away so I haven't used my harness in a long time. Maybe I will train Penguin or Mipsy this summer.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

I'm having flashbacks of when I attempted this with my then cockerel George. He's still the best rooster ever, but I don't understand why I traumatised him like this.

I'm sure some chickens won't mind, but most won't like it and it's just unnatural.

They. Are. Chickens.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Sorry!

If you can harness train them you can probably just as easily train them to follow you everywhere, and not require a harness. Or whatevs!

Do what you like!

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Sorry!

If you can harness train them you can probably just as easily train them to follow you everywhere, and not require a harness. Or whatevs!

Do what you like!

When I have my birds in a harness, I'm usually following them around. I like having them on it so if I need to pick them up in a hurry, and they won't come, it's easier. I test out the harness on them first to see if they're ok with it. If they're not, I usually have to turn it around and check again. They're usually ok after that, but if they're not, I'll just find a bird who is. I'm sorry that you had a bad experience with having a chicken on a leash. Some birds really don't like it, especially if you don't already have them trained to follow you. If the chicken is scared of you, and don't like being around you, they find it really horrible to be on a leash. These birds I have on a leash are ok with being around me. Especially if I'm offering treats.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Just have fun. I'd hate to see someone young partially read this thread and think it was 'normal' to harness their chickens. My rooster still loves me after trying.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I took my rooster, Chester, on a walk once. I knew he wouldn’t freak out beforehand since he was the friendliest/calmest one in my rooster-only flock, and I’d used the leash to walk him around the yard before. He liked to follow me around (without a leash) and he actually walked beside me some of the time while on the leash! Though I did have to carry him a lot of the way.
Unfortunately, Chester died not too much later, so I never got the chance to walk him again. I do wish I’d had more time with him.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I'm having flashbacks of when I attempted this with my then cockerel George. He's still the best rooster ever, but I don't understand why I traumatised him like this.

I'm sure some chickens won't mind, but most won't like it and it's just unnatural.

They. Are. Chickens.

Same could go for dogs if you think about it.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

View attachment 2640830I took my rooster, Chester, on a walk once. I knew he wouldn’t freak out beforehand since he was the friendliest/calmest one in my rooster-only flock, and I’d used the leash to walk him around the yard before. He liked to follow me around (without a leash) and he actually walked beside me some of the time while on the leash! Though I did have to carry him a lot of the way.
Unfortunately, Chester died not too much later, so I never got the chance to walk him again. I do wish I’d had more time with him.

Awww... This reminds me of my Chester. I would put him on a leash and take him with me when I had to thaw out my pipes. That place was scary for me and he'd come along and keep me company and help me not to be so scared. I miss my Chester. I had to re-home him because he was old and I had new young roosters that I didn't want them to bother him. I re-homed to a nice home where he could free range with his favorite hen, Loucille.

 

[marsmallowthesilkie]

Awww... This reminds me of my Chester. I would put him on a leash and take him with me when I had to thaw out my pipes. That place was scary for me and he'd come along and keep me company and help me not to be so scared. I miss my Chester. I had to re-home him because he was old and I had new young roosters that I didn't want them to bother him. I re-homed to a nice home where he could free range with his favorite hen, Loucille.

Aww, that is so sweet!