Ever train a chicken?

[Spydrworks]

Quote:
Oh...so funny!!...LOL. But that's the start of a trainable animal. If they beg well, I know the advantage of taking that behavior and building on it and I'm just trying to come up with an idea of what to train her to do past that perfected begging point. Making them jump up for their treat is another step toward a more elaborate behavior. Like a step by step process as suggested in the link hencackle provided...which BTW...is an excellent resource...thank you

It'd be neat to know what got Kanga Roo to do the herding on command. That's unique...right on!!

 

[Freebie]

The herding thing is probably some kind of instinct thing. I have thought that Jack(my rooster) sometimes looks like he is trying to herd up his girls, but they don't cooperate very well with him ( or maybe he just isn't that good at it)

I think teaching (Bang) and then they play dead. Or some form of roll over. you could try it when they are dust bathing. Or maybe take a bath. Oh, spin may be easy to teach. if they will follow the treat around like the dogs do. Just have some fun with it. (oh yes, and take some video for us to see!!)

 

[chicknmania]

This is funny but I swear our hens know they are not supposed to go past a certain point in our driveway, towards the road. That doesn't mean they won't, but if they are past that point and see a person heading towards them, they will usually flock together and head back towards the barn. They also only head towards the road when the roos are not around....

 

[CranberryBirds]

My chickens come when called because I've conditioned them with treats. They even go to a particular spot in the yard (their "digging area") when I yell out the window.

I wish, however, that I could train them to stay in my yard and not cross the road. I've tried positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and my one hen tried teaching by example by getting hit by a truck. Nothing has worked so far.

 

[hencackle]

Spydrworks,
I didn't have to train Kanga how to bring the hens home..he just figured it out. I'm going to speculate how he put everything together:
1) he knew his name and came when called,
2) he realized I was calling the hens and they were ignoring me,
3) I'm calling and I might have food.

I'm taking advantage of the fact that Kanga regarded my backyard as his territory. He wasn't comfortable if he wasn't in his territory. So, I say his name and I might have treats, then he should alert the hens to that possibility.

Here's the weird thing...I'm picturing in my mind the desired result, which is Kanga going into the field and the hens following him home. I don't consider myself psychic but I do try to think in terms of pictures or feelings when I'm holding one of my pets. Maybe it was a coincidence, maybe not--it doesn't really matter.

Kanga got lots of treats that afternoon!

Stephanie

 

[Spydrworks]

I'm calling and I might have food.
then he should alert the hens to that possibility

That sums it up right there...lol.

Plus, there is a communication between people and their animals that appear to be along the lines of psychic type phenomena. It's a silent communication.

I use to hunt mice with a cat I had quite a few years ago and though we couldn't understand each other's vocal language, we always seemed to know the other's next move. I'd flush the mouse to her, she'd get the mouse...I'd have a container at hand to retreive the mouse from her (fed the mouse to one of my snakes...lol) and she'd get a treat at the end of it all. The first hunting trek through the house was as if it were planned. It worked so well, we stuck with the same sequence of movements for each mouse.

Interestingly, the same can be said when predators are checking out potential prey. I remember watching something on Discovery channel many years ago that mentioned ill and weakened prey will silently tell their predators they are fair game. It's as if they want to die or know they are too ill to carry on.

 

[hencackle]

That's amazing how you and your cat hunted together, Spydrworks.

Along the same line of silent communication among animals that you mentioned, I've read the same thing happens with plants and insects.
I believe that all living things are more connected with each other than
most people realize.

Stephanie

 

[CarriBrown]

Quote:
So do I! Think of all the different things living on Earth. We get along pretty well considering our differences.

 

[Spydrworks]

I have independent studies that involve many different aspects of the same thing in living organisms...and is biologically based. It has really clarified the way organisms are physically connected.

It's as if everything alive is one entity, but split into individual parts that cater to the maintenance of our home cell, Earth with each having their niche/job in the maintenance of that cell.

That wonderful circle of life.

 

[keljonma]

Quote:
The neatest "trick" our flock does ----

When my hubby comes through the gate after work, our flock congregates by the back door of the house.

They know when he gets out of the car, he'll share some "goodies"! Usually they're leftover from his lunch, some fruit or cut up veggies. But he also keeps some rolled oats in his car to hand out too.

We have 2 acres that they forage, so it's pretty funny watching them run for the house when they hear or see him pull up.