Harness training my hen

[Bird is the word]

I bought a chicken harness a few weeks ago so I could take one of hens to places she is my only hen thats very tame when I first put the harness on her she freaked out but then got used to it but for some reason she hates the leash a lot when I put the harness on her she is calm the second I clip on the leash she starts running at full speed and then stops and starts pecking at the leash aggressively, how can I get her to not do that

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I have zero experience with this with chickens, but I have tried this with cats before. For some reason, being on a leash is just SO foreign to cats that they freak out when they feel it preventing them from going in the direction they want to go. I'd assume it's the same for chickens. Your chicken just may have no clue what's going on to prevent her from moving freely, and she just freaks out. I have no clue if there is a good way to leash train a chicken, but maybe try putting her on it and then doing things that calm her. Maybe bring out her favorite snack and toss it in a few different directions while she's on the leash. If she is a chicken that likes to be pet or held, maybe do that stuff with the leash on too and see if she calms down.

Again I have no experience with this but I wish you the best of luck. Keep us updated if you make progress! And if she just hates it too much and won't calm down, it might be best to just accept that she won't be a leash chicken.

 

[Bird is the word]

but maybe try putting her on it and then doing things that calm her. Maybe bring out her favorite snack and toss it in a few different directions while she's on the leash. If she is a chicken that likes to be pet or held, maybe do that stuff with the leash on too and see if she calms down.

Will try that thanks

 

[NatJ]

but for some reason she hates the leash a lot when I put the harness on her she is calm the second I clip on the leash she starts running at full speed and then stops and starts pecking at the leash aggressively, how can I get her to not do that

I have no direct experience training chickens to a harness and leash, but based on what works for other animals, you could try things like this to get her to settle down about it:

--Fiddle with the harness, pretend to clip the leash on, but don't really hook it on.
--Fiddle with it, drop the leash on the ground, don't actually attach it.
--Put the leash on, but do not hold onto it. Just let it trail behind her, and offer something pleasant like treats. Of course, watch to be sure it does not get tangled on anything.

(Plenty of other variations are possible too. The idea is just to have the leash be boring or fun, rather than upsetting. Once it's less of a big deal, then holding the leash to control her movements may not be such a problem.)