House Chicken Using Stairs

[centrarchid]

I have a pullet inside that will be put through some experiments where she must visit multiple locations that are separated by 50 feet or more of travel and not in straight line and not within sight of each other. A big part of it will have her using stairs. So far, she has already figured out stairs and readily goes back and forth between floors without placement of food award.

 

[lv9777]

What is the reason for your experiments?

 

[centrarchid]

Just playing around to see if I can get her to visit specific locations when giving specific signals. Otherwise, I want her going broody and producing chicks in dead of winter so young are big enough to show next fall. I still do not have a way to protect hatching eggs from freezing.

 

[lv9777]

Good luck. Sounds like fun. Keep us updated. I only have one chicken that has the personality, intelligence, and food drive to be easily trainable.

 

[centrarchid]

I might have a stimulus in addition to eats.

 

[Perris]

I might have a stimulus in addition to eats.

And it is.......?

 

[centrarchid]

Now three additional stimuli. First is light, second is dust bath, and third is people.

She suns in window. She is also looking for a place to work on her feathers.

If she hears someone one the other floor of house and she is alone, then she goes to the floor where the other resident is located.

 

[centrarchid]

Pullet is settling in fast. She milled around at our feet as kids and I dressed for school. After we left she went downstairs to hang with my mother. My mother does not like that part.

 

[centrarchid]

Penny on bed during day.

Penny lying next to me on bed at roost time. She opted to hang with me over roosting up as she did two prior nights.

Shortly after taking second photograph, I went downstairs to work with kids on homework. Penny followed and messed around as we studied. I then took her upstairs and placed her on roost with light turned down so we could continue studies prior to bed.

 

[centrarchid]

I made a discovery. The pullet poops everywhere. She is being left outside during work day with flock based around house. She will be brought back inside to finish day and roost.

May need a large cage like used for parrots during day. Nest can be placed in there too.