How to help grandkids get over fear of getting hen-pecked???

[BarnyardChaos]

Have them make a tight fist and assure them the hen won’t damage them. Then let them get pecked. It’s 90% surprise and when they figure out the bark is worse than the bite. …

Once past that I showed my kids young to reach in with a fist, open hand under hen, lift her up and steal the eggs.

Easy peasy.

My grandson told me today that it's not the peck that he's afraid of, really - it's when she surprises him with it. I've tried different approaches with the hands; what he does is to hold his hand, palm out, facing her, I guess waiting for her to peck so he can get it overwith. But she doesn't peck then, she waits until that hand goes for her belly - then BAM! They wear long sleeves and gloves, but still.....

 

[MarlaMac]

My grand-kids LOVE to collect eggs from our chickens because I LOVE to collect eggs from my chickens. We always go together to collect them when they are here. I have taught them that eggs are the prize we get when we love our chickens by feeding them and making sure they are safe. They have also been around the babies and have watched them grow, fed them and loved on them.

To me, collecting eggs is not a chore. I have passed this love and understanding to our grands.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Ah, so it's the anticipation and the surprise they don't like. Did you ever play a game where you hold your hands out, palms up, and your opponent lays their hands down, palms down on your hands? Then you try to slap their hands before they can pull their hands away. You can clap your hands together or try to get both their hands with both of yours. You can feint, just flinching your hands, to fake them out. If you slap and miss, you reverse positions. But if you slap and hit them, it's still your turn. Maybe playing this game a bit would desensitize them to the "surprise" of being pecked? My kids say this game is called Slapstick. It's a hilarious game, really.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Hmm. I wonder if they would be willing to do without their electronic toys until they "bit the bullet" and figured out how to accomplish the task on their own? What I meean is, you say you've done it with them, you've "held their hands," so to speak, you've encouraged them, provided protective gear (gloves), etc., now you think they should be able to do this on their own. So ... what if you tell them you're confident they're able to solve the problem on their own (without harming Ms Grumpy Beak, of course) and that when they do, they can come in and play their video games. And of course you have a pretty good idea how many eggs to expect and can certainly go out and check to make sure they did indeed gather eggs from under that chicken, since they did lie to you before. If they do lie again, simple.. they can spend the evening reading (we call these things books, children) and not get their devices. They can try again tomorrow. You can wear earplugs to protect yourself from the whining.

Thanks for the tough love suggestion. I've thought of it, but was pretty sure they'd say "fine!" and just wait until their Dad picks them up, and they'd just play at home. If it got them out of collecting eggs, they'd happily give up 30 minutes of their phones and tablets.

Oh, and since one of them is reading-challenged, I'd never use reading as punishment. But thank you. I'd make them wash dishes, though. Or clean the litter boxes. Or sweep the garage. Or ........

 

[BDutch]

My thought:
Don't try to suppress their fear and feelings. If you keep trying to do it your way without carefully listening (and observing) what the problem is you can push your grandchildren away from loving you.
Is there another task they rather would do for you? Like cleaning. Helping in the garden?

Anyway, it were my (grand)children I would go together and take away this nasty hen from the nest. If it’s important they do this task without you being around, lock the pecking hen in another cage before your grandchildren arrive.
After a few weeks you could ‘forget’ to do so. Then carefully listen what they (do or don’t ) say. Maybe the problem gets more clear to them and you after a few weeks of harmony.

 

[Vata Raven]

Because they are not little children

So?

Would you want to do a job you hated, even if you got paid for it? Or would you quit and find something better for yourself?

My parents went through a divorce when I was 10. It's not easy to go through mentally. My mother forced me and my sister to talk with a physicist... doubt that worked, only saw the guy once, but I hated it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thanks for the tough love suggestion. I've thought of it, but was pretty sure they'd say "fine!" and just wait until their Dad picks them up, and they'd just play at home. If it got them out of collecting eggs, they'd happily give up 30 minutes of their phones and tablets.

Oh, and since one of them is reading-challenged, I'd never use reading as punishment. But thank you. I'd make them wash dishes, though. Or clean the litter boxes. Or sweep the garage. Or ........

Well so much for that suggestion! Reading is my great delight, I certainly wasn't thinking of it as a punishment. My apologies!

 

[HumbleAmerican]

My grandson told me today that it's not the peck that he's afraid of, really - it's when she surprises him with it. I've tried different approaches with the hands; what he does is to hold his hand, palm out, facing her, I guess waiting for her to peck so he can get it overwith. But she doesn't peck then, she waits until that hand goes for her belly - then BAM! They wear long sleeves and gloves, but still.....

Have him try just going under her then lifting her up. About the time their feet leave the floor none of mine have pecking in mind. They’re just trying to stay upright.

Sounds to me like grandson isn’t too keen on cranky ol birds.

 

[Bhubbard]

Hmmm my 3 year old would drive his 12 volt tractor out with a bucket and return with a bunch of broken eggs. I don’t think I have ever mentioned to my kids they can get pecked or it hurts…. I feel like without being there to know the situation advice is hard but sounds like the idea of it was made into a big deal?

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

Could you not just lock up the offender?? You take the job as jail keeper,(and do your part to break her of this nasty habit) and they take the job of collecting eggs.

If she's not in there she can't peck and they won't be scared.

After all we all wanna pass the love of chickens and animals down...we don't want them to be scared of them.

I think many people have an idea of what this age or that age is supposed to be able to do and handle. Those same many people don't seem to realize that we are ALL individual people with our own thoughts, feelings, and choices.

Their voice matters. Now is that to say they shouldn't collect eggs, no...but it definitely means you should listen to them and find a way to make it work. They won't get outta the chore, but you are also respecting their feelings, and in my opinion teaching a valuable life lesson; they matter and what they say is important enough to be heard. Same with their feelings...they matter, and you respect them. It's like any relationship. Communication is key, compromise is key. You'd work this out with your spouse if it were them who had the issue. It's the same thing. Work through it in a kind and respectable manner, bc they, too are people, and deserve at least that.