How to train your chickens…

[chicChickChick]

I have a flock of 17. My garden is done for the winter and I’ve covered it with hawk netting so the girls can have a good time in the leftover plants and dirt, etc

Problem is, the garden gate is a good 25 yards away from the run doors. Me running around capturing each one and carrying it to the garden isn’t practical. (Though it provides my husband hours of entertainment)

Can you and how did you train your chickens to follow you to good pasture?

 

[FrostRanger]

You can train them to come for treats, if you use a container for high value treats like scratch they'll associate it and the noise it makes with food. From there they'll probably follow you (provided there's nothing more interesting nearby). Chickens are also mildly herdable. If I need to herd my flock somewhere I just raise my arms and walk towards them (don't do this if you have a rooster though as he might take it as a challenge). How well this works depends on the flock and how interesting the surroundings are but it works well enough for me if I need to herd them from somewhere they shouldn't be

 

[JedJackson]

I agree with using food. What I would do is to take out the feeder when you put them to bed. In the morning, put some feed in it and play a game of follow the leader with the feeder. If they are hungry enough, they should go for it. Do this a few times, and they should get the idea. Maybe gradually switch to a handful of feed as the lure.

 

[SamLockwood]

When I give my flock bird seed, I always use the same containers (these white plastic mini-pitcher). If I old them up and shake them a little so they can here the bird-seed rattling around they go nuts and will follow me anywhere.

Any time I need to gather them together in one place that's what I do.

If you get enough of a routine going you might get them to follow you without bribery, or if they like you enough they might just do it on your own.

Sometimes the lead birds get it in their heads to just follow me around when I'm doing chores and all of the sudden the whole flock of them are following me all over the place.

 

[chicChickChick]

I agree with using food. What I would do is to take out the feeder when you put them to bed. In the morning, put some feed in it and play a game of follow the leader with the feeder. If they are hungry enough, they should go for it. Do this a few times, and they should get the idea. Maybe gradually switch to a handful of feed as the lure.

Oooh. I like this. Tonight was an encore of yesterday’s herding. I am wondering about a net…

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

What if you built a tiny tunnel between run and garden?

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

Or a little chicken tractor with a door on each side. Herd them in, wheel over, release.
Then when evening comes, put them back in the tractor and bring ‘em on home!

But seriously, a small mason jar of treats also works wonderfully.
(I like to use something see-through. They chase it, all right!)

 

[chicChickChick]

It’s looong. But and would cut the back right down the middle where we walk. But I’ve considered it.

 

[Beau plus penny]

I have a flock of 17. My garden is done for the winter and I’ve covered it with hawk netting so the girls can have a good time in the leftover plants and dirt, etc

Problem is, the garden gate is a good 25 yards away from the run doors. Me running around capturing each one and carrying it to the garden isn’t practical. (Though it provides my husband hours of entertainment)

Can you and how did you train your chickens to follow you to good pasture?

literally just use food to get them to follow you

 

[TokoBird]

It is VERY easy to use positive reinforcement to train chickens.

Mine have 3 cues.

One is clicking my tongue, like making kissy-noise clicks. This means “come get food!”
If I make that noise, I ALWAYS have special treats in-hand. The flock comes RUNNING.

One is whistling “looonnng-short-short-short.” This means: Freedom!
I whistle when I’ve left the gate open so they can exit their fenced run and free-range for a bit. They come LAUNCHING out, flapping and hopping and racing around.

The final is a swooping whistle, while holding out my arm. This means “come perch!” - my rooster and two of my hens will take that cue to flap up to land on my outstretched arm like lil falcons and eat whatever treats I have.

—-
look up “positive reinforcement training.” And “clicker training”

Clicker training dogs works EXACTLY the same as clicker training chickens. I used my mouth to make the cue-sounds instead of a clicker, because I keep losing or forgetting to carry those damn clickers.