INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Bawk]

Well finally getting chickens! @Racinchickins said 5 CL of 6 made it to lock down, 2 have hatched, boy and girl...great job! One GB and one TP (that's half) had movement in the eggs...the Mottled Houdans, the two didn't make it to lockdown I guess.

Haven't heard from our Mennonite friend yet.

The Legbars were put in a day or two before the others.

Yippee!!!

 

[Faraday40]

I'm considering marker (clicker) training for my chickens. Has anyone else tried this?

We trained our "Cuddles" to peck at a red circle chip using a clicker. Then we added extra colors, but she only got rewarded with the red. Whenever they get mixed up, she still only picks the red. Then we wrote words on the chips. So now when I ask Cuddles, "Should my children clean their rooms?" Cuddles will peck at the red chip with the answer, "YES." It's just one of those stupid pet tricks, but I often bring some chickens into schools, so it's a fun gimmick. BTW- She's an orpington & they'll do anything for treats.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

That's awesome!

I wonder how well it will work to train a whole flock at once. I really just want them to all go back into their run when I tell them to.

 

[iamfivewire]

@chick rookie :
here are a couple GLW Pullets (7 weeks old in picture) that we are trying to sell - their patterns look different than yours , as well as leg color

 

[iamfivewire]

. . . . . & the other bird in the picture is a welsummer cockerel (selling all 3 together - they are 8 weeks old now)

 

[Faraday40]

That's awesome!

I wonder how well it will work to train a whole flock at once. I really just want them to all go back into their run when I tell them to.

That's easy. Just call them while inside the coop/run & start tossing some scratch. We also carry the same "treat bucket" so when they see it, they come running. Normally, we only do it at night or if a storm is coming, but it works great if we need to run to the store or something. We do the reverse in the morning. The pullets are trained to find the chicken tractor & put themselves inside to await their treat. I only allow the adults to free range, so the pullets are just used to going straight into the tractor. Normally it's just a few feet away from the last location. The funny part is when the tractor gets moved to a new location far from where they were yesterday. They flock to the former spot then run around in circles like lost, little ants until the tractor is spotted.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

That's easy. Just call them while inside the coop/run & start tossing some scratch. We also carry the same "treat bucket" so when they see it, they come running. Normally, we only do it at night or if a storm is coming, but it works great if we need to run to the store or something. We do the reverse in the morning. The pullets are trained to find the chicken tractor & put themselves inside to await their treat. I only allow the adults to free range, so the pullets are just used to going straight into the tractor. Normally it's just a few feet away from the last location. The funny part is when the tractor gets moved to a new location far from where they were yesterday. They flock to the former spot then run around in circles like lost, little ants until the tractor is spotted.

Too funny.

My birds definitly recognize the treat bucket. I guess I need to start only throwing treats when they've gone back into the run. Part of the difficulty is that I can't let them out in the yard very often - a few times a week, for an hour or two at a time, is about the best I can do. So we don't really have a routine for going in and out.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

This whole are was one big swamp a few hundred years ago.

I think we are headed in that direction! It was mostly dry today, weather report is looking pretty good rest of the week.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Well finally getting chickens! @Racinchickins said 5 CL of 6 made it to lock down, 2 have hatched, boy and girl...great job! One GB and one TP (that's half) had movement in the eggs...the Mottled Houdans, the two didn't make it to lockdown I guess.

Haven't heard from our Mennonite friend yet.

The Legbars were put in a day or two before the others.

Yippee!!!

Awesome news!

Quote: Have to agree with other thoughts, use a favorite treat to coop them up. Its what I do here for the geese or my cooped breeds that rarely get "out".

That's awesome!

I wonder how well it will work to train a whole flock at once. I really just want them to all go back into their run when I tell them to.

Ugh its a pain during the day for sure if you have to leave.

Quote: I use a different call for each species, but hands down, a white bucket here draws everyone's attention. The big square blue scoop is killer, if its out it means there is chick feed in there! Every bird I have will come running to it.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

So am kinda "upsizing" rather than downsizing lol. Working on adding marans back to my flocks again, and dark cornish hopefully. Have my chicks for next years chicken breeders picked out. Really pleased with the colors and variety I am seeing hatch with my EE/OE flock.

So guys, what breeds or species will you continue to keep, or not keep? What birds have been a headache, or a joy to have?
For us, turkey, guinea, ducks, quail, geese and chickens will still be here next year.