Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

They are perching birds after all...

they aren't. Chickens are galliformes and ducks are anseriformes; neither are passeriformes (perching birds).

 

[kattabelly]

My other concern is that he bites. Some of my hens bite too (no manners). I mean when I hand feed - not all are very discriminating about the fingers versus the blueberry. He is already big enough that it can be quite painful!

I'm definitely not claiming to be any kind of expert on chicken behaviour and training methods but this is one situation when I do think it's good to let them get a reaction out of you, if you're sure whatever they did was unintentional. I squawk or yelp (or do a very loud and indignant "ow!" and then call them a rude word, mostly) to let them know they hurt me, and then take my hand away if they do it again. In my experience it pretty much always makes at least some difference, with consistency and some individual work to start with if there's too much of a feeding frenzy to work with them when others are around.

I wouldn't do this if I thought a peck or bite was deliberate and meant defensively or aggressively.

 

[Perris]

I'm definitely not claiming to be any kind of expert on chicken behaviour and training methods but this is one situation when I do think it's good to let them get a reaction out of you, if you're sure whatever they did was unintentional. I squawk or yelp (or do a very loud and indignant "ow!" and then call them a rude word, mostly) to let them know they hurt me, and then take my hand away if they do it again. In my experience it pretty much always makes at least some difference, with consistency and some individual work to start with if there's too much of a feeding frenzy to work with them when others are around.

I wouldn't do this if I thought a peck or bite was deliberate and meant defensively or aggressively.

I second that. They are capable of barely making contact to pecking hard, and I think the naively rough ones here have learned from my reactions to moderate any over-eager urge to snatch and grab.

 

[Molpet]

they aren't. Chickens are galliformes and ducks are anseriformes; neither are passeriformes (perching birds).

Yes but they perch in trees unlike other ducks
Muscovy Duck Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology https://share.google/KfJjwNVHeA6o9XJT7

 

[RoyalChick]

I'm definitely not claiming to be any kind of expert on chicken behaviour and training methods but this is one situation when I do think it's good to let them get a reaction out of you, if you're sure whatever they did was unintentional. I squawk or yelp (or do a very loud and indignant "ow!" and then call them a rude word, mostly) to let them know they hurt me, and then take my hand away if they do it again. In my experience it pretty much always makes at least some difference, with consistency and some individual work to start with if there's too much of a feeding frenzy to work with them when others are around.

I wouldn't do this if I thought a peck or bite was deliberate and meant defensively or aggressively.

It is definitely not aggressive or defensive, but it is not entirely accidental. He is perfectly accurate in his aim and can grab a blueberry or a sunflower seed from between my fingers just fine. But then when they are gone he tries the fingers instead.
Also, when I use the closed fist method of feeding seeds - which I do to try and let him get some instead of the older ladies who mob me - he really hasn't grasped the principle of not grabbing a chunk of the web of my thumb - it took a couple of my hens to figure that out too - I think that kind is fully accidental.

 

[Shadrach]

they aren't. Chickens are galliformes and ducks are anseriformes; neither are passeriformes (perching birds).

I think that's a Muscovy and they perch.

 

[RoyalChick]

I second that. They are capable of barely making contact to pecking hard, and I think the naively rough ones here have learned from my reactions to moderate any over-eager urge to snatch and grab.

Do you squawk, yelp or swear like @kattabelly? I need to get ahead of this because my reaction is to withdraw my fingers into my sleeves which is probably not a sustainable approach.

 

[kattabelly]

Yes but they perch in trees unlike other ducks
Muscovy Duck Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology https://share.google/KfJjwNVHeA6o9XJT7
View attachment 4252690

Aye that was how I read it. Not passerines, but birds that do perch and roost (though the heavier, domesticated Muscovies that have been bred as dual purpose birds - drakes especially - don't always)

 

[kattabelly]

It is definitely not aggressive or defensive, but it is not entirely accidental. He is perfectly accurate in his aim and can grab a blueberry or a sunflower seed from between my fingers just fine. But then when they are gone he tries the fingers instead.
Also, when I use the closed fist method of feeding seeds - which I do to try and let him get some instead of the older ladies who mob me - he really hasn't grasped the principle of not grabbing a chunk of the web of my thumb - it took a couple of my hens to figure that out too - I think that kind is fully accidental.

Maybe not accidental but still unintended. I wouldn't say he's biting with the aim of hurting (or warning etc) you there. If his goal is to get more blueberries, letting him know he's hurt (upset/scared/etc) you isn't giving him the reaction he wants.

It's basically the same thing as when they go through that toe-biting stage at one or two days old, and quickly learn that toes aren't particularly edible when they're attached to another chick(en) who'll scream when bitten.

 

[RoyalChick]

Maybe not accidental but still unintended. I wouldn't say he's biting with the aim of hurting (or warning etc) you there. If his goal is to get more blueberries, letting him know he's hurt (upset/scared/etc) you isn't giving him the reaction he wants.

It's basically the same thing as when they go through that toe-biting stage at one or two days old, and quickly learn that toes aren't particularly edible when they're attached to another chick(en) who'll scream when bitten.

Agree. Definitely not aggressive. I will try the squawk and swear approach.
Thanks!