Speaking of morons: And the Fates were kind...

[SpottedCrow]

Oh thank the Gods...I've been hoping...Give the big lug a big hug from me.

 

[PeiTheCelt]

Yeah, my husband is talking about letting him out some tomorrow evening when I get home from work, but I think I'll give him a few days here before I let him out again long-term.. I want to make sure that he REALLY knows that this is home.. So I'll go hang out with him some in his run tomorrow (and pass on your hug spottedcrow

)... (I'm also currently solo adulting since my husband just had a hernia surgery and so is rather incapacitated and stressing about the chicken AND chasing the three year old and keeping everything else going is more than I want to do two nights in a row.. lol)

But yeah, it feels good to know that he understands that this is home now.. He was even awake when I went to latch him in, and just sort of looked at me as I said goodnight and that he was a goober.

 

[eggzettera]

Sounds like he has assimilated just fine & knows resistance is futile - congrat's - glad to hear he is back.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Poor hubby!
I think it's easier to chase the bloody chickens, than the kids.

 

[Wooden_Pony]

OH YIIIPPPEEE

Smart little guy!! So glad to hear he came back home for the night!!!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

That's a great sign that he actually WANTS to be at home with you! Good idea to keep him locked up for a few days, at least until you have the time to watch him a little closer.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

So glad your roo made it home. Wanted to mention the trick my husband came up with to gain some control over our chickens, in case you wanted to develop something of the sort to work with your roo.

Whenever we give them their favorite treat, mealworms, we tap on the plastic container, so they now associate the sound with the treat. Then when we need to get them back into their pen, we tap on anything plastic, and they come running. (You would probably need a louder sound with your space.)

He's tried getting them to associate a finger-snapping sound with the command "no", but that one isn't going over so well. Don't think chickens know the meaning of the word "no".

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Negative conditioning doesn't work like positive conditioning.

It is easy for an animal to associate something with a treat. There isn't as much incentive for them to learn what "no" means, because typically it isn't paired with a treat. And you don't want to reward bad behavior.

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
Haha, exactally. If you want no to work, you have to associate it with something that they hate so much they don't forget... like a shock... which I don't reccomend since chickens aren't the brighest things and don't associate bad with stop very well.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

That makes perfect sense. i told my husband it was easier to move the strawberry plants than try to teach the chickens not to scratch in them.