Things young chickens should be taught?

[User395221]

Lesson one, don't wear shorts in the coop if you have varicose veins that could be mistaken for yummy worms

Freckles, or skin tags, or any blemishes at all....

Quote: LOL, I've learnt the first one. The second one relates to the "ooh, you've got a seed on your arm, that looks tasty". My bigger girls invented the phrase "the grass is always greener on the other side" and never met a doorway or gateway that they won't rush through. The little girls are still too scared of everything to come rushing anywhere but AWAY. Which goes back around to number one. "must get away! Use wings! Jump on top of coop!"

There's another one "attack food held out for you with enthusiasm, but if it is then left so you can finish it off yourselves, ignore it and leave it to attract flies"

 

[Chookies321]

We have been really lucky with our rock bantams. The Roos are so nice. If they get naughty, we just threaten to pick them up, kiss and hug them. Eeeeek! I'll be good...I'll be good.....
They are well handled, because if we want to bring them to the fair to show, they have to be well mannered. We have taught Fred and Frankie to come for treats and go get their girls. Frankie is a bit clueless, but Fred who is his dad is pretty good about calling the girls in.
They only have an issue if they hear one of the girls having a conniption, because we need to treat her or hold her for something longer than she likes...but they realize it is us, and they seem to have made the connection that we are their caregivers.
We don't let them growl at us either. If their is grumbling, we chase them in slow motion around the yard until their mood changes. Otherwise they get picked up and we hug the stuffing out of them. LOL
They do follow a point which blows my mind, and these guys seem to be smarter than your average budgie. Warning if you get a factory chicken...they are not known for their smartitude like these guys...

 

[MCCAIGALLEN]

Many dog training outfits use chickens to train the dog owners. Here's a good website that discusses it and shows a chick being clicker trained. In my case I was trained BY my chicken Peepsy. Sit down! (I sit.) Lean back! (I lean back.) Lift up your chin! (I lift my chin.) Peepsy walks up my leg and makes herself comfortable under my chin on my chest. Thou shalt have NO other chickens but ME! (Fuzzy tried to sit on my chest. Peepsy rooted her out using her beak like a crowbar. Fuzzy has to sit on the sofa on a towel.)

http://www.rootsimple.com/2012/07/clicker-training-chickens/

 

[Chookies321]

Awwww....yup. You are trained.
Us too. Sunshine comes to the door to hint about treats from the kitchen. If they are stuck in the run, mrs. Cluck will make a racket, and sunshine will follow us back and forth from the hen house to the run...ah hem...treats please! Usually get their way. We are so trained...

 

[kellystorie]

Question for azygous: what should I "teach" my roo? He is 6 mo old

 

[azygous]

The most important thing with a young cockerel just coming into his hormones is respect, but it's a mutual respect between you and him that's crucial.

My latest roo is a nine-month old Cream Legbar. He was the cuddliest of chicks, loving to be stroked and he would fall asleep in my hands. When he came to the point where his hormones began to be evident, he began to avoid me. In fact, this is precisely what a good roo should do. At that point on, I refrained from handling him except only rarely and when absolutely necessary. He continues to do the "opposite poles magnetic reaction" when I am approaching him, neatly side-stepping to get out of my way.

If your young cockerel isn't doing this naturally, then you need to teach him to do so. If he dances up to you aggressively, or refuses to get out of your way when you're walking in his vicinity, you need to urge him to do so by "walking through" him. If he's outright aggressive, you need to run him off a good ways until he gets the message. If he attacks and tries to flog you, you must grab him up into a football hold and not release him until he surrenders and is docile.

Sometimes aggressiveness is a result of breeding, but a lot of time it's because a cockerel is insecure and doesn't trust his human. That's due to the human being unsure of themselves around the roo. Like dogs, roosters are quick to pick up on vibes we send out, even unconscious ones.

So, if your roo is avoiding you, respect that. It's exactly what he should be doing.

 

[kellystorie]

Wow! That was fast!! I'm impressed!! Thanks so much, he is a buff orp, have had NO problems, he was cuddly too, I used to have horses so I know how to act bigger than him! So far no need for training , what else would you write in your rooster book?

 

[Magfree]

I would like to hear more of what you have to say about rooster training.

 

[User395221]

I would like to hear more of what you have to say about rooster training.

Yes, it's very interesting. I'm not allowed a rooster here in the suburbs, but you never know, I might win lotto and get a farm.... (sigh,dream on)

 

[azygous]

Roosters are more like dogs than people realize. They're certainly a lot more complex critters than hens, and can even be neurotic. Sadly, most people butcher early on the ones who become problems. Even sadder, it's usually the fault of the human that a cockerel turns into a disciplinary problem. Much of the time, with time and patience, a cockerel can be trained out of his unacceptable behavior.

Also, people fail to see the difference between "punishing" a roo and "disciplining him. The first does no good and usually makes his problems worse, and the latter, while requiring commitment and time, can result in dramatic changes. I had two cockerels a few years back, raised in the same brood, who had opposite behavior problems, both of which disappeared after training. One was pathologically fearful, and the other was a vicious biter, drilling plugs of flesh from my hide.

Each case is different, but I believe most problem roos can be rehabilitated with diligent training.