Training Chickens

[faeryrose]

Have you ever trained your chickens to do something? On purpose, I mean. Them learning what the treat bucket looks like does not count.

 

[GoChick]

I've trained my rooster to catch treats in the air and give it to the hens. Cutest thing.

 

[nok13]

basically its not training, its behavior modelling and yes coming when they see the treat bucket is also 'training' ... conditioning; training in the true sense is when u get up early in the morning to give food to your chickens cause otherwise they make a ruckus. THAT is called 'training the owner'. most animals do that really well.
for most 'less intelligent' animals, u reward for actions that u want them to do, just as they do them, and slowly u build up the actions. u have to have really good timing or know your animal really well... on more intelligent animals negative modelling also works (pressure on a horse to get it to move where u want it to go -simplifying a bit here- using the fright /flight tendencies, etc...)

you can 'train' a cichlid fish to come when u ring a bell (pure pavlov)... and jsut wacht how humans automatically pat their pockets or turn their heads when a cell phone rings... hilarious conditioning...

'dont shoot the dog ' by karen pryor who trained dolphins etc using conditioning only is a great book (she also worked with abuse children etc... no hitting etc with her system)... i like it, we've used it a lot with our animasl in the petting zoo although sometimes pure strenghth is a good thing also (like when hormones are raging in a male sheep, etc).