Treat training future free ranging babies!

[Henriettamom919]

I've been allowing my four pullets some supervised time in the open yard and training them to come back to the garden/run when I call. It was going okay but inevitably one would see three inside and then worry the fencing instead of rounding that last corner where the gate is.

I bought a bag of dried meal worms and hand fed each bird a small bit several times throughout the morning, shaking the bag between each offering. When it came time to go in I stood at the corner where the gate is and shook the bag. HOLY RUNNING CHICKENS! Why did I not just do this to begin with? Scratch grains have got nothing on the power of the meal worm! Success!

 

[Henriettamom919]

Last night and again this morning they all hauled tail feather to the gate from across 1/2 acre of space at the sound of me calling and shaking that bag! My big girls came, too but everyone was polite when meal worms were on the line!

They're starting to put themselves away when they're ready for a dust bath or nap, too!

 

[centrarchid]

I am doing similar using live meal worms. Next step is to get them to go somewhere I am not when I signal.

 

[Henriettamom919]

I am doing similar using live meal worms. Next step is to get them to go somewhere I am not when I signal.

Can you walk me through how you train for that? If you don't mind?

 

[centrarchid]

Doing it in steps. First they come to me when called. Then they come to cup I am holding when called. Specific cup. Then I start having cup loaded or empty, but it has meal worms only when I give signal. Next step will have cup physically separated from me. Once that step realized then cup will be placed in known location to chicken well away from me.

 

[Henriettamom919]

Doing it in steps. First they come to me when called. Then they come to cup I am holding when called. Specific cup. Then I start having cup loaded or empty, but it has meal worms only when I give signal. Next step will have cup physically separated from me. Once that step realized then cup will be placed in known location to chicken well away from me.

Do you do certain vocal signals to send away? Just single word commands? You're the chicken whisperer!

 

[ValerieJ]

Great discussion. I am always looking for ways to herd my chickens. From the beginning, I have not been the kind of chicken mom to pick them up and carry them around. I like spending time with them and they like it too, but they prefer to stay on their own two feet. So I use treats to lead them around if I want to put them into a particular run. Now I will start doing that with a container they associate with the treats. Great idea!

 

[centrarchid]

Do you do certain vocal signals to send away? Just single word commands? You're the chicken whisperer!

I have used names which they can respond to. Current names in use include Ty and Tap. How well the birds can discern names still not clear to me, but I have had as many as five names they can distinguish. Only two calls being used by me at this point. One call means fly up. Another means come over here. The sounds I produce seem silly to most until the chickens do their bit.

 

[ValerieJ]

The sounds I produce seem silly to most until the chickens do their bit.

We need audio!!!

 

[centrarchid]

Trying the audio. Birds totally stuffed on bugs and froglets making so they come only when I am close and then they do not fly up. Two pullets have just started with one now taking meal worms from my fingers.