How To Train A Chicken - Shaw TV Victoria. (2019). See video below.
Yes! You can train your chicken to do tricks, to lay eggs where you want them, and even tame mean chickens! Training chickens to do tricks is not new even though many people may not know about it. Many dog trainers have people who want to learn how to train their dogs to practice clicker training a chicken first because chickens are very smart, learn very quickly and are much easier to train than dogs. Chickens are quite agile, they can see colors, and can quickly make a connection that certain behaviors get rewarded with a treat. To start training your chicken you should start by providing a table to train, two shapes or colors to work with, a clicker, and a favorite treat. Put a small amount of the treat on the color or shape you want your chicken to choose, put the chicken on the table and when it gets the treat, click the clicker. Repeat this a few times so the bird associates the sound with the treat and the shape or color. Then, remove the treat and put the chicken on the table again, make the clicking sound and the chicken should choose the same color or shape and when the bird does it, reward it with a treat. No treat rewards for choosing the wrong one and your chicken will quickly make the association. Practice with your bird every day for an hour or so. See video below.
Featured Video: How to Train A Chicken Below
"Chickens aren't the first animals that come to mind when it comes to obedience training. As Shaw TV's Teri Church finds out, chicken training can actually be a benefit when it comes to learning how to train other animals, like dogs". --ShawTVSouthVI Published on Oct 26, 2012
How to Train a mean chicken
Wear goggles, long sleeves, and leather gloves. Never ever play fight with your rooster even when they are young. Some roosters are more aggressive than others. Studies shows that mean roosters have higher testosterone levels than non aggressive roosters. This can quickly become a problem for people who want pet chickens. For breeders an aggressive rooster is the one you want. I have successfully tamed several mean roosters and have had little or no success with other mean one's. When a rooster gets aggressive with me, the first thing I do is put safety glasses and gloves on, then I catch him and if I cannot catch him, I wait until he goes to roost at night and then I pick him up and clip his spurs off with a pair of clean wire cutters. Then I proceed to hold and pet him. Each night, I will return to pick him up, hold and pet him. If he tries to attack during the day, I tell him firmly, "NO" and if he continues, I catch him and put him in a large pet carrier for an hour. I repeat this every day, leaving him in the pet carrier an hour longer for each repeated offence and again each night I hold and pet him when he goes to roost. Eventually, the rooster catches on that when he misbehaves he gets locked up. He also realizes I am not going to hurt him or play fight with him. This works for some roosters but not for all. If I have a particularly aggressive rooster that I cannot get to stop attacking me or other people I put him in a separate coop and run with several hens and when I go into feed and water, I wear high legged boots, leather gloves, and safety goggles to protect myself as I have gotten gashes in my legs, bitten on the hand and wrist before and even a black eye from a rooster who pecked me in the eye when I picked him up. If you cannot handle the aggressive rooster and do not want him anymore look for local chicken sanctuaries in your area, farmers, or breeders if he is of high quality breeding stock who may want him. Never give an aggressive rooster away without warning the people you are giving him too. Some people eat their aggressive roosters but I just don't have the heart to do that.
More About Training Chickens |
References:
- How To Train A Chicken - Shaw TV Victoria. (2019). YouTube. Retrieved 22 March 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trKLkiPuKUE
