How To Train A Barnyard Chicken

2014 - Volume #38, Issue #4, Page #21

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Teaching your barnyard chickens “tricks” may be low priority on your list, until you consider how handy it would be if they would willingly step into your hand. That would make it easier to check out any health issues or to move birds to another location.
  Certified bird trainer Kenny Coogan, of Tampa, Fla., says chickens can be trained to do a variety of useful behaviors - as well as entertaining tricks.
  “I haven’t found any breeds that are easier or harder to train,” he says. “I train my eight chickens like I train other animals, using positive reinforcement and patience. When they do something that I ask, I give them a small food reward such as a piece of popped popcorn, minced fruit, vegetables or cracked corn.”
  Start with a small treat in your hand and wait for the chicken to approach and eat it, he explains. Then switch hands so it has to walk further. Walk away and repeat until the chicken follows you around. Then place the treat in one hand and place your empty hand in front of it so the chicken has to step on your hand to get to the food. After a few repetitions, slowly raise the chicken up in your hand as it eats from the other hand.
  “A few more repetitions and soon I can carry them around giving them treats,” Coogan says.
  With a B.S. in animal behavior and as a certified bird trainer through the International Avian Trainers Certification Board (www.iatcb.com), Coogan has worked with animals since he was a child. He emphasizes he doesn’t use coercion for training.
  “I don’t want my chickens to be fearful of me or new situations,” he says. “Training young chickens may have an advantage, in that they may not be as skittish to new experiences.”
  “The most impressive behavior I have trained was to get chickens to jump on a fence railing, down a ramp, over a stump and into a kennel,” Coogan says. He uses treats on stations to train chickens to move through the course.
  For more information, check out Coogan’s Facebook page “Critter Companions.” He also writes a weekly pet column, “Critter Companions,” and has written a children’s book.”
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Kenny Coogan (Kenny.coogan@yahoo.com).

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How To Train A Barnyard Chicken AG WORLD Teaching your barnyard chickens “tricks” may be low priority on your list until you consider how handy it would be if they would willingly step into your hand That would make it easier to check out any health issues or to move birds to another location Certified bird trainer Kenny Coogan of Tampa Fla says chickens can be trained to do a variety of useful behaviors - as well as entertaining tricks “I haven’t found any breeds that are easier or harder to train ” he says “I train my eight chickens like I train other animals using positive reinforcement and patience When they do something that I ask I give them a small food reward such as a piece of popped popcorn minced fruit vegetables or cracked corn ” Start with a small treat in your hand and wait for the chicken to approach and eat it he explains Then switch hands so it has to walk further Walk away and repeat until the chicken follows you around Then place the treat in one hand and place your empty hand in front of it so the chicken has to step on your hand to get to the food After a few repetitions slowly raise the chicken up in your hand as it eats from the other hand “A few more repetitions and soon I can carry them around giving them treats ” Coogan says With a B S in animal behavior and as a certified bird trainer through the International Avian Trainers Certification Board www iatcb com Coogan has worked with animals since he was a child He emphasizes he doesn’t use coercion for training “I don’t want my chickens to be fearful of me or new situations ” he says “Training young chickens may have an advantage in that they may not be as skittish to new experiences ” “The most impressive behavior I have trained was to get chickens to jump on a fence railing down a ramp over a stump and into a kennel ” Coogan says He uses treats on stations to train chickens to move through the course For more information check out Coogan’s Facebook page “Critter Companions ” He also writes a weekly pet column “Critter Companions ” and has written a children’s book ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Kenny Coogan Kenny coogan@yahoo com

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