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I plan on keeping hens up here next year.
One thing I wanna do is to clicker train them to come in at night using my ships bell I have hanging on a wall.
Ring the bell, feed them meal worms and treats then close their door so the night time critters don’t slaughter them.
I will have an incubator station in our shop so I will post up some results in a year or so .
I'm sure that will work well for you, Andy..It's such a good idea that I bet if you just think about using a clicker at dusk, the hens will come in. They have UHF and can read your mind.
The bell may have some benefit if you want to put them in early sometimes… But I think you’ll find they naturally cone in to roost at dusk, all on their own :-) It’s instinct.
The bell may have some benefit if you want to put them in early sometimes… But I think you’ll find they naturally cone in to roost at dusk, all on their own :-) It’s instinct.
Many years ago, a poultry truck had crashed at the bottom of the hill. Sometime after that, mom noticed that something was eating her tomatoes. It turned out that 3 live chickens from the crash were living at her house. She bought chicken feed, and they became half tame. My parents eventually captured them and took them to a farmer who had chickens. We were told that the first night at the farmer, our chickens roosted in the trees, but after that they roosted in the coop with the rest of the chickens.
They do sort of need to be finessed into an existing flock.
The last time I just dumped some new hens in and it could have gone better.
I heard that putting them in the middle of the night works well but I haven’t tried that yet.
I have a small coop I keep next door to the larger one and they can see each other.
Even after 3-4 days they have to work it out.
Never did the treat thing.
I’m sure that helps.
I can’t wait to be able to free range my hens.
Many years ago, a poultry truck had crashed at the bottom of the hill. Sometime after that, mom noticed that something was eating her tomatoes. It turned out that 3 live chickens from the crash were living at her house. She bought chicken feed, and they became half tame. My parents eventually captured them and took them to a farmer who had chickens. We were told that the first night at the farmer, our chickens roosted in the trees, but after that they roosted in the coop with the rest of the chickens.
All my chickens are from Florida except a couple of local girls who turned out to be roosters and a little hen I bought off Craig’s list from a lady who lived down the road. I bought her to replace a blue egg layer who was killed by a hawk. This little hen refused to come in the coop at night, she flew up in the tree above the coop and roosted there. She managed to escape nearly everyday and my would spouse come inside and say, you're favorite hen is out. This went on for weeks until she finally settled in. She is now docile and lays pretty blue eggs, but it’s much easier to raise baby chicks than go through all that again.
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This went on for weeks until she finally settled in. She is now docile and lays pretty blue eggs, but it’s much easier to raise baby chicks than go through all that again.
