Treading The Boards

Today I got the broody Australorp to go go outside! I had to pick her up three times and carry her out the door, but she is finally hanging out with her two sisters. I opened up the nest boxes so they are not dark and cozy. I hope she will give up the egg hatching plan. John here warned me to be careful of broody hens getting sick in the winter cold. It was good that he did because I usually just pretty much ignore them except for complaining and worrying about them.

Do these girls want to go on stage? No. I think they just like the boards because they have soaked up some warmth from the sun. But, I got to thinking about the trained chickens I have seen performing at county fairs and went to take a quick look on YouTube to see what I could find and came up with this. Chickens aren't so dumb!

I have trained dogs and once even got a third place in obedience with one of my Dobies at a benched Doberman show at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. The dog's scores were only a half point apart with the winner getting a perfect score. Yes. I'm blowing my horn. This blog is supposed to be a record of stuff that happened. I haven't used a clicker or whistle to train except to use them to get a dog to come for a treat. I save the clicker and whistle for times when the dog won't come and I'm desperate.

I wonder if I could clicker train the broody hen to give up sitting in a nest? I guess I could distract her for awhile with treats, but I don't think I have enough of an inclination to pursue chicken training. Training chickens to lay an egg when they hear a click? Now that would be worth the effort. I wonder?

I only got a little bit of path raking done.

Morgan wouldn't hold still for a photo.

The window I replaced yesterday was the top right window. It may have cracked because of the freezes and the wind rattling the windows around or maybe a chicken flew up and bumped the glass when they were all penned up in the coop. I was reading about farmers who use three sided chicken coops even in snowy weather. They did say they had winter hardy chickens. I guess the hens become acclimated to the situation where they are living. I like this set up here especially the idea of composting the wood shavings and chicken poo in place.

[no eggs today]

Smiles

~:>