Conference 7.286::pet_birds

731.0. "Perching Chicken 8-) !" by DKAS::FEASE (Andrea Midtmoen Fease) Fri Sep 04 1992 10:31

         Okay, those of you with "normal" birds that perch on people (parrots, 
    etc.), this is going to sound *weird*, but it's *true*.
 
         We have egg-laying chickens that we have raised from day-old.  One of
    these chickens, now 20 weeks old, likes to perch on me.  She doesn't do it
    every day, but at least once or twice a week.  It seems that when I'm 
    leaning over the feeder or waterer, checking/adding, my back becomes pretty
    irresistable to fly up to.  Then as I straighten up, she flaps her wings 
    and climbs so that she winds up on my shoulder or upper back.
 
         I don't mind this, I think it's kind of cute.  But sometimes I get 
    little scratches up my back as she does this back-to-shoulder transition.  
    And it's hard to get her off ;^) .  I've tried getting her to get into my 
    hand, and it works about half of the time; other times I have to try going 
    from a standing position to a bent-over position and if I do it fast
    enough she'll fly off (but scratch in doing so, which I can kind of 
    understand ;^) .
 
         NOW, for those of you that have perching birds, HOW do you train your
    bird to get into your hand???  I'd like to train her to go from my shoulder
    to my hand, and that way I can put her back on her nest perch or on the 
    floor with the others.  Her feet work very well as far as grabbing 
    abilities, but a lot of times when I try to put my hand under her feet she 
    just walks further away on my shoulder.
 
         Thanks for the help!
 
					- Andrea
                       

    
    usually we only use a finger but you
    may have to use your whole hand due
    to the birds size!
    
    press your hand against the birds
    belly at the point where the legs 
    enter the body. birds naturally
    step up onto the hand.
    
    if that doesn't work tell the bird
    that you have frank purdue's tel. #
    on speed dial ! That should help
    make the bird behave ;-)
    
    chet