UkButton Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 I have a new lodger who has a couple of kids (5 & 7 year olds). They are fascinated by the chooks. This is where the problem begins they want to pick and chase the chickens which is understandable. When the chooks get scared they dash back to the run upon which the 5 yearold boy jumps up and down shouting (normally "CHICKEN!" ). They do come out when the kids have food and have even snatched food from one of the sprogs. Anyway long story short. How much hassle can the chickens take before they get distressed? and how do you tell when you have a stressed chicken? Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 I think the kids need better training. My two eldest know that theyr enot supposed to shout loudly or move too quickly near my girls and the girls seem to stay stress free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieMcHen Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 My grandchildren are 3 and 7 and are very good with the hens. Hannah, 3, spends hours quietly digging for them and delights in the way they come running when she arrives in the run with her garden fork. Oliver, 7, likes collecting the eggs and filling grubs and glugs, and scattering corn in the run before hen-bedtime. The lodger's children need to be encouraged to act responsibly and with respect towards your chickens rather than like mini thugs. It isn't understandable, nor acceptable that they should want to chase them, and jump up and down and shout. Sorry but I feel very strongly that no child is too young to learn respect for needs of fellow creatures. What is mother doing about it? Maggie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosey Lucy Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 This can be difficult s you don't want to put the children off the hens but also need to curb their exuberance. Can you spend some time with them, making them (the children) stay still and encourage the hens to come to them? I'm sure that once they work out that the hens will come to them if they have some treats they will be a lot less likely to get over-excited. You also need to have a word with their mum/dad. Can you explain that the hens won't lay if stressed (sometimes a white lie is necessary to achieve the outcome we require). Maybe they could take part in caring for the hens? If they constantly live in rented accomodation they may never have had a pet before and are totally unaware as to how to behave. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 I'd have a word with the mother. The children need to know that they mustn't upset or frighten the hens.....and that it is a serious matter. Maybe the novelty will wear off in a little while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 or father!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Perhaps get them to hold some food (say grapes, mealworms or corn) in their hands (or in a tub) while sitting down. Then they'll learn that the hens will come to them if they keep still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Gosh yes....I shouldn't make assumptions....you are quite right Bronze....or father. Carer covers it all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbug Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 The children may have never seen a real live chicken before. But they still require to be calm and not chase them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UkButton Posted January 28, 2008 Author Share Posted January 28, 2008 Thanks, I'll try the sitting quietly feeding treats (not too many though as I may have to pass them off as turkeys!) The kids are only over every other weekend so the novelty may take longer to wear off but if they don't calm down I have a word with the 'generic non gender specific parent/gaurdian' (can I just say father its easier). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 You are all very right, the children do need to be taught how to respect animals. I have tried that with my children and on the whole it does work. However on the odd occasion that the boys have got excited and chased the chickens (they are a bit like little dogs - if something runs away they will give chase ) the chooks are very casual about it and are quite able to get out of the way if they've had enough. Usually though they are greedy enough to put up with it and end up getting caught and lugged around the garden under childs arm. Children have also dived into the eglu run and even into the eglu to retrieve a hen that has tried to escape (this is very infrequent I hasten to add). You can almost see the chicken going 'caught again'. Then they just fluff their knickers and march away in disgust. So yes, teach the children respect. But don't worry too much about the hens during the learning process - they seem to recover their composure very quickly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Is it possible to chase chickens? My stupid birds crouch if I get anywhere near them - the amount of times I've backed out of the shed and nearly fallen straight over backwards because one of them is supplicating to me the Great Food Giver! They even do it when I'm taking their food up the garden - they'll run around in front of me then notice the proximity and stop dead in their (and my) tracks to crouch. As to the kids - 5 is quite old enough to know that it is not the right way to act around animals and that if they cannot behave appropriately (after you've done the things other posters have suggested) then they must stay inside. That sounds really hard, but the chooks were there first and it is your house! Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 supplicating to me the Great Food Giver! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Is it possible to chase chickens? Erm, it's not easy. When my 5 year old goes into the garden they chase him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
