alet_chicken Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I was surprised to hear on QI on Saturday that it is rather easy to hypnotise a chicken by making them lie down on the ground and draw a line on the ground in front of their beak. (It's not really hypnosis, more of a defense mechanism, basically they are pretending to be dead.) Has anybody heard of this/tried this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Mollie can do it My girls just gave me a dirty look and walked away . How did you get on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I saw that too . I was shouting at the TV "I know the chicken one" (but couldn't quite remember what to do ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 My children can do it with our chickens although I do have to restrict how often they do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Great for checking feet, applying anti pecking spray, or mite powder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alet_chicken Posted January 11, 2011 Author Share Posted January 11, 2011 Oh brilliant! (Great picture Mollie!) I've not had a chance to try this yet (it's been pouring down all weekend), but it would be really handy to restrain uncooperative patients. I think I will start off with my always-willing ex-batts and then work it up to the pure-breeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Jane Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Great for checking feet, applying anti pecking spray, or mite powder. Love it !!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henslaved Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Great for checking feet, applying anti pecking spray, or mite powder. That's great . Can you do it with Guinea Fowl? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggalp Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 i am a bit confused......how do you do this It would be great for louse powdering! I am not sure if i could get my chicks to lie down in the first place............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimnpaula Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 i am a bit confused......how do you do this It would be great for louse powdering! I am not sure if i could get my chicks to lie down in the first place............... My thoughts exactly! P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megalin Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Yes it would be great for getting the mud balls off my pekins feet! Mollie do they wake up if you start fiddling with their feathers????? I've not tried it yet but apparently you hold them close to the ground with their heads facing forward with one hand and with the other draw a straight line from their beak away from them and they should stay there. There's another way of doing it too where you hold them off the ground (you standing) lift their wing and tuck their head under it, then you hold out your arms and make circles about 15 times. I'm going to try it tomorrow if it's not raining! Let you know how it goes.......! P.s- It's not cruel is it? They don't mind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alet_chicken Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 Yes, let us know how it goes. I've watched a couple of videos of chicken hypnosis on Youtube (not linking because of impolite comments ), and none of the chickens look stressed to me. I tried it on two of my girls yesterday, but they only gave me dirty looks and ran off... Guess I need more practice. All the videos I've seen do it with the chicken on its front. (I've seen the chalk technique, a line drawn with a finger in the sand, a spiral around their head or even just stroking their chin feathers.) Molly, how do you manage to hypnotise them on their backs like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I tried it on two of my girls yesterday, but they only gave me dirty looks and ran off... Guess I need more practice. Exactly why I haven't tried it I can just see myself being out in the garden trying my best to make a chicken stay still and then it just flies away Can just imagine all the neighbours looking and laughing!! Does anyone know if it's cruel? It seems quite cruel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 (It's not really hypnosis, more of a defense mechanism, basically they are pretending to be dead.) Why are they pretending to be dead? What do they think the drawn line is? And if they're pretending to be dead than I can't help but think it can't be very nice for them? Although I don't know, of course. It's just what popped into my head as I was reading... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackgold Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Mine seem to go into a trance when dustbathing. The close their eyes when flipping themselves over and when they get all the dirt right into their feathers , they lie on their sides, half open their eyes and look like zombies for awhile. x My Faverolles hen takes half an hour to bath properly and wont come out of the greenhouse, it has a dirt floor which is dry. Even if I shake the treat tub at her, she ignores me. As soon as she is finished she gets up, shakes and is then back to normal. First time I saw it I thought there was something seriously wrong with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...