orangemelodie
01-11-2011, 12:50 AM
I will try to keep a journal to keep me motivated, get advice (please!) and monitor our progress!
So here it goes!
Hatching day: Christmas day! Holly, St. Nick, and two days later, Noel.
Eye opening day: Kings day! Today I started holding the birds for just a short amount of time.
For the next few days I hold the birds and stroke their backs and head. However, Noel obviously does not like being handled that much. Who knew a baby would screech at me? I am getting very attached to Holly, so now:
Decision time!
Do I keep Holly by herself to train her? Or do I add St. Nick in? Can you tame two birds at once (I am using this chance as they are babies to get them really tame) or will it mess it up? I was thinking of either keeping the two (Holly and St. Nick) in a cage or the indoor aviary after the flock moves outside in the spring. Or keep Holly by herself?? Or work on taming Holly every day, but not St. Nick, but still leaving St. Nick in the cage. I wonder if that would even work, or if he gets scared of me, if Holly would too
But it seems a little mean to keep Holly alone when I am at work.
So Holly is handling the petting well, and getting used to my voice. Here is a pic of her today (Sorry its fuzzy):
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h356/orangemelodie/d3d9f22c-1.jpg
Also, I am looking into clicker training. I have used it on my dog (who now knows 20+ tricks), my puppy (knows 3 commands now) and tried it on my horse without luck. I tried it on my tiel, but he didnt quite catch on, as he is not terribly food motivated. If it doesnt work, i will just work on finger taming, getting them used to me, etc.
Okay thats all for now! 1/10/11
1/11/11: noel was just fine with me handling her today!
1/18/11: i am still handling all three birds daily, except for weekends when i work. Noel had not been as squawky lately, but St. Nick is getting MORE squawky. In fact, all three were squawking and biting. they didnt want to be bothered for some reason!
1/20/11: today all three were good! not near as squawky or bitie. They are all such pretty colors now!
1/21/11: Holly has left the nest for good. Spends time perching with parents.
1/24/11: today i took holly upstairs to the playgym. She flew around once, but i mainly wanted her to start getting used to me. She let me pet her, and even give her a head scratch. I think mainly she just stays still because she is scared. We practiced switching fingers (perching), and she still switches better from hand to hand. She made a beeline for my coat, and crawled around the my back! so i took it off. She just wanted a place to hide :) Still, I think if I keep at it she will eventually relax and start enjoying herself and the toys. Still havent decided if Noel will join us. Even though St. Nick is being a cranky hen, she is sooo pretty. I might keep her with Holly, instead! St. Nick is also starting to leave the nest, but is going back in at night. Noel still prefers the nest.
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h356/orangemelodie/IMG_5547.jpg
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h356/orangemelodie/IMG_5546.jpg
2/1/2011: so starting last week, the babies are totally out of the nest. They are learning to eat seeds, veggies (yay!), and play with toys (also yay!) They are also flying around, but have little control over it. However, now that they can fly, they fly away like a madman everytime i put my hand in the cage, even just to add food. i feel like all the training has gone down the drain! i think its because their parents arent tame, and they are just following their parents examples. At least St. Nick's screeching at my hand has stopped. But they wont step up anymore :( ... At least if i ever have to catch them, maybe they wont be so afraid of me touching them...
So here it goes!
Hatching day: Christmas day! Holly, St. Nick, and two days later, Noel.
Eye opening day: Kings day! Today I started holding the birds for just a short amount of time.
For the next few days I hold the birds and stroke their backs and head. However, Noel obviously does not like being handled that much. Who knew a baby would screech at me? I am getting very attached to Holly, so now:
Decision time!
Do I keep Holly by herself to train her? Or do I add St. Nick in? Can you tame two birds at once (I am using this chance as they are babies to get them really tame) or will it mess it up? I was thinking of either keeping the two (Holly and St. Nick) in a cage or the indoor aviary after the flock moves outside in the spring. Or keep Holly by herself?? Or work on taming Holly every day, but not St. Nick, but still leaving St. Nick in the cage. I wonder if that would even work, or if he gets scared of me, if Holly would too
But it seems a little mean to keep Holly alone when I am at work.
So Holly is handling the petting well, and getting used to my voice. Here is a pic of her today (Sorry its fuzzy):
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h356/orangemelodie/d3d9f22c-1.jpg
Also, I am looking into clicker training. I have used it on my dog (who now knows 20+ tricks), my puppy (knows 3 commands now) and tried it on my horse without luck. I tried it on my tiel, but he didnt quite catch on, as he is not terribly food motivated. If it doesnt work, i will just work on finger taming, getting them used to me, etc.
Okay thats all for now! 1/10/11
1/11/11: noel was just fine with me handling her today!
1/18/11: i am still handling all three birds daily, except for weekends when i work. Noel had not been as squawky lately, but St. Nick is getting MORE squawky. In fact, all three were squawking and biting. they didnt want to be bothered for some reason!
1/20/11: today all three were good! not near as squawky or bitie. They are all such pretty colors now!
1/21/11: Holly has left the nest for good. Spends time perching with parents.
1/24/11: today i took holly upstairs to the playgym. She flew around once, but i mainly wanted her to start getting used to me. She let me pet her, and even give her a head scratch. I think mainly she just stays still because she is scared. We practiced switching fingers (perching), and she still switches better from hand to hand. She made a beeline for my coat, and crawled around the my back! so i took it off. She just wanted a place to hide :) Still, I think if I keep at it she will eventually relax and start enjoying herself and the toys. Still havent decided if Noel will join us. Even though St. Nick is being a cranky hen, she is sooo pretty. I might keep her with Holly, instead! St. Nick is also starting to leave the nest, but is going back in at night. Noel still prefers the nest.
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h356/orangemelodie/IMG_5547.jpg
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h356/orangemelodie/IMG_5546.jpg
2/1/2011: so starting last week, the babies are totally out of the nest. They are learning to eat seeds, veggies (yay!), and play with toys (also yay!) They are also flying around, but have little control over it. However, now that they can fly, they fly away like a madman everytime i put my hand in the cage, even just to add food. i feel like all the training has gone down the drain! i think its because their parents arent tame, and they are just following their parents examples. At least St. Nick's screeching at my hand has stopped. But they wont step up anymore :( ... At least if i ever have to catch them, maybe they wont be so afraid of me touching them...