Harness and Towel Training

I have been spending a lot of time with the chicken today, since I haven't had her out much the past week with doing the floors. I made her next batch of chop this morning (and cut my finger pretty good, I shouldn't be allowed around knives ) Then we've been working on some training today.

First, worked with her harness some. She's coming around to it. I can get it over her head and I can fasten it, however, she won't leave it alone. I tried just letting her chew it for a while to see if she would just get it out of her system. When that didn't work, every time she would start chewing, I would make her do a series of "step-ups" until she stopped chewing, then I would let her stop and praise. It distracts her for a bit, so it may be my best bet for getting her to leave it alone. I have tried treats, but she will take her goodie and hold it in her beak while she chews on the harness. Then, when it comes off, she'll eat it. I am just not sure if she will accept a harness. If she doesn't, it's okay, I just don't want to give up because she likes going outside. She can always just keep going out in her travel cage, but I want to keep working with the harness some more before I put it out of the picture. She just does not seem to like the feel of it once it's on.

A little later, we were working on towel training. I have never had to use a towel with her for anything, but my wife probably would if she had to ever get hold of her quickly, and sometimes she has to wrap a towel around her arm to get her to step up out of her cage. So I want to make sure she is okay with one. I can't think of much more I can do with her with a towel. If she is standing, I can wrap it around her like a robe, I can put it over her whole body including her head, and I can even lay her on her back and swaddle her like a baby.



You can't say that isn't adorable. She is definitely my baby. She is a perfect example of what an amazing bird a rescue can be.

Ya know what I think this is awesome & such a great idea if someone has a parrot that no one else can handle without some bites or stress. Gracie despises towels so I worked with her to be able to have exams, meds, wings/feet lifted etc. without toweling. I will definitely take a page out of your book & work with her to be comfy with a towel in case hubby had to intervene & needed to get her.

I just love the pretty chicken... she sure is a perfect example of an amazing bird!

Thank you so much for sharing this it never occurred to me.

I just figure, like a dog with car rides, I don't want her to associate a towel with only bad experiences. Then if someone else does have to towel her, she doesn't automatically try to run or fight it. I even think it's good that my wife will wrap her arm in a towel to take her out of her cage if I'm not home, because even that helps reinforce that my wife + towel = out of cage time. She can use her hand to pick her up after she's out, but I'm the only one she will allow to take her out of her cage with a bare hand.

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The towel training is awesome. I have worked on it a little bit.

For the harness training, the best distraction for the bird is getting out the house. If you can get the thing hitched, then take off. Hop in the car and go walk through a park or a store. That's the best positive reward for wearing a harness.

CD