Comments on: On My Wish List

By: Terry Golson

Terry Golson — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:33:04 +0000

Hylla, amazing! Send me a video. I thought I was crazy to teach my hens to pose for the camera!

By: Hylla Evans

Hylla Evans — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:45:15 +0000

The first thing all our chickens learn here is “Stay.” It keeps them from dashing out of the henhouse or yard when the door is open. Up and Down are basic commands and are taught just by naming the activity and praising them when they step up or down. Kiss is taught the same way, so before long, the chickens do the activity named, all in anticipation of the praise, which they really adore.
“Up-Up” means, ‘Please stand up so I can take your eggs.’ I’m very proud of the girls when they do that, and they get many “Thank you”s for the eggs. It’s hysterical when they try to say “Thank you” in their squeaky little voices, and they only say that if I forget my line.
Marcy, a Silkie pullet, gives kisses, says a squeaky “I love you,” and puts her head on my shoulder when I say, “Lay kepela.”
Marius, bantam Cochin, goes “Over” on her back in my hands and stay until I ask her to get up. Then I ask for a hug and she opens one wing over my shoulder and stays there.
I’m wide open to ideas of other things to teach!

By: Denise

Denise — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:59:38 +0000

I have two mini donkeys and WE LOVE THEM. They are the sweetest animals, low maintenance, playful (ours are young), and we are thankful every day that we brought them to our little ranch. But they need a best friend, so it’s best to have them in pairs.

By: Deborah

Deborah — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:15:15 +0000

They are just so cute! If one looked at me with those eyes, he just might get a home here in Southern California! I can just hear the conversation with my husband now!

By: Terry Golson

Terry Golson — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:18:39 +0000

Tricks? Do tell.
And what will you do when the hens get old and are no longer laying?

By: Hylla Evans

Hylla Evans — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:08:32 +0000

This new batch is RIR, Ameraucana, Cuckoo Maran, and Danish Brown Leghorn, so all egg colors are covered but only the Amers repeat each year.
Prior years’ hatches still on the farm producing include also Australorp, Barred Pl Rock, Gold and Black Sex Links, Buff Orp, Delaware, NH Red, OE Game, Cochin, Silkies (who hatch anything), Sebright, Calif. White, Crevcouer, BLR Wyand,….
They are for eggs and are not slaughtered for food unless they do something really, really bad. They all learna simple commands and many learn tricks.

By: Terry Golson

Terry Golson — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:31:39 +0000

Ken, that’s so interesting. I’d heard rumors, but good to hear it from someone who knows. What a combination – totally adorable AND lethal to predators.

By: Ken from St Louis

Ken from St Louis — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:28:29 +0000

Donkey’s (especially the jennys) will stomp any member of the canine family to death. My mother-in-law use to raise horses and donkeys and she has told many a story of a jenny going after coyotes and in a couple of cases putting an end to a coyotes future.
They are cute a buttons!!

By: quiltbea

quiltbea — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:36:37 +0000

They are soooo adorable! I wish I had a large country home and could get anything I wanted. I’d surely have a few of those cuties.

By: Terry Golson

Terry Golson — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:38:40 +0000

Donkeys do not tolerate things they don’t like!