[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hmmn,




 the roosting in trees then getting eaten by a fox is an occupational hazard of turkeys. I have met some chickens who like to do the tree roosting thing and have to take their chances. I have been training my turkey babies to be ushered from the run into the coop to roost each evening in the hope of establishing an evening routine for when they are out and about. I have also introduced mealworms in a red plastic dish which makes a knocking sound when they peck at it. The plan is to strengthen this association between me tapping the read dish and them getting a reward so that I can get them to follow me to the coop once they are ranging.


I brought 3 kune weaners home today so getting the measure of their tiny piggie minds will be interesting. I am not using food as a reward or hand feeding them as I dont want them to be like some of the cheeky shoe biters that I have met. I am hope to reward them with scratches and tummy rubs instead.


If all this smallholding nonsence gets too much for me perhaps I can open a circus!

[landroverroy]

Hmmn,





I brought 3 kune weaners home today so getting the measure of their tiny piggie minds will be interesting. I am not using food as a reward or hand feeding them as I dont want them to be like some of the cheeky shoe biters that I have met. I am hope to reward them with scratches and tummy rubs instead.
(/quote)

I agree with that philosophy. Pigs are highly intelligent and will readily come for the pleasure of a good scratch, or just to enjoy your company once you have built up a rapport.
I use food to get my poultry to come to me, accompanied by whatever noise they have been trained to respond to. This is after all what they do naturally right from the time the mother hen/turkey/peahen calls them to share the food she's found.
But when have you ever seen a pig, cow, sheep, or equine offer to share its food? So I don't routinely give any of these a treat just for coming to me. I expect them to either come to me, or let me walk amongst them, as appropriate, without dashing off wildly to the furthest corner of the field. And then I reward them by stroking or scratching or just telling them how good they are.
It's like you say Buffy, a case of understanding the animal, and of the animal understanding you, and body language is possibly the best cross species form of communication that we have.
I always remember reading that if an animal doesn't obey, you or act as you would want  then it's your fault because it doesn't understand you, ie you haven't taught it properly. So it's no good chasing an equine round a field and blaming the animal because you can't catch it, or pointlessly calling back a dog that won't come.  You are just encouraging the undesirable behaviour. Go back to basics, communicate with the animal and gain its trust, and then slowly  start again.
Anyway, - sorry - got a bit off subject, but I know you'll love communicating with your pigs.  
   

[Whittsend]

I have really enjoyed reading this thread. People who don't have a natural affinity with animals will struggle to appreciate how complex animal behavour can be. It is all too easy to invest them with human feelings and thought processes, instead of trying to understand how they interact with each other, their environment, and us.    I am always amazed at the relationship   that "prey" animals,  like horses, goats and sheep are capable  of developing  with humans.  The level of trust they are willing to  invest that relationship is very humbling and should be a constant reminder to us of the huge responsibility we have to give them the best possible care, and respect.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

I think thats a really good point whitsend.


        when people meet my sheep they often say they are like dogs and when I chat happily to them I am occasionally asked " what would you do if they answered you back.


         Just because i talk to them dosent mean that I think they understand me. ( heavens sake, I'm lucky if I can get my other half to get what I'm on about half the time let alone sheep!) I do think that they get used to a small number off verbal commands or sounds though which they have learnt to associate with an outcome or reward and learn to respond to a gentle tone over the tone I use when they have broken into the chicken coop and I want them to leave asap.


        I dont think my sheep are dogs or humanise as I think this would be very unfair. I see them as the animals that they are and try and see their world as they see it. Attempting to mimic communication that they would recognise, expose them to stimulation and variety and give them the most comfortable, safe, natural and relaxed life that I can.
       I do accept however that I am not a sheep so all this interaction is bound to result in an element of humanised rub off too.


      I once had a horse who wore a mesh fly visor through the summer months. Every day I would go to his 8 acre field which he shared with other horses and call him to the gate to have his visor removed and a good head scratch before replacing it again. He got used to this and as I mimed the action of putting his visor back on he would obligingly lower his head and wait patiently for me to fasten it securely before the words "see you later" would send him wandering off down the field.


    One day however he came to greet me and without his visor and after I had mimed the action of putting his visor on to him a couple of times and showing him my empty hands and asking "where is it?" he turned slowly and ambled off down the field. He followed a different track than usual, one which took him straight to his visor. It was a long way off and in the long grass. He stopped and turned to me before reaching down and picking it up in his teeth. I called him excitedly and and patted my legs enthusiastically for him to bring it back to me and do you know what he did......? He dropped it and waited for me to come to him. Hes a horse not a bl@@dy golden retreiver! What more do you want?


    Those of you who are enjoying this thread might enjoy my latest blog 


http://www.thechickenwhisperer.co.uk/2015/08/speak-like-sheep.html

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Ah I was waiting for a happy ending there I try not to humanise my animals, as they're animals. They do respond to tone of voice and body language. Is it TRUE that an animal can read fear?

[landroverroy]

Yes!
In some ways you can too if you tune in to a situation. It's like you can sense an atmosphere sometimes when you enter a room, or you can tell if someone's in a mood without them saying anything.
If you're close to an animal, or for example sitting on an equine, they can also detect a difference in your breathing or heart rate.

[Hellybee]

Horses are easily transmitted to,and they mirror us.

[Coximus]

just been calm around your sheep is sometimes enough for them to get currious - try sitting and reading a book in a field full of sheep - its not unusual for mine to come up - my new castlemilk moorits will try and eat the book, the hebridean rams will stand and wonder if I have food, and the ewes will sit around me and just cud away. When i stand all hell breaks loose.

I dont make a noise - but its clear they know Im the shepherd, I bring food when their is none, fix problems, steal their wool, and often carry buscuits.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

I can sit down near the buffaloes and if my heart is beating too fast I immediately relax because of the slowness with which they chew the cud. Often they put their big heads on my lap and I scratch behind their horns and they go to sleep.  I agree about sitting down in a field with animals they're very inquisitive. My buffaloes calves walk up behind me and start pulling on my hair, if I sit down too long.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

The level of trust and rapport that we can build with them is incredibly rewarding but I suppose many people just couldnt see the point.


 

[kelly58]

Love your Blog ! Your sheep are gorgeous  are they Rylands or Southdowns ?
I have Olde English Babydoll Southdowns and they are sweethearts, so layed back .
Will keep an eye on your Blog, many thanks for the input   

[waterbuffalofarmer]

The level of trust and rapport that we can build with them is incredibly rewarding but I suppose many people just couldnt see the point.


 

Building up a trust with your animals is very important. I was taught to treat my animals almost as if they're extended family. Breeding is very important to me, I go for quality over quantity. I try to balance good temperaments along with milk yield, and all my buffaloes are handled from birth (every day). I find it very important to handle/talk to them because even though they don't understand you the sound of your voice relaxes them and keeps them at ease. Some of my friends don't like the fact I went into farming and can't really see the point to it, but no one but yourself can understand why you went into farming. We don't do it because we have to, we do it because we love doing it. A lot of people who I have spoken to about the buff have come and seen them and love them as much as I do and I love that However there are always those who don't understand about what we do.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Thanks Kelly,


  glad you like my blog. My sheep are ryelands. I have a white and a coloured flock. I agree with Warter buff that having people appreciate the work that is put in to the breeding selection, quality of meat, type, bloodlines, temperament and in the case of my sheep fleece quality. It takes work and it costs money but not everyone can see the value in it.


But then there is always someone who will offer a cheaper alternative  which is probably sufficient for most people. There is not much point selling a well bred, well handled animal who likes a cuddle to someone who doesn't intend to breed good stock or build a relationship with their animals.


I am really enjoying the pig cuddling as you said L RR and the piglets personalities are clearly formed. They are on a restricted area at the moment as I want to let them feel settled into a routine and get to know me before I introduce them to shock of electric fence. Only trouble is there are very few poo free patches to sit with them. They love following me round the pen and if I sit down they settle down too. Today we investigated the water troughs and the wallow and they each had a drink at each stop. Then it was time to lay down and eat cabbage leaves. So I left them to it.


Arn't we lucky

[Womble]

Why? Don't you like cabbage? 

[Marches Farmer]

In a normal herd or flock the highest ranking animals will generally be in the middle (lots of studies have been done in cattle).  When I was checking our sheep one day I could hear the MFH blowing his horn in the distance.  Just then the hounds crossed the strem and started running up the field and the sheep immediately ran to me and surrounded me. Don't know if this was to protect me or for me to protect them!  (The MFH had phoned to warn me they'd be in the area and I'd cleared the Hunt jump which allows them to cut across one of our fields and avoid the lane - I'm happy to help because they take our fallen stock).