- The document summarizes a chicken training project where the goals were to teach chicken #085 'Dakota' to sit and spin on command. Over several weeks, the trainers used clicker training and luring with food to teach Dakota to sit by crouching down in response to the verbal cue. They also used luring to teach Dakota to spin in a circle by moving the food from under her chin to over her shoulder. After 10 training sessions, Dakota had learned to reliably sit and spin on command. The trainers reflected on lessons learned, such as using higher value treats and being consistent in training methods.

1. Chicken Training Project
-
"Dakota" / #085

2. Initial Goal
• Our initial goal was to train our
chicken #085 "Dakota how to sit
on command.
• We also decided to begin
teaching her how to spin in a
circle.

3. Training Information
(Plan)
• The training plan we started with:
• This included a plan for sit, but also plans for other
dog tricks we would add if "sit" was learned too
quickly. These other tricks were things like "hop,"
"spin," "speak," or "stay."
• "Sit -> Lower food reward below table, or pet back,
click and reward(for the sitting motion). Begin to
space out rewards and introduce "back hand raise"
as cue."

4. Training
Information
(Used)
• First week was spent charging clicker only
• Second week was spent charging clicker, and also
introducing the lure. We placed her on a raised
space and put the food under her so that she
had to crouch, and clicked/rewarded when she
did.
• Third week continued luring to this position, and
introduced "sit" as a verbal cue that proceeded
the lure. Time was also spent moving away from
luring her into the position.
• Fourth week continued more of this, rewarding
as much as possible only for an un-lured sit that
followed the verbal cue
• Fifth week finalized "sit" and introduced "spin"
by luring her in a circle around herself (moving
lure from under chin to over shoulder in the
middle)
• Seventh week, after break, did more "sit" by
asking for more exact movement before she was
rewarded, and also worked more on "spin" in the
same way as the week prior which she seemed
to take to quickly
• 10 Training sessions
total outside of class time

5. Final Result:
• Video of Sit:https://livecobleskill-
my.sharepoint.com/personal/kirtonj103_cobl
eskill_edu/_layouts/15/stream.aspx?id=%2Fp
ersonal%2Fkirtonj103%5Fcobleskill%5Fedu%
2FDocuments%2FIMG%5F3763%2EMOV
• https://livecobleskill-
my.sharepoint.com/personal/kirtonj103_cobl
eskill_edu/_layouts/15/stream.aspx?id=%2Fp
ersonal%2Fkirtonj103%5Fcobleskill%5Fedu%
2FDocuments%2FIMG%5F3748%2EMOV

6. Takeaways
• Be patient and charge the clicker
before each training session.
• Know when your
chicken is losing interest in training.
• Make sure to use food that holds
higher value than chicken feed.
• Be consistent with the methods you
are using for training.

7. What we would've done differently
• Knowing that the "sit" trick wound up looking more like a bow, we
maybe would have changed the name
• She started learning "spin" faster than she did "sit," so if she'd started
with that one she might've mastered it sooner
• Given we used verbal cues, and she responded to "sit," we might
have picked a second cue for the new trick that didn't sound so
similar (like "turn," or even "turn around" to add syllables)
• We found out in the final training session she wouldn't work for the
regular feed reward. This could mean there's also a treat she'd work
even harder for than mealworms, that we just never found. It might
have been

8. Thank you!
• Any questions?