With training my livestock, I use a modified carrot and stick routine. The carrot is sometimes really carrots and the stick is a broken shovel handle. I never use the stick as a punishment, but rather as protection. When Nutty first got into his rut cycle, he head butted me a lot. It hurt especially when he rammed into my knees! But then the stick came along. Anytime he tried to head butt me, the stick blocked him. He didn't like the sound his horns make on the stick and that's all it took. Fiona has also seen the stick, but as she's never tried to ram me, get horns have never butted against it. But, she knows the stick exists.
Anyway, most of the time I use treats. Do you know that every single one of my furry animals know their names? They might not all come to me, Sugar is still the holdout, but even she knows her name. This afternoon, I called all of them individually and each got pettings for coming to me. No treats were used and yet they came!
During my time with them this afternoon though, I realized I need to start playing on their strengths to get them more bold. Example: Fancy loves to run and race me on my mule. She's my first goal, this weekend I'm going to start racing with her and rewarding her when she breaks out of her shell!
I still have chickens. 7-8 eggs a day with my ten girls!
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