Hi all,
I need to find a home for a DYH hen who is about 40 years old. She is beautiful and charming and playful and funny and definitely has many wonderful attributes, but unfortunately has been in a series of homes that have encouraged some undesirable behaviors, particularly lunging and biting. Her most recent home was with an elderly couple who have two other DYHs and a TAG and take excellent care of their birds, but unfortunately even after several behavioral consults and countless conversations, they have still been unable and/or unwilling to absorb and practice the changes necessary to improve her behavior. As a result, the lunging and biting behaviors have increased over the past 20 months that they have had her.
Having said that, I have had several opportunities to interact with her over the past few years, particularly before this last couple adopted her, and I had quite a bit of success in reducing the biting and lunging behaviors when I was working with her directly (in fact, the only time she ever bit me was once when a person she strongly disliked brushed past her while she was on my arm. She bit my arm in a fit of transfered aggression). She is very smart and I think can become quite receptive to training if she is paired with someone who has the patience, knowledge, and commitment to help her undo all the bad behaviors she's learned over the years.
For that reason, I will only consider rehoming her with someone who has at *least* a basic understanding of Applied Behavioral Analysis, particularly someone who has completed at least one of Dr. Susan Friedman's classes (LLA, LLP, and/or PBAS mini-lessons). Because I realize this requirement greatly reduces the pool of eligible adopters, I am willing to drive to meet that person to assist with transport, and am also willing to have as many phone and email conversations as necessary to assist with her behavioral issues. Alternately, I would consider someone who currently does not have any experience with Applied Behavioral Analysis but is willing to learn and enroll in one of Dr. Friedman's classes.
I hope you're out there, potential adopter! I know she might sound scary based on my description, but she is a wonderful bird and will be well worth the work to win her over!
I need to find a home for a DYH hen who is about 40 years old. She is beautiful and charming and playful and funny and definitely has many wonderful attributes, but unfortunately has been in a series of homes that have encouraged some undesirable behaviors, particularly lunging and biting. Her most recent home was with an elderly couple who have two other DYHs and a TAG and take excellent care of their birds, but unfortunately even after several behavioral consults and countless conversations, they have still been unable and/or unwilling to absorb and practice the changes necessary to improve her behavior. As a result, the lunging and biting behaviors have increased over the past 20 months that they have had her.
Having said that, I have had several opportunities to interact with her over the past few years, particularly before this last couple adopted her, and I had quite a bit of success in reducing the biting and lunging behaviors when I was working with her directly (in fact, the only time she ever bit me was once when a person she strongly disliked brushed past her while she was on my arm. She bit my arm in a fit of transfered aggression). She is very smart and I think can become quite receptive to training if she is paired with someone who has the patience, knowledge, and commitment to help her undo all the bad behaviors she's learned over the years.
For that reason, I will only consider rehoming her with someone who has at *least* a basic understanding of Applied Behavioral Analysis, particularly someone who has completed at least one of Dr. Susan Friedman's classes (LLA, LLP, and/or PBAS mini-lessons). Because I realize this requirement greatly reduces the pool of eligible adopters, I am willing to drive to meet that person to assist with transport, and am also willing to have as many phone and email conversations as necessary to assist with her behavioral issues. Alternately, I would consider someone who currently does not have any experience with Applied Behavioral Analysis but is willing to learn and enroll in one of Dr. Friedman's classes.
I hope you're out there, potential adopter! I know she might sound scary based on my description, but she is a wonderful bird and will be well worth the work to win her over!
