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Woman Trains Chickens To Be Pets
Grand Junction, Colorado native, Joyce Stucker, loves chickens. “My husband, Rex, and I even keep an incubator in the garage for hatching our own,” she said.
Nearly two decades ago, when one of those hatchlings emerged with a crooked beak, Joyce began feeding it with a syringe. “Chickens eat all the time, so wh
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Woman Trains Chickens To Be Pets AG WORLD Grand Junction Colorado native Joyce Stucker loves chickens “My husband Rex and I even keep an incubator in the garage for hatching our own ” she said Nearly two decades ago when one of those hatchlings emerged with a crooked beak Joyce began feeding it with a syringe “Chickens eat all the time so when she was little I had to care for her constantly Right away she became a household pet ” Since the couple already had a trip planned there was no choice but to take the deformed chick along “I kept a stack of paper towels on my lap ” Joyce explained “After she used the top one I simply removed it to keep things fresh ” Whenever they stopped Joyce placed the chick on the hood of the car for feedings and it often drew crowds “Kids who had never seen a chicken up close before wanted to hold it ” In no time at all the tiny hen became completely at ease with all humans Unfortunately “That chicken had genetic problems and died young from a stroke ” Rex added Yet even at the vet’s office “before passing it managed to lift a wing since chickens like to be scratched there ” The Stuckers were hooked so much so that Joyce soon hand-picked another to train as a pet The key Joyce believes is to isolate the bird from other chickens “It has to depend on you exclusively for food water and companionship ” She starts out with hand-feeding so the chick will associate human skin with something pleasant Once the process has been started however it cannot be returned to the coop “Having a pet chicken is a commitment ” Joyce warned “If you put it back with the flock they’ll go for the kill ” Not that any chicken would choose to leave the comfort of the Stucker home Joyce beds her feathered pets down in a towel-covered pan on a nightstand complete with a water bowl At feeding time they sit on a towel on the kitchen counter and eat fresh vegetables One of their pet chickens they’ve had 5 so far was actually potty-trained “Whenever he fidgeted in the car we pulled over and I set him out to do his thing In less than 20 seconds we’d be back on the road ”
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