Animal Trainers Gather for Unique Chicken Camp in Arcata

Animal trainers from various backgrounds recently convened in Arcata, California, for a unique workshop dubbed “Chicken Camp.” Over four days, participants engaged with chickens under the guidance of celebrated dog trainer Terry Ryan, with the aim of enhancing their animal training skills across different species. The workshop took place at Redwood Coast Montessori and was organized by Lauren Wendt, founder of Momentum K9.

Nineteen individuals attended, with a mix of 14 participating in hands-on training and five observing. Half of the attendees hailed from Humboldt County, while others traveled from as far as Germany. “Chicken Camp is a hands-on workshop where the ‘students’ are human trainers and the ‘learners’ are chickens,” Wendt explained. “The goal is not to teach tricks but to sharpen training skills and become more effective trainers.”

The workshop’s structure included lectures and practical sessions with 16 locally raised chickens. Wendt noted that chickens offer immediate feedback on training techniques. “They are fast and unforgiving,” she said. “If you can train a chicken, training a dog becomes significantly easier.”

Participants began with basic tasks, such as teaching chickens to peck at a red poker chip, a skill comparable to training dogs to touch a handler’s hand. From there, the exercises progressed to color discrimination and other complex tasks. Wendt emphasized the importance of breaking behaviors into manageable steps and using positive reinforcement effectively.

Terry Ryan is a renowned figure in the animal training community, having been involved in the field since 1966. She has conducted Chicken Camps worldwide since the 1990s. “I was thrilled she agreed to come here,” Wendt remarked, reflecting on Ryan’s decision to lead the workshop in Arcata.

Among the participants was Marilyn Cottrell, an obedience trainer with HumDOG. She expressed her excitement about attending, having long admired Ryan’s work. “Her training is highly regarded,” Cottrell stated, adding that the experience allowed her to refine her skills in shaping and reinforcing behaviors.

Another participant, Beverly Morgan Lewis, echoed Cottrell’s sentiments, saying she had wanted to attend Chicken Camp for years. “I wasn’t going to miss it when it was right here in our own backyard,” she said. Morgan Lewis felt that the workshop’s insights into behavior breakdown would be invaluable for her own dog training.

The workshop also included interactive games designed to improve trainers’ skills with one another, enhancing the learning experience. “The chickens trained for only about 40 minutes over the four days, but the progress astonished most participants,” Wendt noted.

Wendt had purchased the chickens as chicks several months prior to the camp, raising them with the help of a workshop participant. “They now live with me as normal chickens until the next Chicken Camp,” she said, reflecting on the journey of the birds.

This was Wendt’s first time hosting Chicken Camp locally, although she has attended four previous sessions. “I can confidently say that Chicken Camps have been among the most impactful workshops I’ve ever attended,” she stated. Wendt aims to integrate the techniques learned into her ongoing work with trainers and dogs, emphasizing the importance of clear communication and motivation in training.

For those interested in learning more about Chicken Camp and the training opportunities available through Momentum K9, additional information can be found at https://momentumk9training.com. For details about HumDOG and the Karen Pryor Academy, visit their respective websites at https://humdog.org and https://karenpryoracademy.com.