Training your dog for laborious farm tasks

So this morning as I was watching my dog scratch around the yard it occurred to me... Why don't i train her to dig on command? I would have no idea how to do that. Or then there is also training the dog help find hidden nests (for hens that don't want to lay in the coop). Or any number of other basic tasks. Anybody do this?

Digging on command??? Never tried, I spend quite a bit of effort trying to discourage it though, had one old hound-x gyp that hasn't been on the place for two years and I'm still trying to get the caverns she dug filled in and leveled. As far as teaching other task, I see no reason you can't teach the dog, you have to let the dog figure out what it is you want from him, finding hidden hen nest, start putting or making a place for hens to lay where you can see when they use it, when they do, take the dog with you give him a command (always use the same command) something like "find eggs" , do this within a couple of feet of the nest, when the dog finds it, give lots of praise, loving, and/or play whatever motivates the dog more. When you give the command and the dog can go straight to the nest then begin working from farther and farther away, then start relocating the nest spots, by then he'll know that find eggs means you want him to search out nesting spots. If you ever get to the point of not having hidden away nest, make one of your homegrown midden nest so the dog can find it and receive his reward, that's what the dog is working for, your praise, loving, and/or play.

Bethany, here's a website that goes into more detail and explanation. Wiredtohunt.com-training my dog to find shed antlers
I had to do some searching, my memory isn't always the best source for information.