How to get chickens from coop/perm run to portable run in yard? HELP

[DebB11]

Right now our 6, 7 week old chickens are in their permanent coop/run, we are planning on buildling a pvc run for the yard to put them in each day. HOWEVER, I am not quite sure the best way to get them from one place to another. As it is right now, MOSt of my chickens run from me anyway when I try and pick them up...


My biggest obstacle/design flaw is the fact there is a little path leading to my perm coop/run and no way to get this portable run close to it to corral them in.... I guess I will have to carry them somehow???

Any ideas?

 

[Kerry in Wa]

Hi there! I'm new here, but what I've been doing with my four 6-week-old chicks is using a cat carrier to move them in and out. (Just moved them out permanently to their new chicken tractor yesterday).

I herd them into a corner of their pen and block them with the carrier and the open carrier door, then lure them with their favorite boiled eggs... toss a little egg into the carrier and when they go to investigate, push the little fuzzy-butts in and make sure toes and wings are out of the way when I close the door.

So much easier than trying to catch them one by one.

Hope that helps!

Kerry

 

[allpeepedout]

I am transporting seven almost 11-wk old "chicks" using a dog carrier from their night housing to daytime run, pending coop completion.

They are getting heavier.
By the day.
A dolly would help.

I tip up the carrier and use it end-wise so I can grab the sides that stick out and also use my foot and leg to help move it.

Methinks you need a chicken chunnel betwixt the two locales.

 

[suzeqf]

i just pack mine usually 2 or 3 at a time or put them in a rubbermade box they don't fly out and usually just sit down and chill but that's getting very old so i'm turning their temp housing into their all the time housing until the coop is done it's too much trouble packing 30 chicks before and after work

 

[suzyQlou]

How many chicks do you have? I'm carrying mine now, but I only have three. It's annoying, but doable since this is (hopefully) temporary. Treat-training has made handling them easier. It took a long time for my chicks to like treats, but now I've figured out their favorites. I've also figured out that I should be feeding them from my hand so they don't run.

I think in your case, I'd want to rig something easier. Do you have a wagon you could turn into a little taxi? I could just see my kid's wagon rigged with a little wire on the top. It already has little removable walls. Hmmmm. I might just have to steal that idea for myself...

 

[Life is Good!]

Interesting thread....

Our 6wk old Java chicks have figured out they can fly OUT of the rubbermaid tub (while I'm walking with it!)

Although, I switched to a higher sided clear tub - and they DON'T like that the ground moves and they can see my feet and legs! Can a chicken be chicken? They immediately sit down on the floor of the tub and wait patiently until they're placed onto the grass.

Although I'm with you - they're getting heavy quick! Used to haul five, now down to 3! (They're only a little over a pound each - but mercy, it's a live load!)

I like the 'wagon' idea. A lot. Might need to look into that option. Would be a lot less trips back and forth!

I'm getting mealworms tomorrow - to see if that treat will 'entice' them to follow me around their run. If so, I might try with one (at a time) to lure them to their big run (with my 12yo and 9yo standing 'guard' to catch 'em if they decide to wander off).

My intention is to use our pvc tractor during the summer months (like a grow-out coop) and their main coop during less favorable weather. We've not yet hit favorable, in any sense of the word.

Good luck!

 

[mpguay]

Treat training! Im not sure how young they will pick this up, but I can lead my girls ANYWHERE with the white bucket that they know has cracked corn in it.