Anyone have luck catching a feral chicken?? UPDATE: Rooster caught, no hen

[theuglychick]

I KNOW!!!

It's maddening!

I keep thinking she would be so much safer and happier properly quarantined, dusted, dewormed, vetted, cleared, and then tucked away with my birds.

If a chicken peeps in the woods...
Now I can't sleep.

I'm wondering if that chicken is out there making all the sweet little sleepy sounds mine make when they are all safe and snug in their little house?

 

[Nimueh Alene]

I almost lost my mind to worry when mine suddenly moved into the trees in May. Took two days getting back into the coop at night. I withheld treats...
I really hope you catch her soon. Spring and fall Predators feast.

 

[drumstick diva]

Hope she stays safe

 

[theuglychick]

Well, no sign of the Squatch this morning but it's a little drizzly and my own birds are less vocal during rain, so that and the fact that yesterday morning was the first time I ever heard her clucking in the morning, didn't surprise me.

I put food and water out just inside the wood line so she wouldn't have to go out in the open to eat. But I'm going to pull it back a little further out each day. I'll pick it back up each evening.

I also left my birds penned in hopes of drawing her out some.

I'll post with any updates.

 

[21hens-incharge]

It would be way to convenient if she happened to hang about your birds and just went in with them some evening.

Unlikely but certainly would make things much easier for everyone including her.

 

[theuglychick]

It would be way to convenient if she happened to hang about your birds and just went in with them some evening.

Unlikely but certainly would make things much easier for everyone including her.

It would! I'm wondering if after 2 months of living in the wild (again, that I'm aware of... it could have been longer!) if she will even acclimate to being confined at night in a coop.

I just can't get the image of that little chicken booking it through the woods out of my head. It's so funny.

 

[Anansi]

Wish i could offer some advice, but our first chicken wandered in to a warm, dry garage on a rainy evening last October. She had apparently gotten loose from someone else's yard and had been following people all day, but she still didn't make it easy for us to catch her, but the fishing net worked well. She did choose the right garage, though, as she now resides in a nice, warm and comfy indoor pen with free range in the kitchen for crickets, mealworms and other goodies. And lots of people time, which she loves.

Hope you're able to get her into s safe, warm coop with your flock soon.

 

[Nimueh Alene]

Clucking... Does she have a nest nearby?
Mine cluck when getting ready to lay or while they are laying.
Your rooster show much interest?

 

[theuglychick]

Clucking... Does she have a nest nearby?
Mine cluck when getting ready to lay or while they are laying.
Your rooster show much interest?

When I spooked her the last couple of times it was like she was flushed from a nesting spot. Maybe it's a case of someone's hen got lose and is broody. She sure as heck wandered far away if so. Hmm, I just realized that I toss my pulled eggs there when I deworm, which I just did, hopefully she isn't trying to brood them!

Now I'm going to have to go make sure I move all of those old eggs further away if there's any left there. Don't want them to pull in predators.

Last night I searched the trees for about an hour. I found nothing. I'll get in there this evening and get pics of what I find.

 

[NNYchick]

Drama, I have to follow the Saga of Sasquatch. LOL