Can Gamefowl be trained?

[valleychicks]

We have been taking care of several Gamefowl that were left behind by a neighbor. They were turned out to fully free range at about 6 weeks old by the neighbor. After the people moved the chickens started staying around our home in and around our plum trees. Because of the season change and the trees now being bare, the chickens have started to sleep in the pine trees across the road from our home. We would like to build a shelter for them to be closed in at night in our yard to keep them from being hit when they cross the street to roost. Is it possible to train Gamefowl to roost in and come back to a shelter/coop? and if so how? It will be more like a hoop coop type shelter.

 

[chicmom]

That could be difficult. Do you feed them? And how close will they come to you? One thing I know for sure, is hungry chickens will not turn away food. Maybe you can teach them by putting your coop near the area where you feed them, and just keep bring the food closer and closer to the coop, eventually putting the food inside the coop.

Do this on a strict schedule. Same time each day with the feedings. I would recommend feeding them an hour before dark. And they will learn what food time and bed time is.

Now, if they're more tame than I think, things might go alot quicker for you with this method. But it will work!

 

[valleychicks]

That could be difficult. Do you feed them? And how close will they come to you? One thing I know for sure, is hungry chickens will not turn away food. Maybe you can teach them by putting your coop near the area where you feed them, and just keep bring the food closer and closer to the coop, eventually putting the food inside the coop.

Do this on a strict schedule. Same time each day with the feedings. I would recommend feeding them an hour before dark. And they will learn what food time and bed time is.

Now, if they're more tame than I think, things might go alot quicker for you with this method. But it will work!

Yes, I have been feeding them for months. We have chickens of our own and I think that is one of the reasons they began hanging around our place. I have a food/water area set up for them just outside the fenced in area we let our chickens semi free range. I also give them and ours scratch around 3 to 3:30 every day lately due to the cold. I didn't give the free rangers or our flock any scratch this afternoon because it got pretty warm here today. I worked on a shelter for them today. If they survive crossing the road in the morning I will try to get them all by tomorrow at dusk in the shelter.

Thank you for your help!