Can they be herded back into pen after a short foraging outing?

[CathyM]

Quote:
That was my plan originally... but wait until you see how fast they can destroy plants they love! I got lots of "henscersize" chasing them off growing plants or keeping them away from particularly tasty crops (they adored lentils, lettuce, cabbage & kale) - I would never let them out near a garden unless I was watching. And I finally gave up - I want to let them have the yard, so I've fenced the veggie garden (yes, it was expensive) and will be fencing the herb garden and raised beds this spring, too.

As for penning them when needed, it mostly works. Treats, as everyone says, works well -- they mostly run toward the sound of scratch in a tin can, but if they're not sure, I start to pour it from on high just inside the pen... they can't resist!

Some days there is one or more resistant ones; I'm lucky when they think I'm a roo and do the chicken squat (because I don't bend fast) but sometimes it's a combo of chasing, and manuvering the hen into a corner so I can nap it. Like I say - I get my "henscersize" .

 

[BrattishTaz]

I release and repen several times a day. (hawks

) I rarely have to use food for encouragement. My birds may be an exception to the rule because I didn't know how to deal with chickens when I got them, I used dog training techniques. I don't hand feed treats, so mine work for a simple "Good chicken!!".

They have learned a few verbal and hand signal commands that way.

 

[Mak]

All I have to do is walk into the run and pick up the treat bowl. Most of the time, they come a-runnin'! There are occasional stragglers but one or two are pretty easy to chase down. Of course, I'd BETTER put something yummy in that bowl! LOL

 

[BooBear]

Mine associate the sound of plastic bag to treats.
Also, I noticed that when the big chickies are foraging and I let the Silkies play in the big coop, the big chickies come running over many times to see why the funny looking chickies are out and to make sure they are not getting more goodies then them.

 

[wbruder17]

My girls listen better than my dogs do!

 

[DanEP]

I have a bell on the run and when I ring it and call come on girls they come running from all over becuase they now that there is going to be goodies in the run. All I have to do is stay out of the way. It only took about a week to train them to come to the bell and allows me to lock them down whenever needed.

 

[Heartforchickens]

Yes you can do it and it is pretty easy to train them. I let mine out at about 4:00 p.m. each afternoon for about 15-30 minutes to forage. They follow me around like I am their mother. When it's time to go back in their pen, I started out by dropping a few grains of scratch and trailing it back to the pen as I walked and clucked to them. Gradually I tapered off with the grain and just clucked. Pretty soon when I clucked they just followed me to the pen, then I would throw a handfull into the pen and they hopped right in. Hope you have success. Chickens are smarter than most people think.

 

[ivymae]

We have a lot of predators in our neighborhood, ranging from hawks to cats, so we only let our girls free range when we are outside to watch them. Sometimes we have to chase them around the yard to catch them and put them back in the coop, but we never have too much of a problem. I am definitely going to try the trick of putting their scratch in a coffee can and training them to respond to the sound of the can shaking...those ladies will do anything for treats!

 

[Dray67]

I use a 4 foot long section of bright white PVC pipe like a shepherds staff.. I wave it and tap it on the ground behind them and say "SHOO". It gives me extra reach if one tries to make a break for the wood pile or under the deck. When they get to the coop i reward them with a hand full of wild bird seed.
Now they head- straight to the coop when the see the staff in my hand.

 

[KathyK]

A similar question along the same lines: If they start getting let out for short periods, are they going to be charging the gate every time I go to feed them? I'd hate to break their little chicken hearts if I can't let them out each time.
Yeah, I spoil my animals.