Catching a semi feral chicken for rescue

[elmo]

Someone in our neighborhood moved away last month and left one or more of their chickens behind loose. There is only one chicken left, and she's roaming around our urban neighborhood, showing up in backyards in a several block area.

I've already tried approaching her with a dish of scratch, as well as a dish of grubs, but she's too wild for me to get very close. I had her cornered several times, but she's far too fast to grab, and she's an excellent flier. She easily flew straight up to the top of an eight foot board fence.

I've set a live trap for her in several of the areas she's been spotted, but so far, no luck. At this point, the only thing I can think of is just to keep setting out the trap for her, and hope that one of these days she'll happen upon it and go in.

Does anyone else have any other ideas?

By the way, she's quite a pretty chicken. She's a black tailed buff, maybe Old English or American Gamefowl.

Thanks!

 

[GuppyTJ]

There are 3 things I can think of. One is to solicit the help of a few more people. Try to corner her again and moving slowly try to catch her. A second idea is a catching hook, which is basically a long pole with a big hook on the end. You try to catch the chicken by the foot and pull it toward you. I bet you could make one out of an old broom or garden pole and a coat hanger, just make sure the ends are not sharp and/or exposed. The last idea is a net. I have a pretty lose net I used to use in my pond and I think it's designed for a pool. Or, maybe a big fishing net? The fishing net will likely need to be attached/duct taped to a longer pole to extend the reach.

In all these cases, you need to be really careful that you don't hurt the chicken with all these pole type things, but this is obvious, I suppose. You're trying to catch her to help her so you're doing the best you can to be careful. Good luck! I hope you catch her as she'll be lucky that you did!

Guppy