Catching a tiny Bantam

[julia305]

Morning everyone

I have two bantams that really really dont like going back into the coop and run area in the morning. Generally the flock free ranges all day but when I go to work they only get about an hour in the morning and it is this time that I have trouble getting them back in. All the others (not bantams) go in as good as gold all I have to do is show them some grapes and they're off but the two bantams just run away and they are pretty skittish so I cant even walk slowly and grab them. I did just read that people use a fishing net. Is this OK to do? Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have tried with my partner to herd them in but even with two of us they manage to dodge us and go and hide in the bushes. It took over an hour the other morning and when you have to get out of the door for work its not a good thing! I cant keep them in their coop and run in the morning as the rest of the flock and the ducks are going mental to be let out from about 5am as soon as they hear me stirring (the coop is about 5 feet from my bedroom my garden is that tiny lol).

So anyway, i cant really think of any way to get the banties back into the run. Any help would be appreciated. They dont come for grapes or any kind of treat. I cant pick them up. My next thought was a fishing net but they are so cute and sweet i cant stand the thought of scaring them but the alterntive is worse which is leaving them to free range when i'm not at home and I cant really do that as I would be too panicked all day at the thought of them being out there on their own.

Thanks in advance

 

[enola]

I use a fishing net, but only if I have to catch a chicken in the day time in the coop.your bs ties are way to smart fora net. You may catch them once, but you will never catch them a second time.

Separate them from the flock so you can turn the fllock out and not have to worry about the bantams.

 

[hnichols]

All my chickens were very skittish too. But with some love and sunflower seeds they come to the coop running if im calling Come Girls!

 

[julia305]

Yes this is in the day time. I let the flock out in the morning before i go to work then they have to go away again until late afternoon unless one of us is at home then obviously they can stay out all day until bed time. OK what I'll do then is let the big girls out and shut the door to the run so the banties cant get out until the afternoon. Poor little mites they are so cute.

hnicols - they've actually gotten worse - they used to go in OK with coaxing and seeds, grapes, scratch etc but the last few weeks they just go the opposite way and they know that i'm trying to get them in and they just run lol. Funny thing though i have no problem getting them in of an evening but maybe that's because its getting a bit dark.... who knows.... i'm new to chicken keeping my flock is only about 18 weeks old.

Thanks

 

[shortgrass]

Lol they are hard to catch, little buggers zigvand zag too fast

Mine are trained with food red cups for feed so usually axred cup would help get them happy to see me just because I had a red cup iny hand... My daughter's silkies... They chased them trying to catch them so now I have to corner them sometimes if I want them for some reason... Coenering works pretty good, so does a loop of chicken wire, about 10' long... Get the banty cornered, then slap the chicken wire in front of them, and quickly coil it in a loop right around them as they try to turn around lol... Gyou can also just leave itcset up in a corner and "herd" them into it and close it behind them.

Just makes itc easier to limit the escape route

They should eventually go to the coop on their own; they'll learn that it's home, and safe, just a few nights of rustling them in, and they'll mosey in there by dusk themselves.

 

[julia305]

Well you see what's happened is that they are now at the bottom of the pecking order and are a bit nervous of the head chicken which really hasnt helped matters. They arent getting beaten up or anything like that, they are just generally a bit nervy so I baby them a bit more. I have a feeling that Stella might be a part of why they are a bit nervous of going in the coop, but then again, if they go in in the evening no trouble arrrgh maybe they are just being naughty lol.

I like the chicken wire idea though I will have to try that. I did think of trying to make some kind of portable box with wood and some chicken wire and popping that on top of them but then i though how the heck am i gonna get the mini run back into the coop without the chicken flying out lol. I cant properly corner them as my garden has flower beds on two corners and lots of places for them to hide. I'll keep tryng the treats though but they have cottoned on completely that the grape that is being offered is slowly being moved towards the coop and they arent falling for it. its a good thing they are so cute and i love them so much

i have used the "treat training" from day 1 with them all - every time they see me at the back door they all come running, ducks including and when its food time i "chuck chuck chuck" and go "come on, come on" and they all get excited for their dinner but now, like i said, the banties just arent interested. They are going on morning lock down from tomorrow though. Better than being left outside and falling prey to something. I live in London so no rural foxes or hawks etc but we do have urban foxes that come out at night and also cats.

 

[shortgrass]

Oh I see aw poor little buggers always fall to the bottom of the order; its no fair

Maybe if you kept Stella(is that the meanie?) Off in a little "time out" pen for a bit each day, or all day for a few, and see if giving meanie a time out will help calm nerves a bit.. That or at least if she's preoccupied they can feel safe to sneak into the coop and get settled before letting Stella back out if time out to go to bed...

Sounds like a hassle lol, but sometimes watching everyone have fun from a distance because you're not allowed to play until you play nice can have a profound effect on behavior in a social setting... Works wonders on humans too lol

 

[julia305]

Yeah Stella's definitely a bit of a meanie. I was having a discussion on here yesterday about her as i was worried about Elvis and Roy (the two babies). Stella's just started laying and it was explained to me that this is actually normal chicken behaviour as long as nobody is getting injured which they arent thankfully. They have all managed to live together happily until a few weeks ago (up to Stella laying i believe) and she's turned very cranky - she swears at me all the time and the noises she makes are definitely complaining and moaning noises lol. She pecks at the coop/run wire if I dont let her out quick enough, marching up and down and pecks at me from the back when I am sitting on the grass with them. But anyway that's another story. So you think i should leave Stella in? OK I will give that a go. I will keep her in during their morning run around as its only an hour or so and let her out in the evening. They do all go to bed quite easily in the evening. I know for a fact she wont like it lol and she will probably complain very loudly. I love my banties they are the cutest little things in the world with their fluffy feet and their little perky tails. The ducks by the way find the whole thing very interesting as Stella being white like the ducks is the boss of them as well - i saw one of them grooming her the other day.