Catching Chickens . . . an Olympic Event?

[clayhill]

Why is chicken chasing NOT an Olympic Event? Today after seeing my twenty, 4-month-old buffs flying over the fence, I decided to do a little wing clipping. These are orpingtons and normaly come running to me and peck at my feet looking for treats. Today, however, I walked into their run with net and though they had never seen such a contraption in their short lifes, they proceded to flee from me like I was some demon from you-know-where! Who would've ever thought chickens could object so strongly to such a minor procedure? I began to run, chase, swat and SWEAT, oh, did I mention it was 96 degrees here today?

Did I also fail to mention I'm a 235-lb. tub of lard?

Well to make a long story short, I finally rounded up all twenty after they flew from fence to fence and pen to pen. Some flew out of the pens entirely and had to be chased across the yard. I guess I should be glad they didn't decide to leave the 80 acres we live on!

 

[ccflash]

I think it is just Arkansas chickens that do that. I live in Cave City and my chickens do not like the looks of a dip net. I leave it by the run so they get used to it. Wrong, when you take it in there they go berzerk. Did you get any video, could be a youtube star.

Kenny

 

[chicken wild]

dont feel bad it took me 4 hours to catch one of my roos after he got out

 

[Flawedatdesign]

That is why I do wing clipping by porch light lol. Makes for a bit less work.

 

[Pele]

No you're not alone with the wing-clipping/chasing thing.

I just recently thought I'd be a smartypants and went to get my acrobat bird Iti from the coop at night. Sure it was easy to get her, and sure wrapping her in a towel kept her calm, and sure the clipping went quickly and without a hitch...

But now, even when treats are being used, Iti will have NOTHING to do with us. It's like she's snubbing us for messing up her wing. Now we chase her around and around and around the yard when we need to round up the chickens. Everyone else goes into the run, gobbling up the bread, but not Iti anymore, nooooo.

We've become Olympic level masters at setting up dead ends, and running her around the coop to get her cornered though. I guess that's something.

 

[wava1vaughn]

Hi from Ga. Hey yo'all are doing it wrong when any of my animals get out I tell my wife to go get them. Then I sit back and enjoy another Iced Tea.

 

[wava1vaughn]

Hi from Ga. The other day my wife had to go into the pig pen 3 times to shoo out hens. We ended up 1 hen short at bed time and pork had a contented smile on his face. That's the one and only time the chickens went in his pen.

 

[Pele]

Quote:
Haha, actually, I did that to my husband.

The first time Iti suddenly decided not to respond to treats anymore, I was by myself. Cue a 10 minute sequence of trying to outsmart a chicken. I was sore the next day from running so fast! So he comes home, and I tell him that his bird (yes it's his) was a troublemaker and made me look silly chasing her around. He laughed at me!

Then he bragged about how much she loved him, and that he wouldn't have had to chase her.

Let me tell you, the next time we had to round up the chickens, I let him go first. He fails to tempt her with treats, and I just sit myself down on the patio chair to watch. He told me "ok ok, I was wrong, could I please get some help?"

I told him 'nope'

 

[Velvet Hairpiece]

haha! This thread is hilarious!

Tub-o-Lard. I oft use that to describe myself!

 

[benjoycei]

net = berzerko