Catching Chickens

[lyndatu]

Chicken Run

Before I go buy some chicks, there's something I'm worried about. Chicks do need to go out to the field and play, right? But what about when it's time to go back in the coop? Would it be hard to catch them? And our backyard is really big, they might get lost or eaten by predators. Any advice?

Thanks in advance!

 

[picklespickles]

how large is really large? acres and acres or ?

at least here, they are always fed in pretty much the same space, so always come back there. i think even if there was no food there, they would come by to see just to make sure.

in my family, it was a joke to send some unknowledgable perosn out to catch the chickens at night. the idea being, that they come home to roost themselves.

now, they might now always. so maybe someone else will comment here on those situations.

 

[silkiechicken]

Well, if you get baby chicks, as in day olds, you should keep them cooped up in their draft free home for the first 4 weeks or so. I looked up temps on that side and it's always warm or hot there compared to out here... the plants are all frozen..., but where you are with your year round summer temps, you can let them out at a month old and they will come home every night as they are creatures of habit. If you have predators to worry about, you might consider making a run for them so they are safer, this way too, you don't have to worry about them running away for who knows what odd reason. Doesn't happen often but can...

 

[silkies4ever]

Yeah, if they are young, they will need to be kept cooped. My silkie mom kept the babies sheltered for 3 days on her own and then after that only took them out for a little while at a time. I started bringing them all inside though as the weather started to get cold and rain.

But when they are older, they may or may not be hard to catch. Depends on how much time you spend with them and how mellow they are or aren't.

One really helpful thing though is to train them to come. I can call "Heeeereeeee Chikie Chickie Chickies!!!!" and they all come running. From there, they will follow me on command and go in their pens on command as well. This really helped when I had old english game hens and it helps with my easter eggers too.

 

[bantymum]

Hello, I agree with all of the above but also find that after the first 2 days they will go back to their coop to seek shelter for sleep without needing to be rounded up.
That only applies for older chickens not littlies.
You only need to walk behind them and hold out your arms to round them up, they have good peripheral vision so you dont need to jump around and make a fuss, easy does it, just be gentle and herd them back to the coop.
Now if you get a maverick, you can always invest in a butterfly net, lol.
Good luck