Chicken Brains

[SeaChicken]

AAgh! I went out last night (got an auto door YEAH!) and left my son to count the girls after they were in for the night (they are only six weeks old) and when I went out this morning to let them out from their run to the yard, one of them (Buff Brahma) was around the back of the run/coop frantically running back and forth a short distance along the fence trying to get in - SO she obviously stayed out all night (and didn't get eaten at least) but SERIOUSLY are chickens not able to figure out how to go around something to get to the other side??? She had a little blood on her beak so now I am all freaked out that the others will eat her alive. She HATES being handled - is the most skittish of the whole bunch, but the only way for me to get her around was to pick her up and take her to the front (not all that easy) HOW do they learn (or will they??) to GO AROUND something to get to where they want to go? Is it just that they are young??
Thanks for any input - I'm a new Mama to FIFTEEN.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

I use a broom to guide my birds where I want... NOT TO SWAT... it is a very slow guiding... this is how they learn... by doing it themselves... picking up an moving slows the learning process.

 

[SeaChicken]

THANK YOU for the suggestion. Maybe I'm the one without brains!

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:
No no no... you are just fine... that is why we are all on here to learn from each other.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

I use two brooms

I keep them down at my side and follow the birds. When I want them to move right, I raise the left one, and vice-versa. If they start to get excited, I stop for a moment, otherwise they'll try to sneak past me.

Fun!

 

[sourland]

The reality is that chickens will never be class valedictorian of the barnyard animals.

 

[Pinky]

I think my mother hens think the same when they try to get their chicks to roost instead of sleeping in the nest.

 

[SeaChicken]

Quote:
OMG!!! I got two brooms, and did as you said - MAGIC CHICKEN HERDING!!! - or Chicken sweeping?? Effective AND SO fun! Thanks!