Chicken herding

[Rowtag]

For the most part I tell my RIR roo to "Put your girls up". He herds every one back in. If he won't help dogs and a stick.

 

[Pampered Hen]

Chickens are so food motivated that it is easy to "train" them to come to your call or a specific sound or sight for that matter. My hens come from the other end of our large yard when they hear the metal lid banging on the galvanized can where I keep their junk food (mix of scratch and sunflower seed). With that method I can pretty much get them back into their run anytime of the day. No need for herding or chasing and no stress either. They have a nice experience returning to their run and as a result they are not avoiding it but come back willingly.

 

[chillmiller]

http://castnets.com/gs-1500.html

get this and learn to throw it

 

[Chicken Rich86]

Get a small dog and train it to herd.It use to be 20 mintues of chasing hens. Now my three 13 pound dogs do it in two minutes.

 

[fluffychicksmomma]

They mostly follow us around, but when we need to get them back into their run, we use a long peacock feather. I do not know why they are afraid of it, maybe it looks like a giant eye with that marking on the end? I really don't know, but its quite effective! : )

 

[dldolan]

Quote:
Yikes. I thought you were describing one of my young Wellsummer hens, there...

Silly bird...

Yes, Pavlov knew what he was doing! My DH made fun of me when I spent the first several days after getting my hens teaching them to "come". Keeping all hens in the run for a few days, I started by shaking my South American rain stick, then quickly tossed down a scant handful of scratch. Got their attention? Do it again. Then randomly throughout the first 1-3 days. Then, start calling something like, "Treats, girls" upon entering, shake the rain stick and toss down something yummy. Pretty soon they associate either the rain stick sound or the "treats girls" call with something tasty to eat. Now I just just sing out when I want them to come in earlier than normal, or shake the stick and here they come!! (I have even spied DH using the method now...

)

 

[shortstaque]

Quote:
Yikes. I thought you were describing one of my young Wellsummer hens, there...

Silly bird...

Yes, Pavlov knew what he was doing! My DH made fun of me when I spent the first several days after getting my hens teaching them to "come". Keeping all hens in the run for a few days, I started by shaking my South American rain stick, then quickly tossed down a scant handful of scratch. Got their attention? Do it again. Then randomly throughout the first 1-3 days. Then, start calling something like, "Treats, girls" upon entering, shake the rain stick and toss down something yummy. Pretty soon they associate either the rain stick sound or the "treats girls" call with something tasty to eat. Now I just just sing out when I want them to come in earlier than normal, or shake the stick and here they come!! (I have even spied DH using the method now...

)

So DH is trainable too

 

[Uzuri]

Quote:
Yikes. I thought you were describing one of my young Wellsummer hens, there...

Silly bird...

Oddly enough, the little bugger that's usually last and ends up being my "one hen" to chase is a Welsummer. The little brat.

 

[karimw]

Quote:
Yikes. I thought you were describing one of my young Wellsummer hens, there...

Silly bird...

Oddly enough, the little bugger that's usually last and ends up being my "one hen" to chase is a Welsummer. The little brat.

Mine too! Everyone else is pretty good, but I have 2 wellies that stay out impossibly late then refuse to be herded in. They don't like the coop I guess. If I come out too late they are up in the rafters in the barn next door. I guess they are safe enough there. If not, it's best they don't pass that trait on anyway

 

[kitkatnoah]

I bring out a large bowl filled with lettuce, oats & shredded cheese & head to the run. When my rooster sees me holding the bowl, he'll call the hens & they'll all follow me into the run.