Culling tips....

[PhoenixAngel429]

We free range our chickens, and we have to cull out some of the young roosters, as we have too many. Any tips on catching them? I really don't feel like waiting until they roost and climbing that tree they roost in.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

We use a long, stiff piece of wire bent into a Sheperd's hook. You come up behind them and hook a leg. Drag them backwards toward you until you can grab both legs with your free hand.

Like this commercial version, but we use whatever we have laying around:

 

[jasonm11]

run fast and grab faster?

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Put some scratch grain in a cage or pen, when they go in to eat close the door. My birds are accustomed to come when they hear me rattle some scratch in a metal can, so it's easy to summon them. It doesn't take long for them to learn to come to that sound.

It's a whole lot easier to have your candidates caged before you process, rather than chasing them all over the yard on their last day. I have mine confined by late afternoon the day before, with only water to drink but no food, not even grass they can grab through the cage. This way their crops & intestines are less full when they're eviscerated.

 

[jaj121159]

Quote:
I use the hook sometimes, but you have to get the hook above the knee. The chickens will hop over it. The easiest thing I have found to use is a large telescoping fishing net. Once you get the net over the bird, keep the net on the ground and either pull the net back to you or go to the neting and capture your bird there.

 

[KandiandJerry]

The fish net or minnow nets are alot easier for us than the hook....

 

[darkmatter]

I made my own hook:

Toss out some scratch and sneak up behind them.