Disobedient Chickens

[someplumbcoop]

I have 6 10 week old austrolorp chickens. They are wonderful and I love them sooo much. The only problem is that when I let them out for a while they refuse to come back in.

so i have to catch EVERY one of those little chickens just to get them to go in. I have tried food, chasing them, and everything in between. Any advice? I cant leave them out all day because of the hawks, and we haven't gotten our run finished, so I try to let them out a couple times a day. It is VERY frustrating

Please Help!

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

maybe just make them wait until later in the afternoon, when they will want to go back in when evening hits...??

 

[easttxchick]

Very typical behavior. Try getting a can or something and putting some Black Oil Sunflower Seeds in it. Shake the can and give them some of the seeds INSIDE the coop.
Once they get used to this, they'll come running at the can shaking.

 

[swimmer]

My girls would do the same. Until they realized I'm the treat lady. I only gave treats in their run at first. And I'd call them, "Hey Chickens" They come running every time. What you are going through is typical.

 

[oldchickenlady]

Chickens are not like dogs! They can be taught to come to you, but they have to have powerful persuasion...food!I trained mine to come to me by first calling in a loud voice "Biddy, Biddy, Biddy...Come On!!" and then giving them a treat that they really like. If you do this repeatedly and consistantly, it wont be long before they get the connection between your voice and food. It isn't fool proof, but it usually works. Until they learn this, only let them out about an hour or so (or however long you want to let them out) before dark. They will go back to their coop to roost (or should) when it gets dark.

 

[someplumbcoop]

Thats really good advice, thanks. I will try treats in the coop and see how that works. Thanks again!

 

[Mrs. K]

Everytime you feed them, even if they are standing at your feet call them.

But a long stick will also help you round them up, stand away from the coop, with the chicks between you and the coop, say "hut, hut!" tap the stick on the ground, the trick is not to stand very close to the chickens. At first you should be far enough away from them that you put no pressure on them. take a step toward them. if they don't move, another step. eventually they will move away from you, toward the coop, check and see what that distance is between you and the chick, keep that distance, the chicks will walk in the direction that you want, but not panicking. Move slow, using your stick to extend your reach to the side, not toward your chicks, your chicks should move slowly to put a comfortable distance to them between you.

Hold your stick out to the side of you for the most part, tapping the ground saying hut hut, you don't want them to run, you just want them to walk toward the gate or door, as you get closer, if one runs to the side. tap the ground on the side you don't want them to go. Don't panic them, if they are running they are panicked. Just move slow and easy, keeping them between you and the gate. If one breaks away, let that one go, and get the majority of the chicks in, most often, the last one won't like being alone, and will be following you in.

The idea is that you place yourself, so that the most comfortable position that the chick can move to, is in the direction that you want. Many people, (perhaps you don't, but some do so I will mention it) want them to hurry to the gate or door, thinking that the faster that they go in, will leave them less time to go somewhere else, but that seldom works.

Mine come running to the coffee can, but sometimes they don't want to go in, and I can round them up when I want doing it this way.

Hope it helps. Mrsk

 

[sharol]

What Mrs. K said.

Mine don't care for BOSS, but bread? They will do backflips for bread chunks -- probably because they get it so seldom.

 

[KungPaoRooster]

I lock my chickens in the coop for 3 to 4 days not letting them outside at all. It has worked every time for me. I have 25 chickens of all different breeds, 1 turkey and they all go in before dusk.

Good Luck.

 

[maizey]

I accidently trained mine without realizing it. When they were little, i fed them meal worms using my husbands blue handled needle nose pliers because the worms grossed me out. Now they go nuts when ever they see the pliers and come running. My husband was working out in the yard the other day and pulled the pliers out of his tool bag...he almost got mobbed. (he didnt know i used his pliers for worms..shhhhh...he asked me what was the matter with my dang chickens

I was just like

dunno hon

) So when i need to round them up i go for the pliers. If you feed them something they really love with the same tool or container, they will soon get the idea. I think my chickens would trade their tail feathers for meal worms.