Does anyone else herd their chickens?

[TJAnonymous]

My chickens fly down from trees next to my house at dawn. They go wherever they want to all day, then return to the trees at dusk

I feed them twice a day and they know where home is. I couldn't imagine having to round them up for soap me reason

I used to have a handful of game hens that we adopted from someone who didn't want them. I made the mistake of letting them get settled in the barn. They slept in the rafters every night for months... It was OK until they started roosting over the feed barrels and pooping in my tack room. However I lost 2 of them to predators because they were being broody in the hay bales and the predators found em. After that, I managed to catch the others at night and moved them into the coop with my Silkies. Got tired of them bullying anything on 2 legs and they finally ended up in the stew pot.

 

[CoopBoots]

I use treats in good weather / more casual situations. If things are tense and I'm expecting a predator, a broom doubles as both a shoo-stick and a herding tool. I'm often around the property waving it at passing hawks and shrieking angry "crow" sounds... (I reeeeeally should have given the neighbors some Christmas treats now that I think about it...)

 

[TJAnonymous]

I have always used a bread bag with a few bits of bread in it...I shake the bag and because they love this treat, they associate the sound with it. They come running immediately without fail...I only give them a very little and it works every time. Great for when I have to gather them in a hurry!

I do this occasionally with the mealworm bag. Really it could be anything... If they see me with literally ANYTHING in my hands, they come running... However because I have 70+ chickens that free range over such a wide area, there are inevitably some that don't realize I'm handing out treats so I still have to herd the outliers...

 

[Smokerbill]

I have always used a bread bag with a few bits of bread in it...I shake the bag and because they love this treat, they associate the sound with it. They come running immediately without fail...I only give them a very little and it works every time. Great for when I have to gather them in a hurry!

Mine come running when they hear me shaking scratch grains in the plastic peanut butter jar. The sound carries quite a distance.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Most of mine will come with a verbal chook-chook-chook call, or the shaking of a treat jar (even their pellets inside a plastic container will do) but as a general rule since I'm always with them when they're out, it's easiest to use their pooper scooper and the accompanying spade. I always have them on hand to clean up after the birds, and that way I can direct birds from both left and right side, or safely give slackers a poke to move them along.

 

[saysfaa]

I do sometimes. I use pool noodles to make my arms longer and more visible. The goal is to encourage them to walk calmly in the direction I want so if they start getting excited then I slow down, get further away, or angle the pool noodles away.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I do sometimes. I use pool noodles to make my arms longer and more visible. The goal is to encourage them to walk calmly in the direction I want so if they start getting excited then I slow down, get further away, or angle the pool noodles away.

Yes, herding has become an art form at my house... I know exactly what distance to maintain, by chicken... Meaning I know which ones I have to get closer to and which ones to hang back from. I can always tell when someone is going to bolt in the wrong direction... I've also taught them that the chicken yard is a safe space where they won't be chased.

 

[bulldoggrrl]

I let my chickens and ducks out 3 - 4x per week to free range. They are usually let out late morning until just before dusk. Their ranging territory is about 2 - 3 acres around my house, pond, barn, and part of the pasture area. When it's time to go back in their chicken yard, they aren't always ready to call it a day... I used to walk around clapping my hands as the "signal" that it's time to go back to the coop area. About 2 years ago, I started herding them with my 4 wheeler instead... Now when it's dusk and they hear the 4 wheeler start up, they automatically start heading for the chicken yard... I inevitability get that one maverick on occasion who decides to go rogue and I need to go chase them down to remind them who's boss.

Curious to know who else herds their flock and how you do it?

I say, “time to go to bed” when my beloved Roo was alive and he would head towards the coop. If he didn’t want to go in yet, he would pretend to find food and would tidbit to me. I knew he was playing, so I would just remind him “ the raccoons will get you” and stand by his ramp, to which he hurridly came up to receive his hugs and night-night kisses from me, his Chief ”Hen”. I miss my Pearlie Roo so much. Lost him to a rogue dog who lured him off the fence to fight. Sadly my sweet Roo lost that fight protecting his backyard (totally fenced). And to make matters worse, the owner (the dog jumped out of the cab of the truck) didn’t even have the decency to let us know what had happened. Pearl was on the fence waiting for me to come out to play .

 

[HodgesHappyHens]

I just call my chickens in. They have learned that when I make kissy noises that it's treat time, and they come running.

Same here, but I use a clucking noise.

I also use an automatic door on the secure run if I don’t get over there before to late.

 

[HarmonyAcre]

I let my chickens and ducks out 3 - 4x per week to free range. They are usually let out late morning until just before dusk. Their ranging territory is about 2 - 3 acres around my house, pond, barn, and part of the pasture area. When it's time to go back in their chicken yard, they aren't always ready to call it a day... I used to walk around clapping my hands as the "signal" that it's time to go back to the coop area. About 2 years ago, I started herding them with my 4 wheeler instead... Now when it's dusk and they hear the 4 wheeler start up, they automatically start heading for the chicken yard... I inevitability get that one maverick on occasion who decides to go rogue and I need to go chase them down to remind them who's boss.

Curious to know who else herds their flock and how you do it?

My girls just put themselves in their coop. If they could, they would close the door. I used to call them and wave my arms. I finally got busy and realized that once the sun was low, they would go in my themselves. Only have to rush them if in a hurry.