Does anyone else herd their chickens?

[picklestheduck]

When I used to free range, before we moved to a high traffic hawk and eagle area, I would “herd” them in when they wouldn’t come in. Usually it was bad timing (like just got out of the shower, flipflops, pj pants, towel head, and chasing birds around with a stick)

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

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 herd my chooks! I let them free range mostly on Friday and Saturday afternoons and when the sun goes down, they automatically head for the coop.... UNLESS that one pullet decides to take a night walk. I have to pick her up (if she is willing to let me) and plop her in the coop. Hopefully no chooks will do that next that next time!

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

Nope. I use the scoop of corn method

 

[We love chooks]

I let mine out and after a couple of hours they all gather around the coop or see me with a bowl of wheat. Except one who I have to chase in.

 

[Debbie292d]

We just had to pick up chickens in the yard. They came out earlier, but when dusk came, I guess they got snow blind as it covered their path. They sat down in the snow and hunkered down. I didn't notice at first so they had about 1/2 of snow on them. It's times like these I'm glad we have a heater in the coop. I brushed them all off, counted heads, and shut the door.

This was them coming up by the house yesterday. They did that today, but then it snowed 3-4" You will note by the coop, the 7 older ones are smart and stayed there.

 

[PoppasGrill]

My hens are “trained” to come, but at some point they decided that no matter what treats I have, they’re not going to listen - especially when it’s inconvenient for me! I generally end up having to herd them especially when someone has hunkered down in a bush; I have to send my dog after them and once they come out shoo them into the pen.
My biddies (pullets) are learning to come but unfortunately the turkeys follow me everywhere and that scares them off.

Our turkeys always follow us, but they do it for the protection of the chickens, mostly. 3 Tom’s that will chase off bully roosters and hens if they start picking on the others and they roost with the chickens so are usually the last in the coop. Right behind our good roosters.
We do have to carry a few ladies to the coop, since they would rather roost in the barn, but most put themselves away just before dusk.

 

[Jenbirdee]

i herd my ducks with pool noodles lol

 

[TJAnonymous]

i herd my ducks with pool noodles lol

I've never tried to herd my ducks outside of their pen. They are so independent that I doubt I'd have much success.... However, inside their pen, I herd mine with pvc pipe, sticks, 2x4, or whatever I can grab easily to encourage them to go IN their coop instead of around it when it's time to go to bed.

 

[BobStuart]

My chickens just go in themselves

 

[Sylvester017]

This is an old photo of my Mom and her little sister herding Ducks. I used this method with our first small backyard flock of chickens but soon found our hens just put themselves away in the coop at dusk without our assistance!

c. 1920's

When our back and front yards were going through a chaotic remodel, workers coming and going, tearing down old chainlink fencing, putting up a block wall around the property and adding privacy fencing, iron gates, and new patio roofs, the hens always put themselves away in the tractor barn coop no matter where it had to be rolled. Even when we covered it with tarp to protect it from rainstorms, the girls followed the coop no matter where it was moved or how it looked.

In the end a dog kennel wire pen was added to the barn coop and moved under a patio roof for protection from rainstorms or brutal summer sun and still the hens followed the coop wherever it moved .

When new pullets are added we put them in a coop nestbox at night to get accustomed to that being the place for nighttime and in the morning they follow the old girls down the ramp and back up the ramp at dusk. Some new pullets need a couple days of our coaxing but chickens are flock birds and learn from the others pretty fast. We have one Silkie that waits until all the others go to roost and it's at the darkest dusk before she finally enters the coop last.