Getting chicks back into the run

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

Having a hell of a time teaching our 8 week olds to get back into the run. I just let them out to free range for a bit when I can supervise (4 are bantams and we have a lot of predators). The non-bantam is definitely the ring-leader and they all defer to her. She's the quickest to see/accept treats, but the others don't really seem to care when she does so. I try to slowly coax her back so the rest will follow, but still somehow they get confused getting back into the coop. I've tried shaking treats to scatter, etc. and tried a variety of things (blueberries, watermelon, oats, etc.) Feeling frustrated because I want to give them time out of the run but I can't do this on breaks as I end up spending the whole time wrangling them! Just now I ended up closing two in and grabbing the other three, but I hate doing that because I don't want them to be scared of me.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Lock them into the coop for a couple days till they know where it is safe to sleep. Then they will go in on their own at dusk.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I do 2 things (often at same time, if hubby is out with me). So if you have someone to help out, I'd try doing both.

One is herding the chickens with a stick (in my case, the pooper scooper), which is simple as walking slowly behind them and just waving the stick every so often to get them moving the direction you want. The second is shaking the treat canister along with verbal command (the chicks aren't yet trained to verbal but they'll learn it naturally over time). So if you herd and a family member stands just inside the run with the treats, shaking them, that'll get them to move in the right direction and they should begin running for the enclosure once they figure out that shaking canister = treats!

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I do 2 things (often at same time, if hubby is out with me). So if you have someone to help out, I'd try doing both.

One is herding the chickens with a stick (in my case, the pooper scooper), which is simple as walking slowly behind them and just waving the stick every so often to get them moving the direction you want. The second is shaking the treat canister along with verbal command (the chicks aren't yet trained to verbal but they'll learn it naturally over time). So if you herd and a family member stands just inside the run with the treats, shaking them, that'll get them to move in the right direction and they should begin running for the enclosure once they figure out that shaking canister = treats!

Any suggestions for getting them to know much less like treats? I've tried the weeds they seem to luv most (but are out of inand around run) the. I've tried grubblies. My chicks are 5 weeks old. 3.silkies 1 polish

 

[rosemarythyme]

5 weeks is still very young, so they're probably barely willing to try new food/treats right now. So it's all about persistence and continuing to offer them the new food item. Even if they refuse it once, they may try it the next time or the next.

I've always used dried mealworms crumbled up slightly for chicks, and they seem to like those fine. Once they get older I switch over to black soldier fly larvae, black oil sunflower seeds, or scratch, as they rattle in a canister better.

 

[Buzzard Hill Chickens]

We have our girls "bell trained". We have a small bell near the coop. We throw down just a little bit of scratch, then ring the bell. They quickly learned that the bell means "treats!", so they run toward the sound of the bell. Only took about 3 or 4 training sessions. Start by throwing down the treats while they are already near the coop, followed immediately by the bell. Then repeat as they are a little farther away. Soon, they'll be responding to the sound of the bell from far away. Hope that helps.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

We have our girls "bell trained". We have a small bell near the coop. We throw down just a little bit of scratch, then ring the bell. They quickly learned that the bell means "treats!", so they run toward the sound of the bell. Only took about 3 or 4 training sessions. Start by throwing down the treats while they are already near the coop, followed immediately by the bell. Then repeat as they are a little farther away. Soon, they'll be responding to the sound of the bell from far away. Hope that helps.

Saweet! I can do that...as well as anyone if I'm unable to can too! Thank u! The sounds more my style...