Hands-Off the Chicken

[Folly's place]

Cattle and horses want to stick together, and herding them goes well, especially using Temple Grandin's methods. Herding chickens, more like herding cats? I can encourage my chickens to head in a certain direction, but not to go through a smaller opening together, as into the coop. It's frustrating sometimes! Is it because they live in three dimensions, being able to fly? Are ducks who can fly still easy to direct?
Mary

 

[kcan2]

That'll do it. Not being the "bad guy" whilst interacting with them will go a long way towards currying favour with your birds.
I do not put them to bed early now that they're free ranging. Waiting to feed them works to some extent, but I found I always had a few uninterested stragglers that had filled up on grass and bugs.

If on the rare occasion I'm not home to shut the run and/or pop door until after dark, will they be ok? Or is it best to put them up early (against their inclination)? I'm thinking ahead to spring and more free-ranging time...

 

[Zach123]

I can attest to that, though I think I've gotten pretty good at telling when one is about to jet off in a different direction.

I do "herd" mine each afternoon, walking behind them and waving a pooper scooper to direct them where to go, but I'm curious as to how many chickens becomes too many to manage in such a way.

I have tried to herd them with sticks and the like but while I can get them to move in a general direction, I never have had any luck trying to get them to do any precision maneuvering, like through a coop door. Several always end up breaking back and by the time I get them rounded up, the others have escaped wherever it is I'm trying to get them to go. More people would probably help, but my 8 year old son doesn't quite get the concept of not chasing or circling and slow, predictable movements. His chaos (and very predatory actions) leads to the animals responding in kind. Hes young yet and gets excited.

One thing I have noticed is that, when pressured, chickens don't seem to be inclined to move as a group. I suppose if a fox were to suddenly appear, the sudden dispersal of prey in any and all directions would lead to his confusion and the chances of survival for any one bird would be increased.

This is unlike moving herds of cattle or buffalo, or flocks of ducks where they tend to move together. Some may break back but most often they want to stick together and follow the other animals. This makes it possible to drive them from pasture to pasture, through gates, and corrals, into trailers, coops, runs, etc. Their response to pressure is generally a known factor and we can use this to our advantage to make our idea of what we want them to do become their idea. How to do that with a flock of 30 chickens who's response to pressure is disperse in all directions is something that has so far eluded me.

(I see that Folly beat me to punch here, and in a much more concise way ).

 

[BantyChooks]

If on the rare occasion I'm not home to shut the run and/or pop door until after dark, will they be ok? Or is it best to put them up early (against their inclination)? I'm thinking ahead to spring and more free-ranging time...

I would not recommend it. The risk of them being eaten is high. Automated pop doors are available if you don't want to put them in early but can't be there by dusk.

 

[BantyChooks]

Are ducks who can fly still easy to direct?

Yes, they still have a tendency to bunch together in a way chickens absolutely do not. They've still got circular pressure zones, too. I don't have an issue with my flying ducks.

 

[Folly's place]

My coop is not set up to have an automatic door, and we just 'hope for the best' as far as having them not locked in at dusk, if we aren't home yet.
So far it's been okay, but certainly not best.
It's also possible to not free range at all on days when you aren't going to be home early enough.
It's also possible for a predator to get into the coop before that automatic door closes, locking the chickens in with death...
Mary

 

[Zach123]

Are ducks who can fly still easy to direct?

Not easy to direct, no. However, when you jump a flock of ducks off a pond, I have noticed that they still have a tendency to stay in a relatively tight group and all fly off in generally the same direction. This not something I have observed with chickens.

If on the rare occasion I'm not home to shut the run and/or pop door until after dark, will they be ok? Or is it best to put them up early (against their inclination)? I'm thinking ahead to spring and more free-ranging time...

It will be fine right up until the time it's not. This is a reality I live with every day since I don't get home from work until after dark (stupid daylight savings time changes and all that). This is also one of the reasons my chickens are confined to a run. If you are going out for the evening and leaving maybe just a little while before they go to bed I would say put them up before you go out. If you are away all day, I would suggest that you have a run that they can use while your gone and then just let them free range on the days you are home. While it may not be "predator proof" (though you can certainly make one that is) the run will provide a least some kind of buffer and an added layer of protection.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Would you have any suggestions to get them in from free-ranging midday without force? Did you just wait to feed them, and put the food in the coop? I believe that is how my problem started: I would capture my chicken (from free ranging) before he was ready and he started learning to avoid me at any close proximity. If I had only known of a way to make him go more willingly it would have helped!

"Food" is the general answer. I let mine out on the lawn briefly each afternoon, and after herding them back into the run I immediately treat them with a little scratch or mealworms or black soldier fly larvae. So they associate going back to the run with getting a special treat.

That said, they won't be too happy to get locked into a coop at midday, so if you don't already have a run (even a smallish one) you should consider adding one, even if you don't plan on using it daily.

If on the rare occasion I'm not home to shut the run and/or pop door until after dark, will they be ok? Or is it best to put them up early (against their inclination)? I'm thinking ahead to spring and more free-ranging time...

Consider getting an auto door - they should naturally return to the coop at dusk and the door will shut behind them. Some work on timer and some on sunlight, so choose what would work for your location and needs.

 

[kcan2]

It's also possible for a predator to get into the coop before that automatic door closes, locking the chickens in with death...

Yikes! Makes me shudder to think about that happening!

This is also one of the reasons my chickens are confined to a run. If you are going out for the evening and leaving maybe just a little while before they go to bed I would say put them up before you go out

Yes! Common sense certainy does dictate to only let them free on days I will be home all day. Fortunately, we did build a run, and it is as well fortified as hours of internet research could provide. Hardware wire attached with washers and screws, pavers, hardware wire on ground, stakes, etc. Thanks for all of the super insightful info on behavior! My neighbor has ducks and it's interesting that they follow around her turkey, and the chickens seem to have their own separate clique. Perhaps due to the differing flocking patterns you mentioned!