Help with two chickens in my yard

[Surprise Chickens]

hi. New here. Need help. 4 weeks age two bantam chickens showed up in my backyard. Never left. Worried about predators and no idea where they came from. Advice? They are not people friendly but curious. Living under tree line. Look like Old English Game Bantams. Rooster seems very young.
Seeking advice. Yard not fenced.

 

[True Patriot]

Welcome to BYC. If you haven't already, ask around the neighborhood and see if anyone is missing them. Out in the open they're definitely at risk. I'm guessing that you are not equipped for chickens?

 

[Surprise Chickens]

I’ve asked around and it’s a neighborhood mystery! No one around me even owns chickens. So weird.
I had bantams years ago but had a nice coop and such for them. They were also hand raised and easy to handle. I can’t catch these two. Hence, I’m worried about them. They’re adorable. Just don’t know what they need. How can I catch them if I did put a coop up?

 

[True Patriot]

I don't know if "catch" would be the right word. Out in the open I don't know a way to get them. I'm pretty sure chasing them would have the wrong effect. If you have a place they can live try putting out food and water to coax them in. If they're skittish trust needs to be built up. Good luck

 

[Surprise Chickens]

I’ve been putting out cracked corn and water this past week. Think I’m going to convince my husband to order a small coop and see if I can coax them in that. They won’t come within 15 feet of me but it’s much closer than it was two weeks ago. Thanks for help.

 

[RWise]

Keep feeding them, then when that new coop gets there, tie a string on the door so you can close it from a distance, put the feed in it and watch. When they go in pull the door closed.

 

[drumstick diva]

Do you know where they sleep? Chickens don't want to move in the dark, maybe you could just pick them up and put them somewhere with feed and water. Garage maybe or dog crate or something you have sitting around.

 

[aart]

I’ve asked around and it’s a neighborhood mystery! No one around me even owns chickens. So weird.

I'm betting someone dumped them.
A coop/run, with feed and water, and huge dose of patience will get your new pets confined.
Good Luck!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Are you ready to commit to keeping chickens again? You've done it before so you know how they tie you down with respect to needing to be cared for on a regular basis. They add a level of complexity to vacations or just going out for the afternoon and night, let alone feeding, watering, and collecting eggs daily. And the extra expense. If you are not willing to commit then you are just interested in catching them.

If you are willing to commit, determine the extent of that commitment. How many chicken will you ultimately have and plan for that. In the meantime catch those two and fix up something temporary for them. It doesn't have to be fancy.

How do you catch them? As Diva said, a traditional way is to find where they are sleeping and catch them in the dark. That's often easier to say than done. Bantams are likely to be sleeping pretty high in a tree, plus they are trying to hide. Even if you can find them it may not be safe for you to try to climb up to get them, especially in the dark. But maybe you will be lucky and can get to them with a ladder.

Then a version of RWise/Aart's idea. It doesn't have to be a coop though you can wait on that if you wish. You can build a covered wire pen with a door you can close with a long string, probably where you are feeding them that cracked corn. Leave a trail of corn into it with a pile at the far end. You can do that with the door open for a couple of days until they get used to going in or if you are really patient you might try getting them the first day. But make sure it is a long string so you don't flush them and make sure you can keep that door closed once you spring the trap.

There are various types of live traps you can try. Most of those will only get one at a time, but if you get one and pen it somewhere out there, the other will be attracted to that area and may be easier to catch.

 

[Sparrowsong98]

I would wait until around the time of sunser, then go out and watch them roost. Then, go after them. You have to be creative though, because they love to roost in trees and other high-up places. My girls are bad, and they roost in trees all the time instead of going in the coop. If the tree they roost in is easy to climb, and you are comfortable climbing it, climbing up to where they are, scaring them and getting them to fly down out of the tree is the easiest thing to do. Then you can grab them on the ground. If you cannot climb the tree, then using a large pole or stick to get them to come down works. If they do not roost up high, wait until they are settled in for the night and grab them.