How can I catch her!

[Cats Critters]

I recently had a raccoon attack (see this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=371014 )
and I have manged to catch/herd everyone back in to the coop and run for safety in till I kill the raccoon. Well all except one I call her my baby broody because she was my youngest broody:

But she is still lose and this will be her 4th night in a tree, lucky she roosts high on the tree and on a tiny branch that barely holds her weight let alone a raccoon. But what can I do to catch her is the question. She is to smart to herd or catch (she jumps or flies away) and I'm running out of ideas and really don't want her eaten by a coon. Any thoughts?

 

[damselfish]

Put them all under "house arrest"...I'm assuming she goes in there at some point. Close the door when they're all in, and leave them all in there to hang out for a day or two (assuming you have enough food, water and space to make this work).

Or serve her favorite treat in the coop one hour before she generally flies up into the tree. Close door, dust off hands, done. If you don't get everybody in for the treats, just come out and briefly open the door to let the rest in later, while ensuring she stays in.

 

[HeidiG]

I use the "trail of treats" method when I can't herd one of mine into their pen. Most of them are docile enough to let me pick them up if I hand feed them some treats, but there are a couple of skittish ones that will run. So I use peanuts or cracked corn and make a trail to the run. They usually go in without much trouble. I just close the door to the coop so the others don't come out while the run door is open.

 

[woodmort]

Once had a Araucania/EE "go wild". She wouldn't associate with the other chickens and slept in the trees around the property--we called her "The Lone Chicken". Lasted almost a year, including over a hard winter, but she hung too close to the road and got hit by a car--since we live on a back,secondary road I suspect someone driving too fast and not paying attention. We have plenty of coons and a fox or two but she avoided them.

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

Chickens are rather hard to catch when they don't want to be caught! Your best bet is to get a nice tall ladder and sneak up on her when she's asleep in her tree. Then lock all your birds into the coop/run area for a day for so.

If you just can't get her where she's roosting, and you can't lure her in with treats, you could TRY to herd her in. But chickens aren't great at being herded. They have this tendency to veer last minute, especially is they think something scary is ahead. And I presume your hen thinks the coop is scary at the moment.

 

[R&RCoop]

Not sure what you are trying to catch her with, but we found the best way to catch the chickens from the people we bought our chickens from. Large fishing net. Give you the length you need and is pretty easy on them overall. Sounds like you may need 2 of them and 2 people to go from each side.

 

[moetrout]

Call up Mike Rowe and the Miami chicken busters!

(Google it if you are not a fan of the TV show dirty jobs)

 

[easttxchick]

R&RCoop :

Not sure what you are trying to catch her with, but we found the best way to catch the chickens from the people we bought our chickens from. Large fishing net. Give you the length you need and is pretty easy on them overall. Sounds like you may need 2 of them and 2 people to go from each side.

Yep-do exactly what my husband does when we go fishing and he THINKS he has a big one hooked-get da net!​

 

[Cats Critters]

Bad news she hasn't been spotted today

I'll check the trees tonight just in case. But I have my doubts I'll find her.

 

[Cats Critters]

She is alive!!! She is roosting in the tree again so I'll see what I can do to catch her. Also I think the neighbor might have shoot the coon (

). I heard one shot as I was locking up last night from their direction and they have chickens, ducks, and one peafowl, so they have good reason to. But I need to check with them to make sure.