How do you catch a rooster that doesn't want to be caught?

[nab58]

We found a great home for out rooster on a farm where he can live out his days and crow to his hearts content.

My husband and I were all set to get him in the car and drive him over to his new home. I never imagined it would be so difficult to catch him! My intent was to attempt to calmly approach him and pick him up......nope.
My next attempt was to throw a towel over him....nope.
We tried corralling him into a large, plastic garbage can....nope.

Once he knew we were trying to catch him it was a loosing battle. The other hens were frantically running around him and it was chaos.

I think a long handled fishing net would be ideal but we don't have one.

We're going to attempt to pick him off the roost after dark but at this point I'm kind of afraid of him. My husband is not a very calm person and he didn't take it very well when I tried to explain that chasing a chicken will never work.

How do we separate him from the hens and catch him?

 

[Mrs. K]

Your idea to snag him off the roost is a good one and will work well. Take a towel with the end of the towel in each hand, Flip it up over his head, while reaching quickly for the body, and grab firmly. He will hardly squawk. and the hens won't even notice, they are practically comatose. However, do wait for full dark.

Mrs K

 

[GitaBooks]

It is really hard to catch roosters! Especially bantams!
We use a variety of methods. We let out as many chickens from the coop as we can, keeping in those we want to catch. Then you have to go for the legs. The others in my family always do it because I don't like to grab a chicken by its legs. They flap and it just looks uncomfortable. Still, it works. They hang upside down while you get a hold of the rest of them or get them to a crate. You have to move fast or they will get away, or trick them with food. You can't be slow and try to be nice, as it just doesn't work once they catch on that you are trying to get them.

Using a stick to help corral them can help. If you don't catch them by the legs, make sure you pin the wings against their side, as they can hurt you and themselves flapping to get away.

Good luck!

 

[Toddrick]

Put on some long gloves, and wait until he goes to roost. Then just grab him firm--do not let go--and pull him in like a football. He should go completely calm once you have him in the football position with feet dangling. If you have to, grab him by the shanks and hang him upside down to get control, then pull his wings in and football him. It may be traumatic for him at first, but as you've seen, grabbing him in any way will be traumatic in his eyes. (I'm sure hat's why they call people who run away "chicken"). They are tougher than they look, so don't worry much about hurting him. Just make sure you commit to a firm grip so he doesn't get away, and make sure you get him submissive before putting him in a box or crate so he doesn't make a run for it.

 

[donrae]

I'm with Mrs K. Wait for dark, use a towel. keep a flashlight or similar to a minimum to keep from stirring them up. Cover his head/eyes with the towel and you should be good to go. Failing that, feel free to hold him by one or two legs and let him flap, just be sure you've got a really good grip. He'll settle down after a few minutes.

My birds aren't used to being handled at all, and when I sell birds folks have to come out after dusk and we do exactly this. Works a treat. Just remember, as far as the bird knows, it's literally fighting for it's life, so you can't really blame it for putting up a fuss

 

[yellowchicks]

I do the same....wait for dark, keep a flashlight or similar to a minimum.
Then I would grab the chicken with both hands to pin the wings next to its body, another person wraps a towel tightly around the chicken, like swaddling a baby, but not covering the head entirely.

 

[nab58]

Thank you all. We will need to be better prepared next time we attempt this. Our last attempt was pandemonium and almost ridiculous. I blame my husband.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I'm with Mrs K. Wait for dark, use a towel. keep a flashlight or similar to a minimum to keep from stirring them up. Cover his head/eyes with the towel and you should be good to go. Failing that, feel free to hold him by one or two legs and let him flap, just be sure you've got a really good grip. He'll settle down after a few minutes.

My birds aren't used to being handled at all, and when I sell birds folks have to come out after dusk and we do exactly this. Works a treat. Just remember, as far as the bird knows, it's literally fighting for it's life, so you can't really blame it for putting up a fuss

X 3 - way less stress for all involved.

 

[aart]

I grab them off the roost (yes, well after full dark) by first wrapping my hands around the body to hold down the wings down and don't let them get their feet on anything.
They submit pretty quick if not allowed to struggle with loose wings.....and I do keep my headlight pointed up so as not to light up an escape route.
Then put them in a wire dog crate or cage or a box with air holes.

 

[nab58]

I bought a large fishing net and caught him easily. After covering him he calmed right down. He's now living on a farm with 100 hens and roosters. We watched him have a show down with 2 roosters and hold his own. I'm sure he will be very happy.

Bye bye Reese!