How to catch a chicken...Any ideas?

[darkmatter]

Quote:
I usually do as the others have posted when I want to catch a chicken, wait till night when they're on the roost, then cage them till morning. But I also made the same device I've seen my grandparents use-----it's a 6 foot long rod (metal) with a wooden handle on one end and the other bent into a "shepherd's hook" (propane torch and vice) that guides the chicken leg into a crook that the chickens foot won't pull through. You use it by tossing some scratch out, then hook the chickens leg from behind. That's how my grandmother always caught "Sunday dinner" in the daylight when she could eyeball which chicken looked ready to be culled/called for dinner.

 

[CMV]

Quote:
Great idea! I am going to make one of those. My chickens generally come when called, but I have ducks that will not let me approach them if their life depends on it. That hook would come in handy when dealing with them.

 

[angelique_redhead]

We have one of these that's an antique. It belonged to the old maid aunts that used to own the farm. It seems to work great for my DH. Me, not so much. Then again the chickens let me just catch them easier.

: Angelique

Quote:
I usually do as the others have posted when I want to catch a chicken, wait till night when they're on the roost, then cage them till morning. But I also made the same device I've seen my grandparents use-----it's a 6 foot long rod (metal) with a wooden handle on one end and the other bent into a "shepherd's hook" (propane torch and vice) that guides the chicken leg into a crook that the chickens foot won't pull through. You use it by tossing some scratch out, then hook the chickens leg from behind. That's how my grandmother always caught "Sunday dinner" in the daylight when she could eyeball which chicken looked ready to be culled/called for dinner.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/36435_caught.jpg

 

[zDoc]

Quote:
Too Funny!

 

[nancy1zak]

We were able to let the chicken out and corner her against the pen and capture her. Once she knew we had her she gave up the flight. We put the saddle on her and she walked backwards, fell down, hopped under the coop and just layed there. I was worrried that we now made her look disabled and the other chickens would really pick on her now. So, we captured her again (it was easier now that she was "saddled") and removed the saddle. We sprayed her again with the blue-kote. The hook looks like it might work, but I would be worried I would yank off a leg...and since I didn't plan on eating her for dinner...she really would still need that leg.

 

[tammyd57]

I used to have a flock of Leghorns that refused to be caught (I couldn't go out there at night, too far from any light and I didn't want to trip or injure myself) until I got one of those long handled pool skimmer nets.

Those work great! No chance of a leg injury and when the net goes over them they give up and just sit there until you pick them up.

 

[mamabigbird]

Quote:
I usually do as the others have posted when I want to catch a chicken, wait till night when they're on the roost, then cage them till morning. But I also made the same device I've seen my grandparents use-----it's a 6 foot long rod (metal) with a wooden handle on one end and the other bent into a "shepherd's hook" (propane torch and vice) that guides the chicken leg into a crook that the chickens foot won't pull through. You use it by tossing some scratch out, then hook the chickens leg from behind. That's how my grandmother always caught "Sunday dinner" in the daylight when she could eyeball which chicken looked ready to be culled/called for dinner.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/36435_caught.jpg


Hey Angelique_redhead ... you say it works great for your DH. but, Don't you need a bigger hook to fit over his foot? LOL.

 

[nancy1zak]

We have a pool skimmer with a long handle. I will try that next time instead of suiting up with googles and blanket, and cornering her against the pen. Maybe if we can get the hang of catching her we can keep her coated with Blu Kote and skip the saddle.

 

[Beekissed]

You can make a chicken hooker from a hanger and it works very well...but not nearly as well as picking them off the roost at night.

It won't hurt them nor "yank off their legs" if you just hook and lift lightly until the bird is standing on one leg and has one extended high behind them. This pretty much immobilizes them and you can reach down and pick them right up.

 

[Jody]

May I ask why its feathers get yanked out on a regular basis?