How To Catch A Chicken

[Truecelt]

Shredded cheddar cheese. We found this out by accident with our first hens when they tried to steal my string cheese from my hand one day. Ever since, whenever I need to get them back in the coop or close enough to catch, I grab a handful and whistle. They hear that whistle from acres away and come running full tilt. Easy peasy.

 

[PrairieChickens]

Heck, with shredded cheese, you'd just about be able to catch me! XD

 

[kellymncole]

What about an escapee in the woods? Last night I saw a chicken on the side of the road (which I thought was one of mine) so my friend went into the mosquito infested woods and flushed her out but I couldn't get close enough before she made a b line back into the woods. It was getting dark and there were so many mosquitoes we had to give up. This is a wooded area next to a heavily trafficked road. I'd like to catch her before something eats her or she gets hit by a car. But I don't see myself being able to get close enough with a net to nab her. Any ideas?

 

[ChickenJohn1]

I bought a catching hook when I was starting up and so far it hangs neatly in the garage. Is there some trick this - I get a roosters leg "hooked" but they always seem to just step out it with ease?

 

[Beekissed]

I bought a catching hook when I was starting up and so far it hangs neatly in the garage. Is there some trick this - I get a roosters leg "hooked" but they always seem to just step out it with ease?

Make sure the catch hook is narrow enough that it catches a leg but doesn't slip off a foot. Then, when you snag a leg, immediately lift that leg in the air...not with a quick jerk, like setting a hook into a fish, but with a soft finesse, like pulling a jig through the water. Once that leg is elevated, they may just stand still and try to balance, at which time you can stoop and scoop the other leg..or they will fall on the ground and flop a little, at which time you can grab the leg in the hook so they don't roll out of it with their flopping.

Our hook always consisted of a coat hanger bent to the appropriate length and configuration. Works well if one simply HAS to catch a chicken in the daytime. That hasn't happened for me in so many years that I haven't kept a hook hanging around.

 

[ChickenJohn1]

Thanks for the tip, appreciate the fishing metaphor. Also, good point about catching and moving them at night.

 

[Belinda7]

One thing that has helped me to catch chickens is that since they were baby chicks, I picked them up and carried them a little on a regular basis - holding them close and supporting them as you would carry a small animal, so they get used to being picked up.

The other 5 come running when I clap my hands and call "Come on Chicks!"...but I think one of the Isa Browns actually likes to be picked up, and when I call them to get in the coop after free-ranging a bit, she'll get about 10 feet from the door, refusing to budge, and just stand there looking at me....waiting for me to come pick her up and put her in the coop! Perhaps just a little.... "spoiled?" It actually makes me laugh every time she does that....

But I am glad it wasn't a challenge to catch them today as we have about a foot and a half of snow today, and it is going to be 22 degrees BELOW ZERO with strong winds. I debated about this, because they do have a fairly draft free coop.....but that just seemed to cold for any animal if it didn't have to be, if there was an alternative. So I set up a big dog cage in the mudroom and carried them all in for the day/night today...and was really glad I didn't have to chase them all over the place in this freezing cold weather!

 

[VioletandBodie]

one of mine sqauts when you put your hand out then you just grab her the other one...you chase

 

[waldeneffect]

I love the idea of using a fishing net, but when I ask my wife to pick one up at the store she always "forgets".

She thinks we do fine the old fashioned way and made a blog post on the methods we've tried so far.

http://www.avianaquamiser.com/posts/How_to_catch_chickens/

 

[lazy gardener]

I bought a butterfly net for a couple of bucks. It works great. Drop it over the chicken's head, and she'll usually run straight into it. But, it's far easier to catch a chicken with treats. Mine come running when I call them, and can easily be snagged when they're circled around the "chuck wagon".