I got 3 new chickens to add to my flock, 2 hens and 1 rooster. The 2 hens have already settled in and ate doing great. I got all 3 of them about 2 months ago and my rooster that been in my flock ever since I started the flock hated him immediately. He does perfectly fine with my 2, 6 month old roosters and treats them like hens but took a disliking to the newest rooster. So the newest rooster (Woody) escaped 3 days after I purchasing him and has been living on my property mostly in my horses pasture for 2 months and he bolts into the woods every time I come outside. I don't know what he's been eating most likely foraging in the woods and getting water from the creek. During the night he sleeps in trees I've tried to catch him while he sleeps but he changes trees every night. A courple days ago I had him cornered I between the house and near the pool and deck and the chicken coop which I had opened to allow him to run into if he came running that way. But I was outside by myself and didn't have my phone on my and I needed someone to blck one side and ended up just yelling for someone to help and I even through a few monkey balls at the roof to get there attention and that didn't work so I ended up giving up. So does anyone have any ideas on how to catch him, trap him, coax him in? I need HELP!!
Use a net with a long pole. I dont like to use the net if I dont have to, but your situation is one where I would use it. If you dont thave a net get one with smaller mesh, that way they dont get all tangled up in it.
I was going to suggest using a fishing net, works a treat for me. And once they realize they are confined, even a mean mad rooster will calm down. mk
But my question is....what are you going to do with him once you catch him? He's your 4th rooster? And sounds like you don't have space for all of them. You don't mention how many hens. The dominant rooster hates him. If he isn't hurting anything, I'd consider just letting him live free range.
I'm wanting to separate him and keep him with my other 2 six month old roosters, or, put him in a coop with the 2 hens that came with him. I feel sorry for him, I have the perfect view of the coop from my room window and he comes up thrre and tries to get into the coop to get some of the food. I've set out food for him but he's gotta get to it before the horses find it. And it's already gotten down to the 30's where I live and he's out there by himself. And he's not afraid of cats, or dogs and there are plenty of bob cats and coyotes in the woods and fields that surround my house. My property's also lined with a creek so I see a lot of wildlife during the day, and night. He's a very small rooster and I just don't want him to get eaten by something. There are lots of owls as well.
I have a humane trap, the size to catch raccoons, that i use to catch my hard to catch chickens. Works like a charm. They simply can't resist whole kernel corn used for bait.
It’s not that your rooster hated him. When you bring in a new fairly mature rooster to a flock, the roosters fight for dominance. Your new one lost. I don’t know where you live but I remember someone I trust on this forum talking about a flock of chickens that lived through a northern Michigan winter in the woods, foraging for their own food. There are plenty of predators out there so yeah, he is at risk from them. Most chickens can do really well feeding themselves if the forage is halfway decent. They still won’t pass up a free and easy meal. And they are social animals. They want to be around other chickens. He’s more likely looking for company that food when he goes near the coop If he bolts to the woods every time you step outside you’ve got a real challenge getting close enough to use that net. Even if he does change his roosting place he should be sleeping in the same area. They are creatures of habit. It’s hard to find them when they are roosting in trees partly because they are trying to hide from predators and partly they are so small in a big area, but that may be your best bet. Even if you do find him he may be in a tree high enough you can’t get to him. This is often not easy. With him bolting when he sees you, you might need to try to trap him, especially if he comes around about the same time of day. I’m not talking about a snare or snap trap but some type of live trap. If you have a big live trap, sized for raccoons maybe, put a trail of sunflower seeds or corn to the back of it so you lead him to the trigger. If you have a big enough run he can’t fly out of, maybe lure him in to the back with food or even a caged hen or two. Maybe you can get to the gate before he sees you and bolts out, especially if it is big. Or rig up a string so you can close that gate from behind a nearby building. As a kid on the farm we’d sometimes take a large cardboard box (yes, boxes are usually better toys than the stuff that comes in them) prop it up on one side with a stick, tie a long string to that stick, and put corm under the box. When the chicken started eating the corn, we’d pull the string. That did require some patience on our part. He’s a wild animal. They are not always easy to trap. But he wants to be with the other chicken, especially the hens. Maybe you can use that to your benefit. Good luck with it.
Two months with no predator issues completely free? I'd say let him stay free... Scatter some feed for him that he can get at when you are inside the house.. You won't be able to get close enough with the net. My turkeys were 100% free and did just fine. They did get scattered feed. Winter may be tough on him depending on where you are
