How to get chickens to come out and see me

[bacibeau]

Hey y'all! My coop is off the ground so the run extends underneath it. However, that area underneath is too low for me or my family to easily go under and grab them. We've been having really hot weather here so lately I've been giving them short baths in a big plastic bin outside two at a time. When I go in their run to get them, they all run to that area I can't reach now. I've been trying to use a long wooden rectangular pole of sorts to nudge them out but I'm afraid of hurting them. Does anyone else have any suggestions?

You can kind of see the area in this pic (where the brown pullet is)

 

[Chicken586]

With me I just call out “here chick chick” and they will all come and run to me

 

[JustBabyMargo]

What works best is to build up trust. So you could start by throwing out treats where you are wanting them to come and just keep doing things you know they’ll like. It will take time but by the end you should be able to just walk out there and have them run to you. And yes I do the “chick chick” sound too! So you could make that sound whenever you throw out your special treats to get them used to it.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Chickens don't really like to be picked up. Instead of baths, there are other things you can do - provide shallow dishes of water they can step in, place frozen bottles of water in the run, make sure they have shade, fresh cool water replenished throughout the day. You can try some frozen treats depending on how you view treats for your birds. I freeze watermelon and canteloupe - they love it.
Lots of options for cooling off.
To teach mine to come to me when needed, I use a container with meal worms, shake it, and call "chickie" at the same time.
As well, there will be times when you need to get them from under the coop. So, maybe block off the area first before attempting to get the chickens. Use a long stick or broom to get them out from under there and then block it off if needed.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They're hiding down there because they don't want to be dunked. If it's really hot, stressing them out is the opposite of what you want to do. Better to provide cool water in shallow pans (I use large clay planter saucers), or dampen areas of the run, or provide electrolytes, to help with the heat, rather than chase them down and dunk them.

And you should be training them to come to you when needed. Mine understand that when I call "chook chook chook" in a high pitched voice and/or rattle a can of treats, that means time to come over and get some treats. If you always combine a certain sound or behavior with treats, they will learn very quickly to come.

 

[aart]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Madder than a wet hen"? Chickens HATE to get wet and don't need baths except in extreme circumstances.

It will take a while before they're willing to trust you after having been subjected to baths, but if you spend time with them calmly, not chasing or attempting to pick them up, just being in the run with them reading or otherwise minding your own business and giving them treats (making a wet mash from their feed is a healthy favorite), they'll come around.

Do you have clutter in your run to help them feel more secure? https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/