I spent over an hour literally running in circles the other day to get my three naughty banties into their coop & run. I live in a residential neighborhood so I can't leave them out when I am not home. I usually have help from my son to corral them in, but I was on my own this time, and I was on a deadline for an appointment. First, I couldn't find them at all, and then I saw they had crossed the street and were two houses down, following a squirrel. The squirrel, whatever it was eating, was leaving crumbs or whatnot and the hens were following him around like he was their new idol. I shooed them back home but they were determined not to get herded back into their run. It was like holding two handfuls of marbles with one hand. I'd get one in, the other two would pop out, and so on. I tried hose spray nozzle, it just chased them further away. I was exhausting myself and I could swear they were laughing at me. I finally gave up. At this point I was really missing my roo because they never misbehaved when he was around (had to rehome him due to proximity to neighbors).
I knew I'd have to leave soon, and leave their run open, so I figured I'd toss some bread in there, because it tends to make them sleepy and I hoped they might migrate toward the run eventually and go straight up to their coop after eating the bread. At least they'd be somewhat safer there. At this point, they were all three hiding in the woods behind my house, I could see them but only barely.
Well as soon as I started dropping the bread into the run, my little bossy hen Poppin stuck her beak out of the bush she was in, and made a beeline for the run. Of couse the others followed instantly. Now, they've NEVER NEVER been lured by treats before, this is the first time ever. I was surprised but extremely relieved! And then I started feeling a bit like I'd totally been had.
After over an hour of chicken wrangling, it took me about 20 seconds to get them into the coop once I started dropping bread. Lesson learned!!
I knew I'd have to leave soon, and leave their run open, so I figured I'd toss some bread in there, because it tends to make them sleepy and I hoped they might migrate toward the run eventually and go straight up to their coop after eating the bread. At least they'd be somewhat safer there. At this point, they were all three hiding in the woods behind my house, I could see them but only barely.
Well as soon as I started dropping the bread into the run, my little bossy hen Poppin stuck her beak out of the bush she was in, and made a beeline for the run. Of couse the others followed instantly. Now, they've NEVER NEVER been lured by treats before, this is the first time ever. I was surprised but extremely relieved! And then I started feeling a bit like I'd totally been had.
After over an hour of chicken wrangling, it took me about 20 seconds to get them into the coop once I started dropping bread. Lesson learned!!
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