Need help with chickens

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Newfarmer36

Newfarmer36

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Hi everyone. :)
I've never had farm animals before. In August, my neighbor moved out and left her chickens, roosters and her pig. She said she was coming to get them and never did so we've been caring for them. The chicken coop she had was getting really nasty so I got my brother to build one this past week that was closer to my house. Like I said, I've never had farm animals so I didn't know the coop had to be cleaned out. Anyway! The first night, I had to run all around the yard to catch them bc they were going to where the coop used to be. I could only catch 1 rooster and 2 hens. Last night, I had to catch that same rooster, which now thinks my porch is a perch at night. And 2 hens were already in the coop. I couldn't catch the others. Am I going to have to do this every night?? These chickens eat out of my hand, the follow me all over there yard.. so I didn't think they'd be afraid of me when I tried to catch them. Apparently, I'm totally wrong for thinking that! I really need some help on this! It' really really cold here right now and I don't want them out in the elements. They're not kept in a pen so they're all over the place. My neighbors property and mine put together is about 4 acres and I don't have it in me to run all over the place.

Also, this is probably a very dumb question but do hens know if their eggs are fertilized for not? I ask bc they'll lay on some of the eggs and won't lay on others.
Sorry for being long winded but I have no idea what I'm doing and Google isn't helping me that much. Thanks!!
 
Your chickens will take some time to learn where their new coop is. You can lock them up for a week then try letting them out again. If they don't go back in at sunset, try to slowly and calmly heard them towards it.
If you have a rooster for 8 hens or less the eggs will be fertilised. A hen does not know if they are fertilised or not, but if you want eggs hatched, let her sit on them. They'll develop and she'll kick out any that aren't properly developing.
It's called being "broody". Some hens go broody and others never do, it depends on the individual. Hens only go broody when there is a certain amount of eggs in the nest.
 
Welshies said:
Your chickens will take some time to learn where their new coop is. You can lock them up for a week then try letting them out again. If they don't go back in at sunset, try to slowly and calmly heard them towards it.
If you have a rooster for 8 hens or less the eggs will be fertilised. A hen does not know if they are fertilised or not, but if you want eggs hatched, let her sit on them. They'll develop and she'll kick out any that aren't properly developing.
It's called being "broody". Some hens go broody and others never do, it depends on the individual. Hens only go broody when there is a certain amount of eggs in the nest.
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Oh! And I have this little chicken that's fast as lighting and I can't get it in the coop! And a duck. I don't know if it's male or female. It won't go in the coop and I can't catch it either!
 

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I looked on YouTube on how to catch chickens but people were all over one poor guy saying it was inhumane so.. and the others were running around the yarn after them, which I don't want to have to do.
 
You can usually herd them, and if not, using a butterfly catcher or fishing net works well. That first chicken is a rooster.that second one also might be. Not sure about your Pekin Duck there.
 

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