Net for catching chicken

[dgh]

What is a good net for catching chickens?

 

[GodLovesU]

I have used a fishing net but idk the brand or anything.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I prefer not to chase and catch my chickens during the day due to the heat. Instead I wait until after they roost in the evening and then just go take them off the roost and do whatever I need to do with them. Worm them, clip their wings, trim spurs or whatever.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I should add that at my age there is no way I am fast enough to catch a chicken during the day.

 

[Sally PB]

If I have to catch a chicken, I use a fishing net. The long handle helps.

 

[Birds and Buns]

My favorite net is a Shadow Tech Landing Net.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I use a cheap butterfly net. But "catching" them on the roosts is much easier and way less stressful for the birds.

 

[SourRoses]

What @BigBlueHen53 said. If you can pluck them off the roost that's ideal.

If you have to catch them during the day, we use a staggered down confinement method. We have a short length of fencing, maneuver the target birds into a corner (of run / yard) by slow-walk herding them, with as few friendlies as possible to reduce the spread of the stress through the flock. We then bring the fence piece in behind to form a small corral, making sure the sides are firm (we have 3ft stakes zip tied on, but whatever works). Then a person squeezes in and picks up the birds. If the corral size is small enough that they can't go more than a bird length forward, back, left or right, then they can't manage to launch for flight either. Pass each bird to the outside the fence person.
Be careful not to squish their crops or press on their backs when they're awake and struggling (we use this method with cull cockerels if you can tell)... either support them properly under the breastbone, with that arm coming over the back to hold the wing down, OR if they're really struggling just grab their legs and hang them upside down, they calm quickly and are easy to pass over. I don't prefer that method but it doesn't hurt them if you have both legs and aren't mean. I will quickly resort to it if a cockerel is close to hurting me or getting away.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

if they're really struggling just grab their legs and hang them upside down, they calm quickly and are easy to pass over. I don't prefer that method but it doesn't hurt them if you have both legs and aren't mean. I will quickly resort to it if a cockerel is close to hurting me or getting away.

I would say hold them like this only if you have to, and only long enough for them to calm down, it only takes a few seconds, then get them upright and hold them like a football against your body with your arm over the wings so you have them under control. I once was taught that this was the preferred way to carry a chicken around but have since been educated better by my BYC friends, it's really hard on the birds and can cause them to aspirate.