Newbie Needs help PLEASE-long sorry

[AmberWest]

Hi, I'm new here. My name is Amber.
My husband and I have a flock of what is now I would guess wild chickens 'staying' at our place. They showed up two months ago or so and haven't left so I'm thinking they are not returning to where they got away from. Anyway... The rooster was attacked by my stupid dog who escaped his collar. This normally NEVER happens. I believe his ankel/leg is broken. This happened fathers day to give you a time line. The rooster is limping today worse than he has been in the past few days. His leg is not the same tan color as the non-injured leg. It's turning a grey/white. We want so much to catch him and care for his injury. We are even willing to go out tomorrow and build him and his two hens a coop. Problem.... we don't know how to catch him without hurting him more. They currently roost directly outside our house in a dogwood tree. Yet we have tried so hard to figure out how to get him from there, and are stumped. Please help us, any advice how to lure, capture this bird to help him would be most appriciated. I've come to love this little brood so much and don't want to see him suffer.

 

[s6bee]

Oh gosh, I'm not sure how to go about this as chasing chickens is tough and you don't want to hurt him more.
He may have some serious damage to the leg. If the leg was "dead" I would think it would turn black and it doesn't sound like that, but not sure. Hopefully someone can give you a lead.
As far as catching them, You can see if putting a dog house of something that would make them feel protected would be helpful. Then capture at night when sleeping. Really when they are roosting at night is the best time. Roos have spurs so be carefull if you do catch that it doesn't get you.

Good luck I wish I could be of more help. Keep us posted.

 

[PoultryPedia]

Any neighbors with borrow-able tall ladders that would reach him at night?

 

[arlee453]

Catching him after dark when he has gone to roost will be the least stressful on everyone.

You can even sneak up and use a ladder, etc on them when it's dark - they can't see ya coming.

If he's high up in the tree you can make a hook out of a coathanger - unbend a wire coat hanger, leaving the hook part to snag around his GOOD leg to haul him out of the tree.

Also, a large fishing net might be useful too.

At any rate, you'll have a lot better luck if you wait until it's good and dark.

Hope you are able to help the guy!

 

[sammi]

after roost is the best time..
use a towel to wrap him in..


confine him if you can in some sort or temporary pen and shelter with soft bedding..with food and water close by..
he might need a little sling or hammock made for him so he doesn't have to stand on the leg..make sure his vent is clear and he can reach food and water.
the hens will most likely stay near him..
you'll need to get some layer feed..and crushed oyster shell..
and give some cooked egg for extra protein to all the birds.

try and get some electrolytes and poultry vitamins to put in his drinking water..will help with stress.
watch his droppings for any signs of blood.
if you can handle him..check for any heat or swelling along the leg, hip and back..and body..
if you're certain of no internal bleeding he can have aspirin for pain and inflammation.
1 325mg tablet crushed into a gallon of water..
(others will correct if they have better dose info)

he most likely will need to go to a vet about the leg..an avian vet is best if there is one near you.

 

[AmberWest]

Thank you so very much for the fast response. Here's hoping we can catch him. Sadly tonight he is far enough up the dogwood which is on a slope we can't quite get to him with a ladder. They have been roosting in this tree for the past three nights. They've been on the property for two months, but lately they've been in this one tree. I put chicken feed at the base of the tree for morning hoping that might tempt them to come back and continue the trend tomorrow night. I HATE to wait another day to catch him but I honestly fear for him getting hurt further getting him tonight where he has himself wedged. We are going to do a quick build of a small coop that will hold in future the three birds if we are so fortunate that they choose to stay with us after all this. I decided on a tiny version of the 'little house on the praire' coop for them that's shown on this site. I'll keep posting on how this goes. Sheesh, I'm scared to death to wrangle this bird. But keep telling myself that if Steve Irwin could have wrangled crocs, my husband and I should be able to manage one rooster. :|

 

[maplesky7]

I don't know if it will work for you but it does for me.

I use a noodle ( a foam floating swimming pool noodle you see kids play with--about 3 feet long) and it is my rod and my staff. I "direct" said chicken to it's coop by putting it out to one side and walking toward chicken...they run in other direction towards coop away from noodle...if they try to run too far in the other direction, I quick change hands and redirect them and quick change back.

Sometimes I use my 6 year old to stand with her noodle so they see her and stay away from her and keep running from me giving them the only option but to seek the coop for shelter...until they have entered said coop. I have successfully herded a flock of 9 and a flock of 6--sometimes working in batches if necessary=4+2... Hens easily follow Roo.

Also getting them cornered--say fence/coop corner--it is easier to "catch" them if trying by hand. I lean in fast and put a hand on back and push them gently down and swoop other hand over wing and reposition hand on back on other wing--to stop the flapping and gain control.

But watch out for that roo. You never know. I had a roo that we'd use the garbage can lid as a shield so he wouldn't try to get me when I went in to feed them. Though there were times he'd let me pet him. Weirdo. But boy, was he a good roo...all the eggs I ever had were fertile and he protected his ladies and fed his ladies...Anyway, that's another idea...garbage can lids for protection.

me,
g

 

[RayP]

Professional chicken catchers at processing plants use a broom handle with a wire in the end that they hook around the chickens leg and is small enough that they cannot get their foot out of, maybe somthing like that would help you catch the rooster as he is hobbled already on his bad leg.