Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[kattabelly]

I've never understood how people can use a net to catch birds. The reason holding something to extend your reach works when herding animals is because they treat it like part of you and keep the same distance. Holding a net just makes them stay that much further away

Apples / fishing net tax. One of the neighbouring plots is full of chickweed and I have permission to take as much of that and other "weeds" as I want for the chooks, plus any veg that's a bit slug-chewed or otherwise past its best.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Holding a net just makes them stay that much further away

It works because “that much further away” is often a fence, wall, or some other corner and then you go one way and the chicken goes the other-into the net. Alternatively you can box them in with the net against whatever they are trying to run into. I’ve only used nets with chicks and pullets but that’s only because I didn’t have a net big enough for full grown chickens.

 

[Molpet]

It works because “that much further away” is often a fence, wall, or some other corner and then you go one way and the chicken goes the other-into the net. Alternatively you can box them in with the net against whatever they are trying to run into. I’ve only used nets with chicks and pullets but that’s only because I didn’t have a net big enough for full grown chickens.

This is what/how I use the net. I don't handle my birds unless necessary. Usually when I am harvesting. I have a larger net with a 3 ft handle for catching turkeys. But it's too big for in a coop usually.

 

[SimpleJenn]

I have a net where I can adjust the handle from 6ft, 4ft, 2ft depending on where I unscrew it. Works well because my birds roost in the rafters of their coop and I can swoop them out. I only use it if I really need to though, because it’s very stressful.

 

[Skyeknight]

Makes me glad I can just walk into my coop and stand next to the roosts. I weigh a few of my pullets every week and do this after dark. That way I just kinda scoop them up from underneath so they are now "roosting" on my hand. Super easy! just buy a garden shed for a next coop

 

[BDutch]

And I think you forget there is no pen/run here; either they are free to roam or they are in the Nestera for the night.

Many years ago I bought 7 panels 120 x 80 cm and 80x80 cm with a maze of 5 cm to extend the very small run of my original coop. With some of thread/wire, tie wraps or clips its very easy to create a temporary small run with 5 of these panels.

Now I use 4 panels for a compost pile. The others are part of the run (gate/entrance) I build a year later.

Maybe you could make something like this to make it easier. Now and in the future?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

just buy a garden shed for a next coop

I’m trying to get away from having a coop at all. I don’t care if they sleep in the barn but I am aiming for chickens that sleep in trees. I hate cleaning the coop. Granted the barn might get messy…

 

[Molpet]

I’m trying to get away from having a coop at all. I don’t care if they sleep in the barn but I am aiming for chickens that sleep in trees. I hate cleaning the coop. Granted the barn might get messy…

Don't you have predators?
GH owls picked off the turkey and chicken that slept in the trees until I bought a randomixed flashing strobe light "fox light". From Australia for protection of sheep, bought at premier one. BTW after a week the game camera showed all the normal mammal predators walking right by the light.
It's coming up on a year without a owl attack though.

 

[Perris]

Many years ago I bought 7 panels 120 x 80 cm and 80x80 cm with a maze of 5 cm to extend the very small run of my original coop. With some of thread/wire, tie wraps or clips its very easy to create a temporary small run with 5 of these panels.

Now I use 4 panels for a compost pile. The others are part of the run (gate/entrance) I build a year later.

Maybe you could make something like this to make it easier. Now and in the future?

I use scaffolding netting when I need a temporary pen. But hopefully I'll just be able to catch Glais at first attempt without fuss because he won't be expecting it.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I use scaffolding netting when I need a temporary pen. But hopefully I'll just be able to catch Glais at first attempt without fuss because he won't be expecting it.

You don’t happen to have a camera aimed at the area, do you? One that, umm, records?