To Catch a Chicken

[alexisrambles]

I spent three hours chasing 16 different 15 week old chickens around to treat them for mites outside in 102 degree weather... We were all tired near the end. This thread is gold for me lol.

 

[nickylou665]

When I have the time, I do the "long con" slow stalk, like any horror movie where the victim is running full rabbit while the villain plods along at a slow turtle pace. Eventually the chicken runs into a corner where I can put my hand on their back and pick them up. Eventually.

Otherwise I wait until Dusk before yoinking them out of their coop. I try to pet/poke them each night regardless of if I need to take anyone out. Keeps me aware of if their crops are full/any visual issues that I wouldn't notice while they're careening around the yard at full speed, but also if I have to go in after anyone they are used to me opening that door every night and fussing around them. The door and my face don't incite rooster alarms or panic because they're used to me.

 

[trudyg]

Thanks, nickylou665. that sounds like a real good idea. Will start doing that tonight. Get them used to being plucked off the roost until they don't worry about it.

 

[aart]

When I have the time, I do the "long con" slow stalk, like any horror movie where the victim is running full rabbit while the villain plods along at a slow turtle pace. Eventually the chicken runs into a corner where I can put my hand on their back and pick them up. Eventually.

Otherwise I wait until Dusk before yoinking them out of their coop. I try to pet/poke them each night regardless of if I need to take anyone out. Keeps me aware of if their crops are full/any visual issues that I wouldn't notice while they're careening around the yard at full speed, but also if I have to go in after anyone they are used to me opening that door every night and fussing around them. The door and my face don't incite rooster alarms or panic because they're used to me.

First part had me chuckling. BTDT.

Second part is spot on!
Soft voice and short touches or pick ups is great way to get them used to the human handling.

 

[Chickengene]

Thank you! So just grab her right from the roost? It is OK if all of the other chickens go bonkers (I am assuming they will)? They all roost together.

They won't even seem to notice if you are slow and easy. Don't wave a .if bright light around and make sure you don't drop her. They all go bonkers when you drop one or trip and knock one off the roost. For a minute, if it is dark enough.

 

[nickylou665]

First part had me chuckling. BTDT.

Second part is spot on!
Soft voice and short touches or pick ups is great way to get them used to the human handling.

Thanks! I meant for the first bit to be a bit for fun. I do feel like the chickens view themselves as being in a horror movie when I start creeping like that

 

[ValerieJ]

Like I said, I'm going to keep working on getting them to let me pick them up. I already do the 'in the dark' thing with very low light, but the roo crows all night long anyway and he raises a ruckus at the least little thing. They all come close for treats, but none will let me even put my hand over them to stroke, much less pick up. I assume we'll get there in time. As for the roo, with scaly leg mites, I think I may just butcher him this fall when the young cockerels mature. I have 2 and 1 pullet, 9 weeks old. Roo is the daddy and is a very good rooster for the girls but I'm thinking, if I can get one of the young ones to come to me easily, then I'll get rid of the elder and keep the younger. The bigs still chase off the young ones, so I need to let the bigs out of the pen so I can work with the littles. I have several problems in doing all of this--I work full time, my DH is disabled and needs care before I leave in the morning and once I get home in the evening, and I have vision issues as well as autism spectrum issues (mainly with noises and flapping, just gets me rattled, so I take longer that usual to do anything since I have to wait for everything to be calm before I proceed). Add my age to that and I'm doing good to keep chickens at all. Although I'm seriously thinking to give them up.

I think you should fix the scaly leg on the rooster and keep him. It's hard to come by a good rooster. You don't know what the two cockerels will be like as they grow. Just a thought.

 

[Mrs. K]

While I have not tried this, another poster talked of making a tube of chicken wire, with a diameter of 15-18, maybe 20 inches, and then just dropping that over the top of the hen. This person said they were used to chicken wire, and did not get excited.

 

[ZooAtHome]

Has anyone ever used a large net of some sort to catch chickens in daylight? Was thinking about it the other day, but not sure if it would injure the birds, etc. Would love to hear from someone who has tried this before. thanks!!

I used a large fishing net to catch one of my cockerels the other day. Most of my pullets will let me get close enough to catch them, but neither cockerel likes me to get very close. I waited for him to run into a corner, then just blocked him in with the net. I was worried he'd thrash about once inside, but no. He ran right into it and immediately settled when he couldn't go any further. Then I just reached in and gently took him out. He was a little stressed (panting just a tiny bit), but didn't panic or fight at all. I did my exam, then put him down and he just walked off. Came running right up next time I scattered treats, staying just out of reach like usual. It actually went a lot better than I expected, definitely easier than chasing him around the run and getting him all worked up. Of course, now he knows what the net is, so we'll have to see what happens next time.

 

[cmom]

I have a couple of nets that I have used. I usually take one of the nets to our local farm swap in case of someone's bird getting loose and running. Most of the time I wait for the birds to go to roost and then catch them if I need to. There are some that may be a bit flighty but most just stay in place. I have a head lamp but I also have night lights in all of the coops then I have both hands free.