Yesterday 4 of my girls decided to check out what I was doing ont he far side of the front yard. normally they're fine to be there but I was using some toxic stuff to strip paint so I didn't want them around. At first they herded ok but then the two orps peeled off to try and get back to where I didn't want them. I picked up a long bamboo stick to herd them with. Not hitting just as a long barrier I could put in their way. One orp was being really difficult so I poked her in the rump. She moved along then stopped and glared back at me. I poked again. She whipped around and gave me a loud tirade of what must have been chicken profanity. She WAS ticked! Finally she stomped off in a huff and I carefully put the stick away where she couldn't see it.
Too bad we can't wash their little beaks out huh? With mine it's the evil broom. I keep it hidden and only bring it out when they are being difficult and refusing to go back in their coop. For some reason Lil' Bit is not afraid of the evil thing and she'll stand there and dare me to poke her with it.
LOL, Kat, I have an evil broom, too. And it's only that broom, no others. I call it "Broom of Death".
Hehehe, I can just picture her face. Too funny! I use bamboo sticks to herd my chickens back into their run whenever I need to cut the free-ranging short, and sometimes they do get a 'nudge' in the tailfeathers if they refuse to move. None of mine have had the nerve to cuss me out, though.
Ha ha ha. I kept an old rake handle in the shed to discourage "midnight dustbathers" from taking up an evening residence in the dirt under our snowball bush (their favorite place to loaf). I used it to carefully herd them back into their run and coop. Chasing the Silver Phoenix, Antonius Horribilus, was especially a chore. We'd play around, around the (snowball) bush until he finally gave in and directed his sickled behind toward the gate in the run (not without a few indignant "buck-awks" at what he thought of the situation). Chickens are sooo funny and they have so much personality! Gotta love 'em...
That is too funny. I sware one of my Buff Orps has a "Bwak" button on her back. When I'm in the coop watching Chicken TV, Vivian will come an peck me. I'll I have to do is reach down, touch her back and she screams "Bwak" like I was taking her gizzard out! I can only imagine what she would do with a hearding stick.
Thanks for a good laugh about the evil sticks and brooms! I haven't had to get out anything evil yet, but you all have given me good ideas!
