Using a potted plant to catch a chicken

[frontyardcoop]

I had a 3 month old silver laced wyandotte, I just sold her, that was impossible to get back into the coop and run. I let the chickens play in the yard and garden when we are outside, when it was time to go home she was too smart, she knew that outside is better than inside. So I would chase this bird around the yard and scare her and then have to lunge and grab - none of this was good. SOOOOooo, I had an idea as I tripped over a 1 gallon star jasmine that has wanted to go into the ground for a month. Since chickens hide in greenery, use a clump of greens to catch her. I cornered her and smothered her with the plant, she was like, "oh yes, I am so hidden in this amazing flying plant" ha! I got her, back in the coop!

My 3 year old traumatized my baby chicks. Half of them were scarred of us I told her to be gentle, but she just turned 3. I got rid of the skittish chickens, the remaining are tolerant. I bought two 1 month old EEs and explained again to my child to be gentle. She is listening this time! I am also hand feeding them and spending more time with them. I hope they turn out to be friendlier. In case they don't I am not installing that star jasmine just yet

 

[Peeps61]

Hey, whatever works! I have 4 SLW, and they are the flighty birds of my flock. Typically, two of the four will return to the coop with the rest of the flock, but the other two will fly up to the rafters in the barn. They usually spend a day or two outside without food or water, and then they are more than willing to join their flock mates in the coop with water and food. I free range them Friday-Monday, and they stay locked up Tues-Thursday as I am late working those evenings and I get home after dark. I don't want the flock out after dark because of predators, and also because many of them will join those two pesky SLW in the rafters and poop all over our farm equipment :-(.

If a "flying green plant" makes your life easier, I say go for it!