Weird question!! Could use some big help!

[warren86]

Over the course of a couple night I been trying to catch chickens of my grandpas that's been roaming free for months maybe even a year roosting in the trees and anywhere they can...my question is how long should I keep them in the coop/run before I let the them out into the world again and free range so they don't go back to the trees

 

[Flock Master64]

How long have you had them in the coop and run for? Do that trust you enough to let you just walk right up to them and pick them up?

 

[warren86]

They are super wild can't even get close to them

 

[aart]

I'd wait at least a couple weeks....a month might be better.
If you want to 'tame' them..or at least get them used to your presence and teach them that you = food,
spend lots of time sitting quietly in their coop or run, slowly doling out treats.
Don't try to touch them.

 

[rebrascora]

When you start to let them out, do it an hour before sunset so that they don't have time to wander far. I would be inclined to make sure they are a little hungry as well so that they will come running back for some scratch or feed if you feel that they are straying too far. Gradually let them have a little longer each afternoon/evening until you are happy they have a routine of coming back into the coop at night.

I would agree that keeping them locked up for a good couple of weeks first is probably best.

Good luck with them.

 

[chickens really]

If they are super wild, keep them confined till they mellow out...The confinement will stress them out a bit longer than with tame chickens...Make sure they have plenty of room and a couple of water and food stations..I think it will take a month or so to trust them to return to the coop on their own..Try sitting with them so they get used to your voice and your presence..Toss a little scratch or peas to them once in awhile. They will start trusting you more..

Cheers!

 

[warren86]

I think they may be mixed breed bantams i have a pic

 

[warren86]

These were taken oct or nov

 

[BobDBirdDog]

Also, if you can warm the roost area, In many areas it is still cool at night and I am sure the birds would come to a warm roost opposed to going back to the trees.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have never heard of warming the roosting area. How do you do that?

Chickens hate change, but it goes both ways, once they get used to the coop, they will tend to stay there, generally speaking.

A long handled sorting stick, or even a branch can be quite helpful to rounding them up in the late afternoon, but you need to do it very slowly and quietly. First put a tiny bit of feed just inside the gate, and bigger pile of scratch farther in. With the stick that is long enough you can easily tap the ground, go out around the flock so that the flock is in between you and the coop/run. Walk towards the flock with the stick out to your side, tapping the ground and quietly saying "hut, hut" Walk forward until your birds start to move away from you. They should not be running,flying or upset, just stepping away from you toward the coop, still mostly pecking the ground. Once they begin to move, you stop. When they stop then slowly you repeat saying "hut, hut" tapping the ground and stepping forward until they move again. Repeat until they get close enough to see the food.

Now one may duck past you, leave that bird, the natural instinct is to stay with the flock, and while skittish, they will be quick to get in afterwards. This technique will get the birds close enough to see the feed, the first ones there will get excited about the treat, and that will bring the others. Once most of the flock is in the fence, you have some time to go get the straggler. Again, just get out around that bird, so that the flock is calling on one side, and you are applying slight pressure to go towards the flock.

You can actually round up quite a fair size flock, in a relatively short time period, without the chickens really aware that you did it. But you need to be slow and quiet.

Mrs K