Where did they come from???

[KettermanHillCoop]

Not too high up...the ladies seem to huddle together about 5 feet up...the rooster up above them about 6 feet up.

If I grab one from the antenna, will they wake up and carry on waking the others?

Maybe grab one a night?

I have close up pictures of them. I'll post them...

After you get them secured, and can get close up pics of them showing side profile of head, and showing feet, we can then help you with breed and possibly age. I would not try to trap them individually, b/c if you catch one, the rest will become more wary and skittish. If you can trap them all in a single enclosure at once, that will be best. How high is their roosting spot on the antannae? Any chance of help from a co-worker? If you could come back after dark, that might be your best bet. But only if you can do so without risking your personal safety. Good luck.

Pics posted...

 

[WVduckchick]

I love your opening story, so I have to follow along!

They do look nice and healthy, but once you get them home, you will want to give them some proper nutrition. Do you have a Tractor Supply or Rural King nearby? Maybe even a local Ag store that sells chicken feed.
The girls don't appear to be of laying age yet, but close. Maybe 3-4 months old? Just my guess, there are others here that are better at that guessing game lol

Its so nice that you want to take care of them, after someone apparently didn't.

 

[deepbluesea]

I like this story--thanks for posting it! How cool to have a flock just show up--it must be fate.

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

I love your opening story, so I have to follow along!

They do look nice and healthy, but once you get them home, you will want to give them some proper nutrition. Do you have a Tractor Supply or Rural King nearby? Maybe even a local Ag store that sells chicken feed.
The girls don't appear to be of laying age yet, but close. Maybe 3-4 months old? Just my guess, there are others here that are better at that guessing game lol

Its so nice that you want to take care of them, after someone apparently didn't.

I have a big ol' bag of layer feed in my vehicle just waiting to be enjoyed by my new feathered friends. The area is pretty rural here so I have my choice of mom and pop Ag Centers to shop.

 

[WVduckchick]

I have a big ol' bag of layer feed in my vehicle just waiting to be enjoyed by my new feathered friends. The area is pretty rural here so I have my choice of mom and pop Ag Centers to shop.

Awesome!

Oh, I forgot, you mentioned maybe grabbing one a night... I would definitely try to take them all at the same time. They will be much less apprehensive in their own group than if they get separated.

 

[Birdsong 82]

My guess would be somebody dumped them. So sad that people actually do that. But I'm thinking if they are roosting there they're no longer somebody else's. I'm sure they have would have come looking by now. They are lucky someone with a heart found them. I think if they trust you Cheerios would be a good bait and you shouldn't have too much trouble trying to get them. But definitely try to get some chicken feed for them when I get home Or like other people said plucking them off there Roost maybe an easier option. And I would have to agree with the hardware cloth. Once predators know there's chicken in there they will try to get in there too

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

Awesome!

Oh, I forgot, you mentioned maybe grabbing one a night... I would definitely try to take them all at the same time. They will be much less apprehensive in their own group than if they get separated.

If I grab one will it wake up and cause a ruckus thus waking the others and I end up with a bad reenactment of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds?

 

[WVduckchick]

One consideration... are you allowed to have roosters where you live? There are ordinances in some areas that prohibit roosters, so I'd hate to see you go through the trouble and then not be able to keep them.

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

One consideration... are you allowed to have roosters where you live? There are ordinances in some areas that prohibit roosters, so I'd hate to see you go through the trouble and then not be able to keep them.

Oh, I'm in the country, no zoning issues. Zoned agriculture and/or commercial. The neighbor farmer's "hairy bulls" hoot and holler all the time.

 

[sylviethecochin]

There's a simple trick to catching roosting chickens. Make sure it's dark. Grasp around the body (including wings) as best you can, and hold firmly. Slide her into the box and move to next hen.

The biggest issue is keeping her wings from flapping. Flapping feathers feel like miniature, stinging whips, and a hen that can flap is going to make a lot more noise than a hen that can't. It really helps if you have big hands and strong thumbs.

That's a nice young flock--I'd pay eleven dollars apiece for the hens at auction. You've got yourself a bargain.