henny penny Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Hi how do people get their chickens in when necessary? Silly question I know-do they offer treats? If so how do they offer the treats? sorry so basic but petrified that if i let them out i wont be able to get them in again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 mine last 2 (RIP) followed me if I had their treat bowl in my hand & I just threw a few bits into the run & in they went, but I haven't let my new ex batts out yet so who knows what will happen then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I have a red plastic dog bowl that I use for their treats- they come running when they see it in my hands. It might be a good idea to let them free range about an hour before it goes dark at first, as they would naturally seek the eglu to roost in as it starts to go dark. This worked for me- but I had kept my girls locked in the run for about 5 days at first so that they would get used to where they sleep. You'll be fine it took me a fortnight to pluck up courage to pick my girls up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 If you have a treat bowl they will get used to seeing you with it and come running My chooks come running when they see me and I just chuck a handfull of corn intio their run. Be careful its not getting too dark though, they don't have great eyesight so don't see the treats being thrown their way - as I discovered one morning when they escaped as my hubby was sorting their food out before we left for work, It will be alright I said - just throw some treats into the run .... 5 mins later and we are chasing 2 chooks around the garden in the dark and pouring rain Good job we work for ourselves - we were late and extremely bedraggled Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I kept mine in the run for 10 days.During this time every afternoon, I went to the back door, blew a whistle, and then opened the run door a little (WITHOUT letting them out of the run) in order to hold a bright red bowl containing a treat (usually sweetcorn) . They ate from the bowl immediately Now when they are free-ranging, I simply have to blow the whistle, they run to me, I walk them down to the run and put the treat bowl inside and close the run door. Whenever they are out, I always have the treat bowl and whistle handy in case I need to get them back inside the run quickly, eg. if I saw a fox, unknown cat etc. We call it the Marching Band - no idea what neighbours think !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 similar - I have a pot of dried mealworms, which they would KILL for! I rattle the pot and shout 'chook, chook' and they come belting down the garden, wings flapping and necks oustretched! They are expensive but I literally throw three or four mealworms into the run, and they dive in there, so a pot lasts ages. I think anything will do, as long as they associate it with treats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Yep....they will do anything for food. Treats and a trail of sweetcorn get mine in every time. Someone was looking in to "clicker" training hens.....that might work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Someone was looking in to "clicker" training hens.....that might work! I'm waiting for the DVD to arrive from the USA. I'll post more when I get it. Someone else was getting one too - maybe we could have a competition ? Food is the most reliable way, though. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robskyd Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Ours hear the back door and come skidding down the path, they then follow me everywhere. The clicker and whistle sounds interesting, a bit like Pavlov's (sp) Dogs??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Once they know where home is they take themselves to bed. Otherwise, I rely on food - although now they seem to've sussed out that anyone walking away from them calling to them is about to feed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Mine are trained to come when I whistle - I just whistled whenever I gave them treats and they soon made the association - now they are easy for anyone to get back in the run, all you need to do is to whistle and throw a little corn in the run and they all pile in Try it; they are easier to train than dogs (and men!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 We shout "chook chook" here to get them to come running Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 We're a chook chook household too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flo Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 We herd ours in like a sheep dog, walking behind them flapping our arms shouting come by! And if that doesn't work a handful of sweetcorn thrown into the run will definatley get them in. We talk to them alot and if you ask them nicely they start to head towards the run. Mind you we have a little garden so there is no where else for them to go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 similar - I have a pot of dried mealworms, which they would KILL for! I rattle the pot and shout 'chook, chook' and they come belting down the garden, wings flapping and necks oustretched! . ditto, except i don't usually have to shout, they just seem to know! either meal worms or mixed corn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 We're a chook chook household too Our Chook chook comes out like "chuck chuck!' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Answer - Go and buy a sack of organic mixed corn (they sell it on here), my girls - even the most stubborn chook will do anything for corn!! Getting them in is a complete doddle. Just shake a pot of corn and they coming running and then follow me to the run, amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 mine are a bit soft. If I want to put them in I just pick them up! They dont seem to mind at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
