ValR Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 The girls were out and it was about to tip down with rain, so I tried to entice them back into their (dry) run with their absolute favourite - yoghurt and bran. Darcy (pepperpot, bit of a dancer) followed the bowl into the run, Samantha (gingernut) was not going to be bribed. Eventually, in the pouring rain, I cornered her in the shed and a very disgruntled girl pecked at me while I put her in the dry of the run. She's had a cold since I got her, so I hope this won't make matters worse. I got soaked! Question is, how do you entice them back when you need to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooklady Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 We got ours on 12/08 they are quite tame now and I have found sweetcorn works wonders, a handful scatter a few pieces to get their attention and Bob's your uncle they are in the run. Incidentally my Gingernut has had a cold since we got her, we took her to the vets 2 days ago, she is getting better now. She is on Baytril at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Sweetcorn works with my girls every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piptiddlepip Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Gentle persuasion, use of a yard broom as a herding device, and sometimes a ginger cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Handful of mixed corn - even throwing pellets on the run floor works at times. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValR Posted September 4, 2008 Author Share Posted September 4, 2008 Love the yard broom - a witches' one I presume? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexgirl73 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Anything!!! I just have to appear at the kitchen door, with something in my hand and walk towards their run shouting 'chook, chook' (in a strange voice ) and they are usually in the run before me waiting on their treat. they have me well trained don't you think? But I have to say that sweetcorn is their fave too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 if you use the same bowl each time you go out they will associate that with treats - mine now just come running whenever they hear the door open and if I walk into the run area they follow duly... keep at it - they are like Pavlov's dogs and will very soon not be able to resist the thought of FOOD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaireG Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Ive a little tupperware i keep mixed corn in, at first i had to rattle it and throw some in the running calling chook chook now all i have to do is get the tupperware and they come running!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinkychick Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 i herd mine lol, sometimes they just dont want to go in tho so i have to use a broom handle as an arm extension and just make myself really wide! But they now know if they go in they will get a treat so its not really a problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejmum Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Hi Valr, we are practically neighbours, I live in Toddington. Anyway, mine will go anywhere for a blackberry at the moment or a handful of mixed corn. To be honest, all of mine seem to like the rain, and I am pretty sure they would shelter by themselves if they wanted to. Are your chickens OK now, I saw one of your earlier posts where you said they were poorly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finger lickin good Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 We have had ours 4 weeks now, at first we spent the first couple of days chasing them into the run. Then we discovered meal worms and sweetcorn. We started bribing them with. All we have to do now is walk down to the run with a container which has meal worms or sweetcorn and they are now scrambling over one another to be the first one. I did once give them too many treats and they must have been full so they ignored me and i had to chase and catch them to put them back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Dried mealworms . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValR Posted September 5, 2008 Author Share Posted September 5, 2008 I've tried sweetcorn - not interested, but think I could persevere with a dish of yoghurt and bran. When I tried the herding technique they just popped round the back of the run. I'll also give blackberries and mealworms a go. Samantha (gingernut) is till poorly, sneezing away and generally under the weather. Last night she wouldn't go in to roost. Kept popping out with a pathetic little squeak and a sneeze. I'm using the citracidil that omlet sent me, and have mixed some poultry spice and crushed garlic in with the treats so I hope she'll pick up soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordelia Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 mine wont respond to grapes, corn,sweetcorn, yoghurt and pellets or anything...but they are only 15weeks old, and two weeks with me, so I think their age may be something to do with it... good luck, and if you crack the enticing..let me know, as I could do with that trick up my sleeve... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph101 Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Sweetcorn and raisins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 The only thing I have found that works so far with my girls is dried mealworms. They behave like crazed drug addicts and nearly take my hand off. They don't care that much about any other type of food, that i have found yet anyway. I give them a bit out of my hand to show them what it is than throw a handful in the run and in they go. I learnt this trick from my friend "finger likin good", but unlike her girls mine aren't bothered about sweetcorn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 My girls go mad for mealworms too! I just make the treat noise (kind of clicking with your tongue) and wave the pot at them they charge up the garden to me. They follow me to the run and I throw a handful in and off they go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 My 3 only have to hear the backdoor click as I open it & they appear at a breakneck speed from wherever they've been snaffling. Unless they are on top of the compost heap of course, then they either ignore me completely, bok to acknowledge that I am there & carry on with the important business of snaffling or shoot through the stockproof (but blatantly not chook proof !) fencing as if they have been propelled by some kind of rocket launcher! Highly amusing to watch, although they are more than a bit put out if I don't actually have anything for them as sometimes happens. Then they strut off in a flurry of feathers & disgruntled boks They will move heaven & earth for sweetcorn on or off the cob, and grapes are a firm favourite too. Any passing woodlice, spiders, slugs & snails (although only Buttercup will deal with a mature snail, the others prefer a nice juicy baby one with a thin shell!! ) are also gratefully received. Some evenings we've found the odd whopper of a slug & kept it in a jar for the chooks for breakie - well they enjoy them !! We are having an extension built so there are loads of hiding places for creatures to hide, DH clicks his fingers to call the chooks when he finds something of interest. The builders find this highly amusing, especially when I come out boking to the chooks too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*mummy_hen* Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 If i stand in the run and call 'come on girls' they all come running!! Sometimes if they are feeling naughty, not all of them will come....so if that fails, we have a big tub on dried mealworms just inside our bag door....shake that tub and they will come running every time!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValR Posted September 6, 2008 Author Share Posted September 6, 2008 Think I'd find it a bit hard to stand in the eglu run! Shall shop for some mealworms this afternoon. Yesterday I resorted to the cane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinkychick Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 mine wont respond to grapes, corn,sweetcorn, yoghurt and pellets or anything...but they are only 15weeks old, and two weeks with me, so I think their age may be something to do with it... good luck, and if you crack the enticing..let me know, as I could do with that trick up my sleeve... Mine are only young just over 16weeks now and didnt use to go for treats, now their favorites change, they all like different things lol. They dont like grapes or raisins. I have a bright pink cat bowl i put treat type stuff in, pop that in their run and they cant help but go look you could always try that approach and then quickly lock them in? Tried mine on babana yesterday, two couldnt get enough, the other turned its beak up that one prefers cooked peas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
