foxy Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 Has any one got a good idea on how to catch their chooks.Since i got mine almost three weeks i have not been able to hold them especially as my special needs daughter wants to hold hers desperatly. I don't want to stress them out by runing the length of my garden.but i want them to not run off as i bend down to get them. This all sounds like a stupid question but i have to ask. javascript:emoticon(':?') Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah 2 Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 They become easier to catch once they're POL. As you approach them they'll do a little curtsey and then you can grab them. Otherwise try getting them once they're gone to roost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 you could start by hand feeding them and get them used to being close to you. we found ours just got used to being near us and shuffle around our feet when we let them free range. they stop and crouch when we put our hands down to them - grab them then. I think you should get used to doing first before letting your daughter try oh, and when you do pick them up,keep the wings trapped in, or they will flap good luck x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 You could always trick them like we used to at first by getting them near you and putting lots of treats on the floor and then making a grab for them while they are not looking........That worked for us and after a few times they became less flighty, now you can just pick ours up with no trouble at all...... They do become much more friendly once they start to lay though, and the squatting thing makes them a lot easier to pick up.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 Once they start laying, as Sarah said, it is easier as when you go to grab them instead of legging it they stop dead and stay still. We got them used to the sound of the treat tray - mealworms rattling in a metal roasting tray, now they only have to hear it and they come running. Once you've got them we find that if one person holds something for them to eat the other can hold them quite comfortably and they're happy sitting there pecking at their treat. One of our even jumped on my middle daughters knee today trying to get to her ice cream! I really hope you manage to get one soon, it's really only one or two of ours that are really happy being held, two others are reluctant the rest still leg it! We've had ours about 4-5 weeks now so keep persisting, hope you daughter gets her cuddle soon. Mrs Bertis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 we cant go out the back door without the chickens following us. Once they are used to you and they take treats out of your hands you will have no problem in getting close contact with them. We just rattle the bag of raisins, or when we go to the recycle bin with rubbish they follow us there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindy Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Hello Foxy, We followed the advice on the forum about how to get our chickens used to handling and it worked really well. After the chickens have settled down for the night take off the eggport and gently but firmly (and try doing it in one assured movement) lift one of the chickens out. Make sure that you have her wings held down or (as mentioned above) she may well flap. She should be sort of half across your upper body with a bit under your arm and her head facing forwards; I'm right-handed so I would have her partially under my right arm and support her undercarriage and hold her feet with my left arm and hand. Sorry, I don't think I'm describing this very well! The important thing about doing it after the chickens' bed time is that they're a bit dopey and more docile then. If you do this a few evenings in a row (just hold them for a minute or two each time) they'll get used to being handled in the day time and be less inclined to run away. Of course it's a bit tricky in summer because they go to bed later; we got ours in October and they'd usually crashed out between 5 and 6 pm. I have 3 children and the chickens are quite happy to be picked up and carted about by all of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 i saw a large chicken net in our local farm, although i think it could be for extreme cases of stubborness! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 One of my girls (Artemis Fowl) is impossible to catch. She is the only one who doesn't curtsey when I approach, but I know that she is laying. Once or twice I have had to resort to my son's angling net to catch her. She doesn't like it but calms down once she is held firmly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 It is a lot easier if there are two of you. Cathy and i have performed a near perfect 'Round and Round the Mulberry Cube' manoevre ten mintues ago. As the Cube is near a fence at the back and the greenhouse on one side, I corral them around it in a clockwise direction and Cathy opens the door and they run away into the run! If any get past Cathy we just do a few more laps until we've caught them all. It's impossible to do alone though Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogs Too Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 We got our girls some two months ago and for the first month I had nightmares along the lines of "What have we done?" They flew away (Yes, over a 6 foot fence......Please sir can we have our ball...I mean chicken back!!!!! ) they ran away and all manner of bad behaviour But we continued on. Our ploy was to use a small (500ml) empty plastic drink bottle with some pellets in it as a rattle. Every time we gave the girls some corn (mixed corn from the farm supplies place) we shook the bottle and they come running (have you ever seen a chicken at 20mph?). After a few weeks we can call them from any part of the garden and entice them into the Eglu run using the rattle and corn. And, as someone said previously, we can now feed them from our hands and we can pick them up when they are busy troughing on corn, I am covinced they don't have enough brain to eat treats and run away! Stick with a routine and all will fall into place. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 It's pure greed isn't it! They are very biddable once they know food is involved! I save our food s"Ooops, word censored!"s in a metal dog bowl and at about 6pm I take it out to them. From 5pm onwards they can be found camped on the back door step. As soon as I open the back door they fall over themselves to get into their run and are all jumping up and down inside the run by the time I put their bowl through the door! Gluttons all of'em! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainboarddude Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 i can pick up my chickens fine now, but there is one who has been laying for ages but is still very relluctant to let me stroke her, so i throw some food down in front of her, and whilst she is eating(and not looking) i slowly reach down and pick her up, works almost every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooks Aloud Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 My 3 are quite easy to pick up and the way I do it is as follows:- My left hand goes over their back, my right hand is then placed, with fingers splayed out, under their breast thus enabling you to hold their legs in between your fingers. Their body is then resting on my right arm, their head is nestled near my elbow and their bottom is pointing away, so that if they do poo it doesn't go all over you. If you have a bird that isn't that keen on being held, once you have done the aforementioned, tilt them slightly so that their head goes under your arm and is pointing downwards. Because you are holding their legs, making sure one of your fingers is between their 2 legs, they can be held just with one hand, leaving the left hand free to smooth them and get them used to be touched. I also rock to and fro and sing to mine (mad I know) but they love it and have even been known to drop off to sleep. Do persevere, you'll get there in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutechicky Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Give them something tasty by hand, wait until they get close and then GRAB! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
