David

[fantasticjudyann]

I have just had to put a beak ring on one of my new POL hens because she was pecking one of the others. I have never mastered the art of catching a chicken so I have to do it with a net. I realise that this is quite stressful for the hens but they seem to settle down again after a while. Am I actually being cruel? I sincerely hope not but can anyone suggest a better way of catching a chicken especially the flighty sort? Thanks

[sjp]

I was told that it's less stressful for the birds that having to chase them around the garden , but the couple of times I've tried to use my net it's freaked they rest of the mob out to much so I have to give it up as a bad job

[Egluntyne]

I use a net regularly. It is less stressful for me, never mind the chickens!

[Daphne]

Faced with the choice of a neighbours chicken loose in her front garden and death by traffic, I reckon the histronics involved in using a net was definitely the way to go - still took 2 of us though

 

I don't use it much, but a couple of my polands used to scream blue murder if touched and as they were small enough to escape through the netting, we didn't have much choice when we need to box them for some reason or other in a hurry. Its a different case with a big old orpington - you can always tempt her with some food or in the case of the only skittish one I've ever owned, grab a handful of feathers

 

To be serious, it probably is stressful for the chook, and the owner, but I think most extreme cases of needing to get hold of a bird quickly will be stressful, and I find this by far kinder and more effective than the undignified gallop around the garden! Not all birds will come to the hand. I have some sort of extending landing net which is plenty big enough.

[Olly]

I've got a net, but have never succeeded in catching one with it! I don't think it's too stressful.

[auntielizzie]

Never had to try a net - mealworms seem to work for me every single time without fail, whether it's getting the chickens to go in their run, move to a different part of the garden or to come to me in order for me to pick them up

 

Recently, when I had someone laying a slab base for the run, and I had put the girls in the eglu run for the day so that they didn't get under his feet, Brian (the slab layer) was absolutely amazed at how I got the girls to transfer back to their coop. He thought he was going to have to help me chase chickens all round the garden to get them to go across, and looked puzzled as he watched me go over to the chicken food bin and bring out a bucket of mealworms, shake it, open it, release the chickens from the eglu run and then simply walk in the direction of the coop with newly laid slabs with four chickens jumping up at my heels, threw in a handful of mealworms in and shut the door behind them

 

Got to love those chickens

[Alis girls]

Another net fan here. I got mine at the fishing shop. Asked for the biggest they had, they wanted to know for what sort of fish - I said " a chicken sized one" - it took a few minutes for them to understand but I have a nice net. I have one hen whose skitish and its works for her - the others run for cover - cant think why

[merlina]

I try and nab them 'normally' - ie tricking them with a treat or catching them first thing in the morning or last thing at night.

But when it's an emergency or I have failed I use a net.

 

I don't think hens have long memories - they seem to recover quickly