xChicken04x Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 Hiya everyone! We have had our madams for about a month now. There have been a few escapese when opening the door to give them there treats. As annoying as it is i always feel guilty about putting them beck in the run as they love grass and when i try and put them back they grab as much grass and leaves as they can to eat in the run. Today i opened the door and Uma and Mishief came running out and on to the lawn. Brilliant. So there i was running round after Uma whilst trying to keep an eye on Mischeif and holding a bowl of spinich. In the end Uma gave in and i picked her up, mutterd a few words and put her back in the run where the others where amazed by what had happend. I then went after mischeif who by this time was almost on the shed roof. She looked around and realized she was on her own she then started squarking and launching her self at the run. I grabbed her and put her back in. But now they are all pacing up and down the run squarking like mad because they want to go back out. So what should we do? The only problem is that they wont come back into the run even with bribes of spinich (their favorite) so if we did let them free range how do we get them back? any suggestions would be great. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 I get mine back with mealworms - never fails. It might be worth 'training' them to associate a particular noise, or maybe a bowl, with treats (I just rattle the mealworm pot and shout 'chook, chook'!) Get them used to this while they are in the run, so they know it means a treat. Then if you let them free-range, this should bring them running. It'll have to be a treat that they all go for, though - mealworms, sweetcorn or similar, no good if one of them doesn't like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenlover Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 ok so i live in the middle of town in a 3 bed house with quite a large garden with neighbours on either side and ive had my chickens since they were a week old, and i was starting to feel really guilty about not letting them free range, i was worried because they are polish and can be a bit flighty that they would fly away,,but i plucked up my courage and let them all out, but only after the kids are home from school and i dont have to leave them and go out, i have no gate from my back garden to my front and was also worry they would end up in the road!! Well at about 7.30 when it starts to get dark they all wondered back up to their run and coop and were glad form me to pick them up and pop them back in to go to roost...How we worry and how they make us look silly! I think yours will be fine just do it an for an hour say 6.30 till 7.30 until u pluck up the courage too, some times they are just too clever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 We trained ours to a bell, so everytime they get any sort of treat we ring a bell first, and it took about 2-3 days of doing that and now everytime they hear the bell they go beserk as they know a treat is on its way!! Also we did this using mixed corn as we could drop that through the bars of the run rather than have to open the run door and have them rush out into the garden as they still do! they also get their treats in a blue plastic bowl which they know is their treat bowl and go crazy when they see that too, even if it's empty! I'd do bell training or similar for a week or so until they start jumping and flapping when they hear it, then let them out to free range - ours only get an hour or so a day and do a lot of pacing when they see us watching them in the run, as if to say 'we know you can see us why aren't you letting us out' but once out they are perfectly happy pecking grass for hours and as soon as we ring the bell they'll race over to me and try and trip me up as I walk them back to their run and then just put the treat inside and they'll go straight in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted September 17, 2007 Author Share Posted September 17, 2007 Thank you very much! The only problem is that when Uma and Mischeif escaped they wouldnt come back in for spinich which they love and is there favorite treat. I will try the wistle thing and see if that works. Thank you all again xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 Definitely best if you let them out for an hour before dusk/roosting time. I had to do that with mine for a while. The older ones will go in for treats, but the two youngsters just ran away. So I waited until dusk then went out with their treat bowl as they were returning to the run to roost. After doing this for a couple of days, the youngsters have got the habit and will rush into the run as soon as they see me pick up their silver bowl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangers Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 Try rattling a bowl of mixed corn, and chucking a handfull in the run when they have come to you, works for me, every night they fall for it, I usually try and get them rounded up and in the run about an hour before they go off to bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 same as me Bangers. I've just put mine in at 7pm. they have their evening treats and then they go to bed. Grapes, a bag of raisins or oats and mine all come to the runs pronto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 Am I the only one with naughty chooks? Oh they come running and 3 will go in the run but the others would rather be out running around. Maybe I should keep the mealworms for in the run only? I just can't resist dishing them out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 Ella my oldest and biggest chicken is the most stubborn to go in the run. sometimes we have to pick her up and carry her in. She likes that though as she flaps her wings and pretends to fly in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted September 17, 2007 Author Share Posted September 17, 2007 Thank you very much for your advise. I'm just worried that they dont come back to the run and we have to round them up. Mischief is very flighty and could easily get over a 6ft wall. I suppose i wont know untill i've tried! I'll have my fishing net at the ready xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 try bell / whistle training them for a week or so in the run then let them out just before dust so they'll be less excited anyway cos they're getting tired - if we let ours out during the day they're running around they're so excited about being out, but if I leave it till evening they just wander aorund pecking the grass and preening themselves, much more calm and easier to control!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogs Too Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 I must agree with all the above, train the chicks to a noise and they come running and NOTHING is as funny as a chicken running Maybe clip their wings as well so they can't scale the fence / wall We didn't at first and we had to go next door and ask "can we have our ball,sorry CHICKEN, back plaese?" Fortunately they now love the chickens and look after them when we go away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 we've never had a problem with our 2 trying to fly, I'm not sure if they realise they can!! I sometime see nugget eying up the shed or 6ft fence but she's not attempted flying up there yet, once she tryed to fly onto the top of the parasol but as it was sloped had to keep flying to stop from falling off backwards!! after that neither of them have attempted it since, I think the bugs and grass is more appealing to our greedy pair! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
