Do you have a way to "call" your flock to you?

[achiekitty]

Used to be, the whistle works. Nowadays I call out Ladies (or chikies) come, come. Sometimes I say Ladies, lai, lai (Chinese for come).

But if they’re taking a dust bath, all bets are off, even if I cup my hand and pretend I have treats.

Sometimes, if I call for Goldie, our. 9 yr old hen, she comes and the others follow her.

 

[Maggie13]

I free range my hens so I use bells.
I have one on the back porch that I ring and start walking towards the compost pile with my kitchen scraps.They look forward to that each day and know I will be adding something tasty so they come running no matter where they are on the property.
I also have one attached to their coop They know there will be treats when they get there and they know the different sounds of the bells so they know which direction they need to head to.It works out great if I have to leave the property and I want them inside the safety of their run while I am gone.

 

[Unwittingchickenlady]

"Heeere chickin', heeeeey chickin', get yer dinner, chickin'" done in much the same cadence as a pig call, though if I'm being honest, just the sound of my voice will bring them running nine times out of ten.

The ducks are way more fun. My youngest (10) nicknamed them the business ducks, because they're, ahem, always getting down to business in their pond.

So we have "business is open!" (Letting them out) and "business is closed!" (Coop time)
they also know their individual names, so a common conversation goes: "Harold! Good to see you, buddy! How's business?" And they'll respond.

Yes, I talk to my ducks often, and I have the sweetest neighbour in the world who hasn't yet called for a wellness check on the crazy woman yelling in the yard at her waterfowl about business meetings.

 

[chanceosunshine]

I don't even bother calling my chickens because they already follow me around like a bunch of stalkers.

YES!!! I have this same issue. I find myself sneaking out of my house sometimes, but I think they watch and wait for me!

If I do need to call them, they come to "Sweet Babies", but my older flock has to be called with "Chick, chick, chick"...and those ones couldn't care less if I'm around.

And if I don't come out, they come to get me, or they come and watch me. Mine are definitely stalkers as well!

 

[Blue Raptor]

Do you have a way to get all your chickens to come running to you? Most of mine will just by me going outside, but I also have a container with cracked corn that I shake sometimes and they usually respond. I was just curious of what others might do.

Mine would come when I said: “Heeere chickie, chickie, chickie!” Or whistled to them. Or if you shook a container full of scratch.

 

[Swivelhip]

I use a cow bell. If I have to leave in the middle of the day I carry it to the pen and ring it and here they come to get the scratch, close the gate. Very handy.

 

[chickenmomma41]

Do you have a way to get all your chickens to come running to you? Most of mine will just by me going outside, but I also have a container with cracked corn that I shake sometimes and they usually respond. I was just curious of what others might do.

A lot of the time they come running when they see me, but in the warmer months (we're in Michigan), they like to hang out under the neighbor's large pine trees...it's prime dust bathing under there. When they are all spread out, I'll come out and just yell "Hey, Ladies!" and my tiny chicken army comes running.

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7105425686466432302

 

[Halfmoon2]

Mine usually run to me as soon as they see me. Sometimes I call 'come on girls'

 

[Aunt Angus]

They follow me if I'm out there. I am like some giant treat dispenser, or so they think. Little do they know that most of the time, I just toss them some of their regular feed. Silly birds.

 

[FlockVillemaire]

"Chook Chook Chook!"

I use that for any old treat, but the really exiting ones, I just raise the pitch/speed and every single girl comes quick! I always use mealworms if I need them fast!