How do you catch a chicken or duck???

[mhhousley]

Okay, so I never spent enough time to make my chickens tame. However, they will eat bread (reluctantly) out of your hand and my 3 yr old can walk right up to the hens, but I cant actually grab them. I need to catch them to dust them, look them over, etc. I can always grab them at night but thats usually not the best time to try to be able to see what you're doing.

How do you catch a chicken. I heard of a stick with a hook or something before that you catch them by their feet. I was thinking maybe just like a fishing net or something. I want to know the best way to catch them and not harm them at the same time or absolutely wreck their nerves.

Thanks!

 

[JulieNKC]

If I need to catch my ducks I herd them into a corner and just pick them up. It also works with my chickens who don't like to be caught. If they are free ranging I would use a net. Mine are in a 2 acre fences yard, so I just go out with my kids and have them help corner them.

 

[mhhousley]

Quote:
I do corner them! But then they jump and fly away. Sometimes I can catch them and sometimes I don't. Either way, they run and fly violently when cornered and sometimes get their head stuck in the fencing. I'm afraid I'm going to injure them trying to catch them.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

What I do to catch everyone to dust them is open the coop door a little IN THE MORNING, grab one, and close the door again. Dust that one, and then grab the next one. Eventually to get all of them I have to go inside the coop and get the stragglers.

Alternatively, I use a long-handed fishing net to catch them if they are already out.

 

[trooper]

When I need to catch them I use a fish net.It doesn't hurt them and it beats trying to catch them with your hands.

 

[mhhousley]

Quote:
I think thats what I'll try. I'll look at them at walmart. I assume their fairly inexpensive.

 

[Judy]

I'm glad I have power in the coop, partly for this reason, it's certainly the best time to handle them, and I feel like it stresses them the least. I'd recruit a helper to hold a good light if I didn't. We have caught them with a long handled fish net but it can be a chase. There's a long pole with a sort of hook on the end of it, an old fashioned method, but it takes a little practice, I've read. Here's one:

http://www.randallburkey.com/Catching-Nets-Hooks/products/167/

 

[NonnasBabies]

The best way is to do it once they go roost at night!!

 

[nurse_turtle]

Every chicken owner needs a large fishing net.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Quote:

One of our first (and most coveted) purchases when first acquiring chickens. That thing is worth its weight in gold!