i somehow acquired 2 runaways and i have questions. please help

[s1a2b3]

hello. i’ve just joined because i don’t have a clue about chickens and i now have 2 of them.
they belonged to a neighbor, who is not someone i see very often but friendly enough with. i was told they escaped soon after he got them. i am guessing they are 6 or 7 months old and have just started laying eggs.
for reasons i do not know, they picked me to live with.
they have been in my backyard for 2 months. they are here all day and have been sleeping in a different neighbor’s trees at night.
the neighbor who they belonged to originally, has tried to catch them for ages and could not. but they befriended me and follow me around so he said i could keep them. i call them thelma and louise.
(sorry this is so long)
we got a coop with a little run (we will make a bigger run very soon) and i kept them in there for about 6 days. louise seemed to be taking to it the best. she lays an egg almost every day in the nest box and goes right up at 6:30pm.
thelma had a harder time getting adjusted and was a bit panicked at first. now that she has freedom, she won’t lay in the nest box, but chose the tiniest flowerpot in my greenhouse (that’s a whole nother story) to lay her eggs.
today, while thelma was laying her flowerpot egg, at around 5:30, louise disappeared. we found her in the usual tree (down the street and very high up!). but without thelma! she is never without thelma.
thelma is safe and sound in the coop asleep.
so all of that to ask…
what is the best thing to do? i am sure she will be back tomorrow. neither of them will let me handle them, but they will eat out of my hand. and i can get her into the run with bribes. i just want them to be safe.
but should i lock them in again? for longer?
should i just get them in the run earlier since they will go up once they are in? everything i have read says lock them in the coop for a week or two. does that mean no run at all?
i have been trying to find the answers on my own but i couldn’t find anything specific to this situation. thanks in advance!

I also just joined, but I have had chickens for a couple years now. I have over a hundred and fifty chicken and not all of them want to go into the coop. I usually do my best to catch them, (if that doesn't work, I bribe them) and put them in the coop. I usually keep them in there for a couple weeks and try to touch them as much as possible to keep them tame. Also, using a certain sound every time you feed them like a bell or something helps them get more used to you. That's what I do; not perfect, but a useful tip.

 

[pollipazzi]

I also just joined, but I have had chickens for a couple years now. I have over a hundred and fifty chicken and not all of them want to go into the coop. I usually do my best to catch them, (if that doesn't work, I bribe them) and put them in the coop. I usually keep them in there for a couple weeks and try to touch them as much as possible to keep them tame. Also, using a certain sound every time you feed them like a bell or something helps them get more used to you. That's what I do; not perfect, but a useful tip.

thanks for the advice! that's a lot of chickens! you must have really maintained grass
i have been saying the same thing to them every time i give them something for a couple weeks now. i think they are catching on! it really does help!

 

[pollipazzi]

Just catching up. I use fake eggs and it has worked well to get my ladies back to laying in the nest boxes whenever they get more creative. I did have one hen that laid 10’ up on the big collar ties that support the roof!
However, they do quite frequently inform me that while they understand my message with the fake eggs, and are open to taking my advice on where to lay, they are not fooled that they are anything but fake eggs. They inform me if this by tossing the fake ones out of the nestbox.

In the down feathers, it is possible Thelma is preparing to go broody. Mine often decorate their chosen nest site with downy feathers in the 1-3 days before going broody. I assume this is common behavior and hence the expression about ‘feathering your nest’.

i think you might be right!?

thelma has feathered her nesting box and is laying almost every day now but sitting in there longer and longer. 3 1/2 hours today. i called her with some mealworms and she came running out then. is this gonna be a big problem?
what is happening with yours now? any good tips?

 

[AntiqueB]

Sounds like she might be going broody!

 

[RoyalChick]

i think you might be right!?

thelma has feathered her nesting box and is laying almost every day now but sitting in there longer and longer. 3 1/2 hours today. i called her with some mealworms and she came running out then. is this gonna be a big problem?
what is happening with yours now? any good tips?

Sounds like she is thinking about it but not yet fully committed.
One of my nut jobs is full on brooding a small block if 2x4. Poor hormonal gal.

 

[pollipazzi]

Sounds like she is thinking about it but not yet fully committed.
One of my nut jobs is full on brooding a small block if 2x4. Poor hormonal gal.

that can't be comfortable! i hope she comes to her senses soon

 

[pollipazzi]

Sounds like she might be going broody!

probably i'm glad it's not louise. she's not as pleasant

 

[pollipazzi]

ok, well, it’s only 9am. not even. and she’s gone back in to nest already. should i be trying to get her out or leave her do her thing? she’s not growling or puffing up feathers or anything. i opened the door and talked to her and she just sits there like a statue. like “maybe if i’m quiet and don’t move, she won’t see me.”
treats aren’t working today

 

[pollipazzi]

ok, well, it’s only 9am. not even. and she’s gone back in to nest already. should i be trying to get her out or leave her do her thing? she’s not growling or puffing up feathers or anything. i opened the door and talked to her and she just sits there like a statue. like “maybe if i’m quiet and don’t move, she won’t see me.”
treats aren’t working today

should i take out the fake eggs?

 

[AntiqueB]

She's broody. There are 3 choices: break her, let her ride it out (about 3 weeks), or give her some eggs to hatch if she's really committed.

I could never break mine; it seems so cruel. I let her remain, although I did take her out by hand (she growled but was docile otherwise) several times a day so she could get air, exercise, and food and water.

While broody, she won't lay eggs, and will lose weight.