MOVING COOP WOES....HELP!

[Redhead Rae]

These are great! Did you make them or buy them? I was actually trying to come up with some kind of trap like this with a clothes basket...I'm desperate!

We made them out of 4ft high fencing we had. That is why I showed you how we joined the fence sections in one of the pictures.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

Ok, so I went down to the coop tonight with fresh corn (their favorite treat) and sure enough they were making their way to the house but I managed to call them to the coop. I fed them the corn and a few other treats, I didn't try to catch them because I wanted to gain their trust again, then I just sat down on the ground by the coop to see what they would do...and, One by one the hens went into the coop!

HOWEVER..Mr. Rooster did not go into the coop he went back up to the house. So he will roost in the trees tonight. So should I still keep the hens locked up for a couple of days without him? Of course I will continue to try to catch him but if I can not will the hens follow him to the trees when they are allowed out or will they keep going into the coop?

BYC members..you are fabulous! Thank you!

 

[Redhead Rae]

Ok, so I went down to the coop tonight with fresh corn (their favorite treat) and sure enough they were making their way to the house but I managed to call them to the coop. I fed them the corn and a few other treats, I didn't try to catch them because I wanted to gain their trust again, then I just sat down on the ground by the coop to see what they would do...and, One by one the hens went into the coop!

HOWEVER..Mr. Rooster did not go into the coop he went back up to the house. So he will roost in the trees tonight. So should I still keep the hens locked up for a couple of days without him? Of course I will continue to try to catch him but if I can not will the hens follow him to the trees when they are allowed out or will they keep going into the coop?

BYC members..you are fabulous! Thank you!

Great job!

Since most of your birds are contained, I would keep them shut up without Mr. Rooster and try catching him over the next few days. He will be more likely to follow the hens rather than be on his own.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

We made them out of 4ft high fencing we had. That is why I showed you how we joined the fence sections in one of the pictures.

Ha..yeah I see that now..very clever! I have some very similar fencing, so about a foot in diameter? Mr. Rooster is skittish and not trusting. Thanks for the help!

 

[springvalley123]

I can't catch my birds very easily but I can herd them pretty well. I lift my left hand up and flap it to get them to veer right etc. Also if there's a way to make the area the coop was, inaccessible?

 

[Redhead Rae]

Ha..yeah I see that now..very clever! I have some very similar fencing, so about a foot in diameter? Mr. Rooster is skittish and not trusting. Thanks for the help!

About 18-24 inches in diameter.

 

[dunnmom]

What a disaster! So the chickens stayed in the pasture ALL day and then around 8:30PM they made their way back up to the house! They roosted in the trees last night! Are there any tricks to catching chickens? I'm at a complete loss! Help me Please!

My hubby and I used to double team catching chickens when they'd escape, once they got wise to the food bribe. If you can have two people carry a sheet, or something large that resembles a wall, position yourselves on either side of them, sometimes you can guide them in the direction you want them to go. It doesn't always work, but it worked best for us.

 

[Ms Biddy]

I have a feeling that next time you move it, you'll leave them in for a few days so they can adjust to the change. Something else I like to do everyday is put up their feeders each day when I let them out and not put them down again until I put them back in. The feeders hang on chains so this is as easy as lifting them up and catching the chain on the hook. This encourages everyone to forage and gives them something to look forward to and a reason to be excited when they see me heading their way. I know they like to go to bed with a full crop.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

So my hubby, seeing me asleep this morning, did me a favor...HE LET THE CHICKENS OUT! Haha...he was doing me a favor..haha! Actually he just opened the coop Mr. Rooster did all the dragging the hens out! Well, hopefully they go back in tonight!

 

[Redhead Rae]

So my hubby, seeing me asleep this morning, did me a favor...HE LET THE CHICKENS OUT! Haha...he was doing me a favor..haha! Actually he just opened the coop Mr. Rooster did all the dragging the hens out! Well, hopefully they go back in tonight!

Don't you just love it when hubbies are "helpful"?

I would try fresh corn again.