Herding chickens is worse than herding cats

[Ottakee]

Dh and the girls were building nesting boxes, roosts, etc. for the chickens. Well, someone left the gate open and now the chickens are roaming the yard--ours and the neighbors. They kids caught 7 of the 11. Will the rest come into the fence later at night so we can put them back?

Right now they have a coop with a small (10x5) totally protected run--chicken wire top, etc. During the day though they are free range in a 30x40 run or even in our big fenced in back yard. We just don't want to spend hours chasing these critters through the woods if they will just come back on their own.

[Remudamom]

They should come back on their own if they've been out before. Mine are let out completely with no boundaries at all, they could roam miles if they wanted, but they stay close to home and are back in by 6:30 or so, waiting for me to lock them in.

[Heather in the Kootenays]

As long as you leave the gate open, they'll put themselves to bed.

[Ottakee]

OK, so we should have just opened up the gate and gone horseback riding instead:glare:

Now it is too late to go riding as 20ds has a date and I have to drive and chaperone (he and his girlfriend are developmentally delayed).

[Hen Jen]

I go out to our yard every once in a while with a box of cheerios and give some to the girls. So, when we have hens loose in the neighborhood, I simply go out holding my yellow box, and they come running. I'm the snack mom, so actually, all I have to do is go out and call "chick, chick" and they come running...but the box of cheerios gets the job done quick and for sure. I would love to let them roam, but sometimes people walk through with big dogs not on leashes...

they should all come back.

let us know how it turns out.

[myfunnybunch]

I'm the snack mom, so actually, all I have to do is go out and call "chick, chick" and they come running...

Ditto. My chickens all come running when they hear me call "Chick-chick-chick!" because it usually means a tasty chicken treat.

The rest of your chickens should come home to roost (lol) in the evening. One of my favorite things about chickens: They put themselves to bed.

Cat

[Ottakee]

So basically, I missed horseback riding tonight for NOTHING. Dh said at least 3 of the missing 4 came back.