The Poultry Keeper

kchickens · Joined: 12 Jun 2005 Posts: 3

I got a new chicken yesterday, I already have six, all different breeds. This one was a speckledy bantam. Any way I kept her in the kids old playhouse for an hour or so, and then I felt sorry for her and let her put in the garden with the other chickens. The others did not seem bothered by her too much, she is older than them, so may be they could sense this I don't know?
Any way me and my hub and were going out for a meal with some friends, so my mum and dad came along to babysit. They always manage to make a drama out of a crisis at the best of times, so when I told them this new chicken wouldn't go into the ark, they started going on about foxes etc..how she should have been kept in for days etc...etc.
They didn;t manage to get her in last night. There is a stream at the bottom of the garden and lots of very wild thicketted areas where she might have been hiding. I got up at 4 this morning, no sign of her, and no sign since. Any suggestions as to how to lure her out in to the open. That's assuming she hasn;t been eaten by a fox/badger!!!!

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

hello kchickens, and welcome to the forum, pity had to be for something like this, but hopefully we'll be able to come up with some useful information and you'll get to enjoy being here.
I think maybe at 4.00 she would still have been in hiding, because she's going to be a little frightened in all the new surroundings. Also she doesn't know you yete, so everything will be keeping her hidden if she has managed to come through the night.
I think maybe you should try scattering corn all around the edges where she might have gone. You have to also remember that as she is new and will be frightened of you as well. if you move towards where she is hidden she may continue going further away. Is there a way you can approach your garden from the stream end so that you actually encourage her to go forward into the garden?
Hope she comes home soon, keep us informed

kchickens · Joined: 12 Jun 2005 Posts: 3

HI summary,
Thanks for all the tips. It did reappear this morning, but due to the geography of our garden, it still remains on the loose, despite chases around the garden with predator net and rake in tow.
At least it is still alive anyway.

NannyP · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2005 2:11 pm Post subject:

Sounds like you may have to put some very tempting food down, and then once you've caught her, lock her in her designated home with food and water, for at least 2 days, this way she'll know where home is, where safe is and where good food is. Good Luck and Welcome to the forum.
Confused

PS Chasing around the garden will probably scare her more. Maybe there is a way you can corral her in some way opnce she reappears. (You may need the help of a few more people).

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6968 Location: isle of lewis

we had a cockeral that did this when we got him ,tried for 3 days to catch him ,in snow and howling winds ,let the other girls out in the garden and rounded them all up in one go ,i know this is no use whats so ever but

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

do your chickens have a house and a run? Can you not tempt her with sweetcorn or something similar that chickens will usually go mad for ~ maggots even into the run of the house and then leave her in the run for a few days.
I used to let my girls free range until bedtime, but I got a bit concerned that mr fox just might follow them into the run and then maybe the house. So now I throw corn for them about 7.30 into their run and they all dash in, and I shut the gate. Maybe if yours are all out at the same time and fairly close together, throw the treats for them into the run and they should all go as a flock like milkmaid said, then shut them in and make sure you keep the new one in for a few days, until she can recognise home

Deb_Moderator · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 3661

Hi and welcome kchickens. Very Happy

You seem to have gotten excellent advice already...that I can not add to, except to maybe try a live trap...once in the door will close and you will have her.

annie · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 155 Location: costa del cambs

hiya kchickens, have you got her home yet? We had a similar problem and the only way round it was to let the others out and feed them corn from the hand then left them alone for a few minutes and down came the runner and everyone went in together.Let us know how you get on.

kchickens · Joined: 12 Jun 2005 Posts: 3

We finally got Dinah our new chicken in on Sunday evening. All the others had gone up to bed and we carefully chases her in. We kept her in for the next 2 days and let the others out. Then yesterday I let them all out, she seems to want to be friends with the others, but they're not bothered about her. Any way last night got all the others in, but not her, so I opened up one of the next boxes and put a fence post against it so she could walk up, and she went for it. Success. Hopefully she's learnt where home is now.

debcat · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 3:47 pm Post subject:

Glad you finally got her, hopefully the others will start being friends soon.
if she went in she must at least realise thats it's nice and comfy in there

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

I'm pleased Dinah seems to be settling in. I'm sure it won't be long before she's no trouble to go to bed with the others. Sometimes it does take a while for chickens to be friends and others they're instant friends. Just watch to see there is no nastiness on the part of the others ~ more than the usual pecking order challenges.