Re: Training free ranging chickens

a_l_p <hay_hell_pea@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:eed04h$rd0$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

Ginny wrote:
Jacob Johnston wrote:
How did you get your birds trained to get back into the
pen? Leave them in

the pen for a few weeks to get them to associate it with
home? Only feed them in the pen at the time you'll be
putting them in the pen for the day?


I leave mine in the pen for a couple of weeks, then let
them out late in the afternoon the first few days. After
that I let them out in the morning when I'm home, not at
all if I'm going out or leaving before their bed time. My
old hens would come running when I called but my new hens
don't yet.


Get them to associate food with the pen and with a call.
Rattle wheat in a tin as you call "Here chook chook chook"
then scatter the wheat in their pen and they'll soon
associate going to the pen with getting food. Don't ever
feed them anywhere except in the pen.

especially don't ever feed them near your car! my dearly
beloved strated tossing crackers to the chooks to get them
away from my car when i was backing out of the driveway. now
they come running *everytime* they hear my engine. argh!

lee
--
Question with boldness even the existence of god; because if
there be
one, he must more approve the homage of reason than that of
blindfolded
fear. - Thomas Jefferson
.