The training of your chickens to return to their home is a great way to protect them.Chickens will return to their home each evening if they have established a home of their own.If you spot a daytime predator or need to clean their area of the yard, you can train your chickens to return to the chicken house when you call.Chickens do not learn as quickly or as easily as dogs, but with a little patience you can train chickens to return to their home.
Step 1: Prepare a chicken house.
Before you can train your chickens to come back to the house in the evening, you need to make sure the coop is set up correctly.Chickens should have at least twenty-four square feet of space and multiple places to perch.Make sure there is enough food and water in the chicken house.Good perching space for chickens can be provided by wood beams mounted horizontally.If you are raising chickens for egg production, make sure you have enough boxes for each hen.
Step 2: You can check the temperature inside the chicken house.
You need to keep your chickens inside the coop for a long period of time.Chickens can suffer from health issues if they are too hot.Chickens should not get hotter than 70 degrees Fahrenheit during training.If it is too hot, install fans.If high temperatures persist, you may want to consider moving your chicken coop to a more shady area.
Step 3: For a week, keep your chickens confined.
Chickens are often stressed when moving from one yard to another.It may take even longer for young chickens to adjust.If the chickens are forced to remain inside the coop for a week, they will begin to consider it a home.It's important to make sure your chicken house allows you to easily replace food and water dishes.Small doors are designed for this purpose.Make sure to remove the dirty bedding at the end of the week because it will be very messy.
Step 4: The chickens should be allowed to leave the house after a week.
The chickens should be allowed to wander out into your yard or the area you have fenced in after a week.Allow them to wander freely if you don't interfere with them.If the chickens don't come back to the house at dusk, it means they are not used to it.You may have to keep the chickens indoors for another week in order to make sure they accept it as their home and safe area.When the chickens have adjusted to their new home, they will return to it when they feel safe or want to rest.
Step 5: Pick a consistent sound as your call.
Chickens are not as skilled at interpreting human sounds as dogs are, so it's important that you choose one distinct sound as your chicken call.If you aren't present to call the chickens, others can use a tool instead.Chicken calls can be made with a whistle or bell.A bowl or cup could be banged on the side of the building.If you choose to use your voice, make sure you don't make the same sound when you're not calling your chickens.
Step 6: You can train your chickens with treats.
To get your chickens to come whenever you call, you need to train them to associate the sound of your chicken call with a treat.If you give your chickens a treat that they don't normally eat, they will grow tired of it.Each time you sound the chicken call, you can spread bird seed and meal worms around inside the house.The less dominant chickens may not be able to get to the watermelon wedges because they are hard to scatter.
Step 7: The chickens are interested in the treats.
As you train your chickens to respond to your chicken call, make sure they can see the bag or box of treats as you approach and make the sound.If your chickens see the treats during the early stages of training, it will speed up the process.As you prepare to sound your chicken call, let the chickens see you approach with treats.Chickens will associate your behavior with getting treats.
Step 8: You can use your chicken call to throw treats into the coop.
You can help the chickens associate the sound with treats by scattering them into the coop.The pattern in the chicken's mind can be established by repeating this process two to three times per day for a week.Try to use bits of corn instead of treats if your chickens don't like them.
Step 9: Don't be hasty.
The process may not be understood quickly by your chickens.You might need to sound the chicken call and make sure they see you distributing the feed a number of times before they understand.The smell and sight of the treats will attract chickens early on.The chicken will respond more quickly once it knows the process.Soon after, other chickens will get a share of the treats.Chickens are less likely to respond to this training if they haven't eaten in a while.
Step 10: When you call your chickens, start concealing the treats.
When your chickens are starting to respond well to the chicken call, it's a good time to approach the coop.If you sound the call, you can remove the treats from where you hid them.The chickens will respond to the call better if the treats are hidden.One step closer to simply coming when they are called is if your chickens become accustomed to coming without seeing treats.Continue to repeat this process until the chickens come back to the house.
Step 11: The source of the stressor is identified.
Sometimes chickens that have been trained to stay indoors will leave their home and refuse to return.This can be caused by a predator entering the chicken house or the conditions in the house being bad for the chickens.Look for areas that a predator could have gained access to.The food and water should be easy to access.Make sure the temperature is not over 70 degrees.It is necessary to identify the stressor that caused the chickens to leave before retraining them.
Step 12: Don't let your chickens run away.
Once you have made sure your chickens are safe, you will need to catch or corral them.It may be difficult to catch all of your chickens if they are able to walk around a large yard.You can approach chickens at night slowly with a flashlight.The chickens may wake up if the light is shone directly on them.Pick each chicken up and bring it back to the house.Food can be used to distract a chicken during the day.Pick up the chicken and return it to its home.
Step 13: Fine your chickens for a week.
Chickens should be locked up in the coop for a week once they are back in it.In the minds of the chickens, this will be their safe haven and home.The chickens should be released after a week.If they don't come back to the house that night, make sure the water and food are available for the chickens and the temperature is below seventy degrees.The chickens need to be secured for a second week if they don't return to the house at dusk.