Catching chickens with a net

chrismahon

chrismahon

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Catching chickens with a net is not a practice I use, or would use on a routine basis. It absolutely terrifies the chickens which is never going to be good for them, or your relationship with them. There is also a risk of injury. I have heard that these things are available for chicken catching though.

I was in the fishing shop and saw landing net heads at £8.99. About 2' diameter with fine mesh and they fit my handle I bought 45 years ago (and have kept) because the threads are still Imperial. Reminded of the ease a friend of ours caught a flying bantam in one, one of the ones that were dumped a few weeks ago on his land, I decided to get my own. Especially as the one remaining bantam escaped last week and it took two of us to catch it.

I assembled it in the kitchen and showed it to Daffodil, a hybrid hen. She was absolutely terrified and ran away as fast as possible. Bottom on the other hand showed no interest in it at all. I have to assume therefore she recognised it from being caught in one 18 months ago where she was bred and was so terrified she is permanently scarred with the memory.

Needless to say I will never need to use it on her, or any of our others. But I'm sure there will come a time when I wished I had one, so now I have. Don't know how much the handles are but I would say £14 would probably get you the whole thing. So a fishing shop may be the cheapest way to buy a chicken catching net. And of course you could use it if you took up fishing !
 
Well I hope you have made it up to Daffodil!

I have never used one..must say have made some spectacular launches after chickens and equally spectacular misses! :D :D
 
who hasnt :lol: :lol: :lol: even worse when you trip on your own shoe laces at the same time as trying to catch one and they kinda look at you saying 'hahahhaaha'
 
My two youngest hens Phoebe and Tilly (now deceased unfortunately) were caught with a net by the breeder. He uses nets all the time to catch the birds. Trouble was they have never forgotten it as if I go into the run with anything that looks remotely like a net - broom, shovel etc. they would run a mile! Chickens obviously have very good memories!
 
I visited a breeder who caught pullets with a leg hook, didn't like the look of that. If a breeder has a lot of pullets in a large run, never handled, how else is he supposed to catch them except with a net? The breeder I got my hybrids from did use a net but he did it very quietly without chasing or roughness and it was quite easy and the pullets didn't seem upset, then or when I got them home.
 
Hmm, thinking about this slightly differently.
I use a bright red rake to 'round up 'my girls from the garden and put them back in the ark when I want to go out. They remember this and steer clear of both me and the rake if I'm using it. So, showed them the kids little fishing net today and wandered up to Nancy and literally scooped her up into it. How about catching them by herding them into a small box that they are used to, with something they don't recognise. You could use some chicken wire to funnel them, then scoop up the box?
 
We have linking panels BB. they are free standing and link by putting a steel post through the eyes in the side of the frames. We can set those up and herd them anywhere. But how do you catch a Bantam that can simply fly over the top? In a net.
 
oh dear, forget mine are bouncing balls of fluff :( Don't even get high enough to 'boing' over a 50cm fence :D
 
chrismahon said:
We have linking panels BB. they are free standing and link by putting a steel post through the eyes in the side of the frames. We can set those up and herd them anywhere. But how do you catch a Bantam that can simply fly over the top? In a net.
Click to expand...

Those sound interesting. Do you have a link to where you bought them or what they look like ?
:)
 
I made them DBE, having seen a much smaller version at a show and seen a breeder trying to catch hens for sale. We now have two sets of 4 panels with 5 posts which creates a temporary run of 4 square metres (2 x 2). They are made from tiled roofing treated laths 1" x 2" x 3 metres, no waste. Ply corner braces and different eye offsets so they stack very small and always link together if the braces are on the same side. They usually get used as temporary fencing but are not very tolerant of uneven ground. They are self supporting when set at an angle to each other, so they zig-zag across. Quite strong as well.

I have working drawings or could take a photo for you sometime. The little version sold at £20 each with posts £3.50 each at the County show 2 years ago. Material to build ours is about £15 each and posts are £2. But you will be buying enough material to make 4 as the laths are in packs of 10. Eyes can be hunted for in an agricultural merchant -I bought 100 from a fixings trade company and they had to order them -35p each. If you are or know a DIY'er, they are the simplest thing I build and few people would struggle, even with the corner jointing I developed, but have since seen elsewhere.
 
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