Get to Know How to Properly Catch, Handle and Take Care for Chickens

Time will come when some of your chickens might be able to get out of the chicken coop and you would need to catch and handle them, or they might show signs of sickness and you would need to put them in a separate coop to prevent any disease from spreading.  Catching them would be a challenge that you must overcome.

Making chickens get used to humans is quite a difficult task as they are not meant to be held, they are best left on their own but sometimes you need to hold them in order to be able to check them for diseases.  This is when you can try feeding them so that you can catch them.  The proper way to catch them is by the legs, never by the wings or tail.  Chasing after them would affect egg production in hens so refrain from doing this.

Another way to make them easier to pick up is to make them believe that you are a rooster wanting to mate with them.  They will immediately get to a position that makes them easier to catch.  When the chicken is already in your hands you can secure your hold on its legs with your thumb and forefinger.  Be sure to support its body with your other hand so it would not get injured.

You can easily keep the chicken quiet by firmly holding it with your hand.  You can then proceed to check on the chicken’s health.  Be sure to support its body with your other hand and stroke it to make it get used to having hands holding it.  Hold the chicken like you would a pet cat or rabbit.  Then it will be easy for you to check your chickens for diseases that might affect them.

To prevent disease from existing in your chicken coops, it is essential that the dropping tray be cleaned always.  Never let it overflow, throw the dropping into the compost bin immediately or you can put it directly to your garden to fertilize your plants.  Your vegetable garden can also benefit from chicken droppings, it can provide you with fat and healthy vegetables.

Always check the chickens and look for signs of disease or sickness.  To make sure that they stay healthy, clean the coop and change the straw or hay constantly.  Give the chickens sufficient supply of fresh water and food and keep them in a well ventilated area.


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