Four of the Girls (two oldies nd two nebies) are impossible to catch. Up to now I've just accepted that oldies Delilah and Milly aren't interested in being picked up. But I worked hard with Lily and Daisy, and they associate being picked up with being given corn, so they are always happy to be caught. Tilda and Custard are similar. I've made no progress with Florence and Roobarb, and if I can't catch them I can't teach them to associate being caught with being given corn.
So I decided to give in and add a "Poultry Catching Net" to my recent FlytesoFancy order. It arrived this afternoon.
I went out with it...and all hell broke lose. Chickens scattered eveywhere. No one would stay hidden though. As soon as I got within 20 feet of whichever bush they were sheltering under, they would break cover and then run at speed. This was accompanied by that bok bokking alarm that chickens give when they want to warn the rest of the flock of impending danger.
So, I strolled around the garden with my net in hand (upright). Hopeless. I mean, it made me giggle, because real chickens really running is very similar to watching cartoon chickens. But I couldn't get near any of them.
I realise that I might need to stroll around the pen, net in hand, while I feed them, just to get them used to its presence before I try and actually catch anyone.
I gave up and walked back to the house. Wash was sitting in the doorway living up to his name (having a good old Wash), and he stared at me. Then he stared at the net and did a double take. Then he ran.
As I came through the doorway, I caught site of my reflection.
Definite ringer for the Grim Reaper.
So I decided to give in and add a "Poultry Catching Net" to my recent FlytesoFancy order. It arrived this afternoon.
I went out with it...and all hell broke lose. Chickens scattered eveywhere. No one would stay hidden though. As soon as I got within 20 feet of whichever bush they were sheltering under, they would break cover and then run at speed. This was accompanied by that bok bokking alarm that chickens give when they want to warn the rest of the flock of impending danger.
So, I strolled around the garden with my net in hand (upright). Hopeless. I mean, it made me giggle, because real chickens really running is very similar to watching cartoon chickens. But I couldn't get near any of them.
I realise that I might need to stroll around the pen, net in hand, while I feed them, just to get them used to its presence before I try and actually catch anyone.
I gave up and walked back to the house. Wash was sitting in the doorway living up to his name (having a good old Wash), and he stared at me. Then he stared at the net and did a double take. Then he ran.
As I came through the doorway, I caught site of my reflection.
Definite ringer for the Grim Reaper.
