How to control the too much growing population of our free living chicken? Our chickens had a accurate space in the stable together near our...
Our chickens had a accurate space in the stable together near our horse, laying eggs in attendance and every thing be fine. But then some of them chose to live contained by the forest near the compost aerea and consequently it got unbridled. They were breeding within the forest and then some of them appeare near up to 20 babies. We can't find the eggs. At the compost is plenty of food and so most of the babies survive. Now there are too frequent chicken, they are every where and the roosters even step to the neighbors pretty far away and fight beside the roosters there. We have some problems with this.
We obligation to control the population and want to give away chicken and roosters to individuals who like to hold chicken, but we can't catch them. They are to shy and surrounded by the night they sleep somewhere contained by high trees. I don't want to hunt them and I don't want to shock them much. Now soon the winter starts and they should enjoy a roof... An advice would be appreciated!
Answers: introduce a fox or wolf
EDIT: any form of caging or coop will nullify the concept of "free living" FYI.
Build a makeshift pen near the compost pile. Let the chickens see you scatter nurture in nearby every day and head off the door open. In a few days, they will come into the pen, (maybe even while you are still within there feed them) and you can close the door on them. Voila! Trapped chickens.