How to Trap a Chicken

Open the door or gate of the chickens usual enclosure. Chickens feel safe in their home, so you're going to give them the opportunity to go there. This can be a fenced run, or their coop.

Construct a barrier that will channel the chickens towards their home. This doesn't need to be elaborate. A piece of plywood that leans against the side of a fence or building will do the job. You just need the barrier to slow the chicken down a little.

Walk in a large circle behind the chicken, then slowly walk behind it, herding it towards the door. You'll soon sense when the chicken will think you're too close, and start to move away from you. The idea is to get the chicken moving away from you, but not running.

Adjust your path to guide the chicken along. If you do this slowly, you'll find that just a step or two to the side, or perhaps even just holding your arm out to one side, will head the bird in the right direction.

Walk the bird right into its enclosure. The last few steps, when the chicken begins to realize it's headed for a corner, will be the most critical. You have to balance your speed to be fast enough so the bird can't figure out options other than heading inside, yet slow enough that it doesn't panic and leap and jump away.

Walk the bird right into a corner. Once the bird is inside its enclosure, it's not too hard to walk it into a corner until it has nowhere to go. Often, when it finally realizes it's trapped, it will squat down and let you pick it up.