It's no secret to anyone who reads this blog that I been kicking around the idea of chickens for years now. I almost get myself talked into it and then reality intrudes into my daydreams of collecting eggs and I realize there is no way chickens can survive here unless I build em a big pen and keep em locked up all the time. If I am going to keep chickens I want them to be out all the time eating bugs and generally adding as little extra work onto my schedule as possible.
A friend of my Mom's however has been putting a monkey wrench in my anti-chicken excuse here lately. She has my mother convinced that we can in fact free range chickens and keep them alive by only giving them a place inside the barn to roost at night.
Personally I think this friend is wrong. Further more I think she is sugar coating the thing because she had these three roosters she wanted to get rid of.
Finally I relented and agreed to let them bring the three roosters out here as a trial. If these three survive then perhaps I will admit they were right and I was wrong and we can get some hens. I actually like having the birds walking around and all that I just don't have time to keep even more critters penned in where they don't want to be.
So about two and a half minutes after I say yes this crate of chickens magically appears in the driveway. Somehow I think I was set up once again.
Of course I wasn't set up as bad as these poor roosters let me tell you. I guess at least they have a shot at survival now as the friend said it was either bring them here or she was going to do them in.
My mother had it all planned out. She would release them in the barn lot which is fenced in and they won't be able to get out without flying. She would feed em some cracked corn and they would casually get used to the big barn lot in relative safety.
It almost worked.
These three roosters were staying in the barn lot as they couldn't get through the fence. After a short while they even were kinda settling down and seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Then the sheep showed up......
Ahhhh MOM. What The Hell are Those Things?
The roosters on the other hand thought they were about to be eaten by giant fuzzy dogs or something.
This is when the real flaw in the plan showed it's ugly head.
While the roosters couldn't get through the woven wire fence they could in fact squeeze through the cattle panels we have to the ram's paddock. From there is was a short run to the ram's gate and the yard. Oh and did I mention the waiting jaws of the dog?
This was about the time we discovered the old stray dog that moved in with us like 6 years ago now really wants to eat live chicken. He took off after those roosters like a Black streak and managed to pull most of the tail feathers off the one to the left in the above picture before we got him chained up.
The roosters scattered but after a few minutes I heard one clucking back behind my bee hives and that's where they spent the entire afternoon and evening. I had a theory that they would be back around sunset looking for some place indoors to roost. Sure enough just as it was getting dark they came right up to us and wanted inside somewhere. Trouble is they wouldn't go in and stay in because there was always one not in and the other two would go back out.
OMG what stupid creatures.
One then turned and ran right into the killer dog who was now tied up for only the third time in his life. Interestingly enough the dog didn't attack it now so maybe he got the message quick. I know he did with the cats.
Finally as it got really dark two of the dumb birds went to a tree in the front yard that is covered in ivy and bedded down while the third who was in the barn came out looking for them. He got scared and ran back to the bee hives and went up in one of the trees back there.
The dog is now inside, much to his displeasure and we are going to keep him controlled for a few days in hopes the dumb birds get a routine figured out and get used to the sheep. If they survive I have reluctantly agreed that we can then try adding some full grown hens to the mix and I will put in some nesting boxes.
So the rooster survival trial now begins. My son is betting they don't last a week. I am betting they don't make it three days.
We will see.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!!!
Sounds like these roos were stressed from being moved to a new place. Birds are like that. Think about it....strange place and strange animals and being chased by a dog. Of course they were stressed and scared. They should have been put in a small, quiet secure place for a few days until they settled down and got used to you a the strange noises and smells.
ReplyDeleteTewshooz - They didn't appear to be too stressed until the sheep showed up. Then it was head for the hills time. I certainly ain't gonna stress over them myself though if one or more of them are smart enough to survive and use the coop area we have for them then it's all theirs. If they prove it can be done then we will even get em some mail order brides as a reward!!!
DeleteOur chooks have always free ranged until we moved here, then we started getting buzzard attacks so they are now in a big enclosure netted over to protect them from above, the enclosure is moveable so when needed we can put them on fresh ground, we use a poly tunnel frame covered in netting they have plenty of space and security.
ReplyDeleteDawn - Well I know several places near and around us let their chickens free range all over so my hope was we could do the same. I never honestly trusted this hope enough to test it with real money though. The three cast off roosters seemed like a good way to test it without any payout on my part. If it doesn't work I guess it's back to the drawing board.
DeleteGreat post, PP. Well written! All I can say is, never trust the rationale of someone with extra roosters. Or, think of it as free dog food. I've had chickens that thought they were safer in trees, only to be plucked out and eaten by possums. That said, I hope they make it.
ReplyDeleteLeigh - I think all would have been well if the sheep hadn't scared them out of the barn lot. After they escaped I think the writing is on the wall now. I went out and tried to get them back into the barn lot this morning with no luck. Just a matter of time now I imagine.
DeleteAt least it wasn't good hens, roosters are worthless and seem to survive where the hens would have been killed, the roosters are just stronger. Anyway, I would have told you NO, don't do it!
ReplyDeleteSomething will get in a barn and kill them, you need a coop built like a maximum security prison. You can put some of the nylon wildlife netting around that as it is about $14 per 100 feet which will give you free range if you get enough of it. Now all of this should be within your normal fences to keep dogs out. It does take some thought but not Disney thinking as it isn't a wonderful world in chicken land. They are not to bright but seem to have all kinds of survival instinct because you can get chicks who have never been taught anything by an old bird and they magicaly just act like all other chickens. I wouldn't keep 3 roosters, only one is needed if you want chicks. Just remember they don't like sticks.
Sf - I wasn't too keen on it but as I said the friend had my Mom convinced they would be fine roosting in the barn. Her plan actually had some merit since they were fine and couldn't get out of the barn lot until they discovered that opening through the ram's gate. At that point it was a total wipe. Two of the birds are now inside the ivy covered tree in the front yard and won't come out. The third is no where to be found and I am assuming has already become some things breakfast.
DeleteYou can do it. Lock the new birds in their night time headquarters for a couple of days so they know where to go at night. Let them out during the day and feed them near their nest boxes so you can lure them into coop in a pinch. About dark every night they will put themselves to bed you just shut the door and lock it. Let 'em out in the morning and feed 'em any scraps from garden or table as well as a scoop of cat food every now and then for added protein and increased egg production. Some breeds are much smarter than others so you may want to get a variety to see who survives best. We have some "south Florida yard birds" that are smarter than the two college grads who feed them. The mother raised 9 in a rough environment(coons, snakes, bob cats, coyotes, panthers and possums) and would go Nazi/Ninja on any threat. She taught everyone of her chicks to do the same. Some of our beautiful pure bred girls are not so savvy. Extra roosters go in the crock pot all day or are so tough you may dislocate a jaw. One rooster will guard the flock. They are funny to watch and a softy like you will learn to love 'em. Peg in Florida
ReplyDeleteAbbe - Thanks for the advice!!! I probably should have insisted she keep em locked up for a while and they did come back to the original area at dusk but I guess it was all too confusing for them. Like I said it was atrial run with free chickens that were already useless, tough old roosters scheduled for execution anyway. At least now they stand a small chance :)
DeleteIf one of these roosters manages to survive he will get a flock of his own. If not live (for us anyway) and learn. You have given me a few ideas though I appreciate that.
So far this year I've lost three ducks and four chickens (one layer, two meat birds, and a chick of indeterminate origin) to the every-multiplying number of coons, foxes, and possums we have around here. They free range during the day, and go to their coops at night. The coops have automatic doors that drop just after dark. This works great except when it doesn't. One day, OD mowed and had to unhook the power lines to the coop doors and forgot to reset the timers, so a duck got dragged right out of the coop. One other duck disappeared during the day (son't know what got it) and another got nabbed at dusk by a fox just before "going to the coop time". The chickens all got nabbed because they were too stupid to go into the coop on time, and tried to roost in the tree(1), hide in the garden(2), or hide under the coop(1). It's a good thing we are processing the meat birds next weekend. Then I'll be down to a reasonable number to keep track of...
ReplyDeleteXa Lynn - See that's what I want. Them to go wherever during the day and come back at night. I had enough experience with chickens when I was a kid to know that building a predator coop is neigh on impossible. Seems the only ay to keep the dumb birds this far out is if they are smart enough to help themselves some too.
DeleteI think it only works for us because we have more birds than we need, so if we lose a few each year, well, the fox has to eat, too. But I'll be glad to put 20 ducks and 24 chickens in the freezer and be down to 5 ducks and 15 chickens. And something is annoying them as I type this...
DeleteI suggested chickens. The wife said no. I think she knows something I don't. But then she said that about the milk cow too. She probably figured out who would be doing the milking.
ReplyDeleteShe seen you coming didn't she never ever take free roosters.
ReplyDeleteSome peoples kids I swear:)
Quail, Preppy. Probably about as smart as chickens - well maybe a little less - but smaller and more manageable. Easier to house to, although I do not think I would Free Range them.
ReplyDelete