The Poultry Keeper

ejc-free · Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 139

We couldn't cull the male maran we raised last year - and to cut a long story short - once he started squaring up to our LS cock we realized either one would have to go - or we're need to separate them. So we now have another coop, run and hens for Slerms and he's very happy but now confined. The new coop /run is "portable" with some effort - so if we need to keep one coop "in" - it will be this new one as we can move them around the garden so that they have continued access to fresh grass

My questions is - when free ranging them in the garden - which backs onto barns / fields that they have access so - should we range one group at at time, (it would have to be alternate days because once they're out - they tend to be out for the day), or would we range two groups at the same time. If we can do this can we let them all out at the same time - or should we stagger this

The two cocks really had a go at each other over the weekend and I had to step in and sin bin them both (separately) this was just before putting the Maran in with his new girls as they'd been in "quarantine" since we got them to check them over etc.

Suggestions from those of you with several flocks please......

Knobby · Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 9:17 pm Post subject:

I have 3 flocks, but they never meet....Im too "chicken" to see the consequence !

debcat · Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 9:34 pm Post subject:

I have a scots dumpy, cream legbar, appenzeller and leghorn that all freerange together
they sometimes get split up so I can get some purebred eggs.
They have a definite pecking order, dumpy at the top, leghorn at the bottom. As long as each remembers where they are in the order I have no problems, if one tries to mate with a hen it's not meant to they have a squabble, as soon as the lower roo backs down it's over
they have a few acres to roam over though so plenty of room to get away from each other
On the other hand I can't put my pekin roos together at all, must admit I've not tried freerange with these, but a 12 X 12ft stable in the winter didn't work
HTH
Debs

fenwoman · Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 11:29 pm Post subject: Re: Free ranging 2 small flocks

ejc-free · Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 139

Hi Fenwoman

We won't be hatching anymore - at least not until the family agree properly that we should be able to eat the spare roos....mind you the two worst perpetrators of the "you can't kill him" are now both at university but their spy (younger brother) would report back to them if I did the deed.

The daft thing is we all eat game of all sorts - and hubby is after a 22 to shoot pigeon & rabbit as we enjoy these so much ..... but it was naming the darn roo that was my undoing.

If we ever decide to hatch again - all the chicks will have to be unnamed and kept as potential food

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7336 Location: isle of lewis

i found with mine 4 cockerals when they were freeranging they had a pecking order ,when i spilt them up into groups to find out if everything was comfortable for them if there was a case of ai ,and to make sure i had pure breed hatching eggs for someone ,i've messed up the pecking order and they will not freerange without fighting ,the creamlegbar and the light sussex got out together and they used to be alright together they had a horrendous fight the cream leg got the hell kicked out of him before i grabbed him Evil or Very Mad

suz

CP · Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 10:59 am Post subject:

mojo · Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 2:46 pm Post subject:

we have names for chooks(egg producers and breeders )all the rest are chicken and future lunches.no names just a no on the ring

nigel · Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 6:14 am Post subject:

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7336 Location: isle of lewis

no they all freeranged together they had plenty of room so they could get away from each other they where fine ,but since i wanted to know how things would be if we had a lock down and put them in covered runs ,i cannot let them out together they find each other and they fight so i let one group out at a time ,depending whether i can catch them and put them away ,
this is only an i wonder
i've seen pics of breeding yards covered in straw
in world war 2 i think
there where a lot of light sussex cockerals in there ,with loads of hens to boost the national flock and none of them seemed to have any fighting damage
how ,
suz

ejc-free · Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 139

As a post script to this - the Maran's behaviour did not improve and he had a go at me as well. So he's been dispatched and was dinner last night - the best coq au vin I've ever tasted by far

Having done this once - I don't think I'll be so sentimental again

traditionalbritishfowlco · Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 243 Location: lancashire

good for you!