Free range-ish

Skinny rooster · Post by **Skinny rooster** » Thu Sep 29, 2016 3:12 pm

I'm almost down to the wire in chickens, mostly I have a bunch of roosters, there is a group that loves to free range and it's nice to watch them. I have to be really careful here, I have a higher number of predators than most people. My intention was after I sold off the last of the females, I would keep the roaming group of boys until the last auction or until snow comes. They are nice looking birds, Barred Rocks, Jersey Giant, Wyandott-ish Red layer with an all white tail. This way I was thinking I would just open the doors in the morning and let them run all day. They don't have a lot of value money wise but it's nice to watch them, so if one gets eaten it's a bummer but not a hit to the piggy bank. However since we had frost and most of the bigger bugs are gone, they don't seem to have any interest in going out. When I open the door, instead of tumbling out in a hurry and taking off all over, they either stay in the barn or only forage a few feet from the door. I thought maybe it was because of the cold windy days we are having but even nice days it's a no go. Any one else notice this? I might as well just sell them off with the pullets.

ross · Post by **ross** » Thu Sep 29, 2016 3:19 pm

Time for Hawk migration maybe one came thru & scared / buzzed um . Had one here few days back , chickens took rest of day to come out from under cedars then another 2 days to leave barn as a mass . Bugless will also keep um close to home if feed & protection from wind & predators is in coop I've found .
Spreading some whole corn on ground out where you want them might help too . Luck

kenya · Post by **kenya** » Thu Sep 29, 2016 4:05 pm

Agee with Ross, something scared them.

Skinny rooster · Post by **Skinny rooster** » Thu Sep 29, 2016 11:29 pm

Could be spooked by something, I was wondering about that but I'm usually close by. They used to do this clever thing I called wagon wheel ranging, they form a circle with an axle in the center, where ever the axle walks, the roosters move in a circle and forage, want to know what the axle was, it's my cat! Lol she is a good size and I guess they feel safe from bird attack with a cat around.

Post by **Killerbunny** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 7:38 am

Mine haven't ranged much at all since Lucky went away and with the hawk migration on they're sticking close to home.