- Jul 22, 2014
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My wife and I have had several hens for over a year now and wanted to try some meat birds this spring. It's a long story but our order from mcmurray hatchery got doubled. So we ended up with around 16 dual purpose breeds and 30 red rangers and pioneers. I have a multi-part question.
1. Are they more aggressive than Cornish birds? They seem to peck at and will kill any that shows a sign of weakness or looking a little different. Any who are a little short in the feather department could be fine now and on the verge of death at the next feeding.
2. Are Cornish birds this feisty? I started them all out in a somewhat Salatin-style 8x8 pen that was moved everyday. At 3-4 weeks the came out of that dude like a covey of quail when I opened the top to feed and water. Joel never has that trouble on all of the youtube videos that I've watched. At 5-6 weeks I built an 8x10 hoop house and separated the two groups by the way.
3. Do I need to give them a roosting pole?
4. Should I keep feed in front of them all the time? I've been trying to give them just barely what they will eat in hopes that they forage more. I have an abundance of red and white clover, Timothy, orchard grass, fescues and several other species.
Thank you all in advance for the great information.
1. Are they more aggressive than Cornish birds? They seem to peck at and will kill any that shows a sign of weakness or looking a little different. Any who are a little short in the feather department could be fine now and on the verge of death at the next feeding.
2. Are Cornish birds this feisty? I started them all out in a somewhat Salatin-style 8x8 pen that was moved everyday. At 3-4 weeks the came out of that dude like a covey of quail when I opened the top to feed and water. Joel never has that trouble on all of the youtube videos that I've watched. At 5-6 weeks I built an 8x10 hoop house and separated the two groups by the way.
3. Do I need to give them a roosting pole?
4. Should I keep feed in front of them all the time? I've been trying to give them just barely what they will eat in hopes that they forage more. I have an abundance of red and white clover, Timothy, orchard grass, fescues and several other species.
Thank you all in advance for the great information.