jwsmith1959
Songster
Due to an unfortunate event, I lost one of my newer girls (RIR about 5 months old) and my oldest Girl (Production Red about 10 months) flew the coop for a couple of days. This was about a week and a half after a dog attack that cost my oldest girl some tail feathers. They were skittish and were sticking close when the attack happened on my RIR. Not sure what got her, but it was fairly close to the coop near one of my fence lines. Being middle of the afternoon, the likely culprits (Coons, Possums, Owls) are unlikely, but not impossible. I have trapped and killed a couple of large raccoons near the back of my property lately and it is possible for one to be lurking in the daytime. I have seen Bobcat's before (who are absolutely a daytime predator), but the only damage was to the girls head and she was not taken off like a Bobcat would have done. Before my oldest Girl showed back up, I picked up a couple of new Production Reds (about 18 weeks). They have been in the coop for a few days and are fitting in fine, but my older three who are used to free ranging and are showing signs of cabin fever. They are used to being out 7-8 hours a day and have always been good about coming to coop when called. I have about 8 acres, but they only use about 4 for their forays, mainly sticking to fence lines and hiding under scrub oak, vines and yaupon.
Whenever I have introduced a new girl, they always seem to take the lead of my oldest (and now her other two RIR buddies) all hang close.
How long should I wait until I let them out together? I don't want to keep them in for too long and have a mutiny on my hands with the older girls who are itching to get out.
Whenever I have introduced a new girl, they always seem to take the lead of my oldest (and now her other two RIR buddies) all hang close.
How long should I wait until I let them out together? I don't want to keep them in for too long and have a mutiny on my hands with the older girls who are itching to get out.
