American Gamefowl

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks!
Most stations out of gas on Sunday. I think maybe 1-2 might have a little left.
Everything is going pretty good. Probably will do another breeding since I only have the 3GF chicks.
Rainy today, that's always fun

 

[SOHC-FTW]

 

[RingedTeal]

Lost my blue mug today in a freak accident. He got loose and tangled up with a spare hatch cock on a tie cord, managed to get wrapped around in the tie cord and just got hammered for god knows how long until I got home from work. Only managed to raise one pure stag off him this year, hopefully he turns out to be a nice replacement. If not, I’ll have to go pick out one of his brothers. On a more positive note the rest of the yard is healthy and chicks hatching out and running around left and right

 

[roosterhavoc]

 

[CLSranch]

No more chicken dinner for you.

 

[TJAnonymous]

My 5 adopted game hens are down to 2. I had another one that has disappeared in the past 2 days. I keep hoping she is just brooding somewhere and will show up.

One of the two remaining hens was roosting in the barn rafters last night, like usual. I took a fish net out and used it to catch her. Moved her into the big coop with my standard sized chickens. I feel really bad for her because she has been pacing the fence ALL DAY looking for a way out. Poor thing....

The other hen has been sitting on eggs for about 2 weeks now. I moved her, nesting box & all, into a dog crate to keep her safe from predators. After her chicks hatch, I will move her & the chicks into a coop as well. Right now I'm thinking I should put her in with my Silkies instead of the big coop. Maybe I should move them both into the Silkie pen? Decisions, decisions....

 

[roosterhavoc]

My 5 adopted game hens are down to 2. I had another one that has disappeared in the past 2 days. I keep hoping she is just brooding somewhere and will show up.

One of the two remaining hens was roosting in the barn rafters last night, like usual. I took a fish net out and used it to catch her. Moved her into the big coop with my standard sized chickens. I feel really bad for her because she has been pacing the fence ALL DAY looking for a way out. Poor thing....

The other hen has been sitting on eggs for about 2 weeks now. I moved her, nesting box & all, into a dog crate to keep her safe from predators. After her chicks hatch, I will move her & the chicks into a coop as well. Right now I'm thinking I should put her in with my Silkies instead of the big coop. Maybe I should move them both into the Silkie pen? Decisions, decisions....

If you’re not gonna trap the predators in your immediate area you’re gonna lose them all. It’s just the way it is. I free range birds year round but I deal with foxes, raccoons, possums, mink etc...
If you want to keep any long term you’ll need to pen the remaining birds.

 

[TJAnonymous]

If you’re not gonna trap the predators in your immediate area you’re gonna lose them all. It’s just the way it is. I free range birds year round but I deal with foxes, raccoons, possums, mink etc...
If you want to keep any long term you’ll need to pen the remaining birds.

We have TRIED to trap them. They are too smart for the traps. I have 3 coops - standard size chickens (mixed with my 2 goats), Silkies, and Ducks. I just recently got all of those runs covered right before Mother's Day. I am making an effort to protect them all... The game hens refused to mix with my other flocks and were insistent about roosting in my barn instead. Up until 2 days ago, there were 3 game hens left. Two were roosting in the barn rafters and I couldn't catch them. The only reason why I was able to catch the 3rd was because she was broody. I was able to cover the entrance to the nesting box and move her into a dog crate where she is safe from predators. The last time I saw my little grey game hen (who had been roosting in the rafters) was on Sunday morning. I realized last night that she was missing when there was only 1 hen in the rafters instead of 2. That's when I got crafty and decided to try to use a fishing net to knock her off the rafter. I waited until it was dark so she didn't know where to run as easily. I ended up catching her with the net I used to knock her down and I moved her into the coop with the standard chickens.

I'm TRYING to rehome them to a new coop for their safety. She just doesn't want to comply and keeps pacing the fence. Even in the pouring rain.

 

[SOHC-FTW]

Either trap and setup a electric fence even sitting out until weee hours in the early morning or they’ll be dinner. It don’t matter where they “rehome” too because if they ain’t going to do the above either then the birds will be in the same boat as they are now.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Either trap and setup a electric fence even sitting out until weee hours in the early morning or they’ll be dinner. It don’t matter where they “rehome” too because if they ain’t going to do the above either then the birds will be in the same boat as they are now.

I think she meant re-home them to a coop instead of being loose. Not to a new home.

I'm TRYING to rehome them to a new coop for their safety.

Lots of work involved to keeping free range birds alive I'd say.
Hopefully they will settle in the coop for you.