Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[rodriguezpoultry]

How safe is it to use tethers. In other words if I wanted to take a few birds that I plan to show that have been in conditioning pens and let them out for a couple hours on a tether, would I be asking for trouble?

Chris

I'm sure if you put them far enough apart they would be fine. Thing is, are you sure there are no predators around to chase your birds while they are on the tether? I would use it if I could to give the males a few hours of grazing time.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I read an article one time where a cocker stated that the hawks don't mess with his game cocks. They're too mean for that. I've seen a farm of these birds and they lived on tethers. Their entire area was fenced, probably for ground predators, and they each had their own little house they could get into or onto. I only saw one tether up close and its not a string as I may have imagined, I think the part that goes around their leg is leather and there is something on the lead that keeps it from getting tangled.

From the ones I've seen, it is a type of treated leather...almost plastic like. Some were similar to surgical tubing. A nifty thing you can do as housing and a good way to keep the tether from getting tangled is to attach it to a 50 gallon barrel. Put an eye screw into the side of the barrel and they won't be able to tangle themselves. The 50 gallon barrel is usually cut in half and the bird will go into it for shelter.

 

[Chris09]

I only saw one tether up close and its not a string as I may have imagined, I think the part that goes around their leg is leather and there is something on the lead that keeps it from getting tangled.

The cord of the tie cords is a treated nylon rope, the hitch (the part that go's around the leg) can be leather, neoprene or nylon and there is a swivel ant the end that attaches to the barrel or a-frame.

Chris

 

[Chris Herzog]

I'm sure if you put them far enough apart they would be fine. Thing is, are you sure there are no predators around to chase your birds while they are on the tether? I would use it if I could to give the males a few hours of grazing time.

That's what I was thinking to.

Chris

 

[thedragonlady]

Here is the head that ended up on some of our heritage birds.........not quite this extreme, but Asils were a foundation stock as noted here.

Asil



Cornish



Walt

Walt,
Where did the pearl eyes come from on Cornish ??

 

[fowlman01]

Walt,
Where did the pearl eyes come from on Cornish ??

Asils.

w.

 

[saladin]

How safe is it to use tethers. In other words if I wanted to take a few birds that I plan to show that have been in conditioning pens and let them out for a couple hours on a tether, would I be asking for trouble?

Chris

I have 50+ cocks on tie-cords (what you refer to as tethers). The cock yard is surrounded by 4 strains of electric fence.

 

[saladin]

Wow..that was interesting Walt. A new wrinkle on my brain..whenever I go to the shows, I think, I wonder where the Cornish got their funny face

Commercially speaking it could be argued that the 3 most important breeds of chickens in the world are:

Games
Asil
Leghorn

It is these three breeds as foundation breeds which today feed the world.

 

[saladin]

Most have some type of swivel on them to prevent them from twisting up.

You can buy them ready made but most make their own. Here's how it works:


U-bolt (or some type of anchor)

Metal swivel

Cord (usually about 3 foot)

Plastic swivel (I use a 1 " pvc pipe with two holes drilled into the side)

Cord (usally another 3 foot)

Hitch (these we buy: they are a rubbery material: not leather which would shrink when wet and hurt the leg)

You also need a barrel or homemade teepee. They do best in a wooded area where there is lots of shade. If a chicken gets caught out in the southern sun without shade for an hour they'll be toast: not a pretty sight.

 

[ashandvine]

The cord of the tie cords is a treated nylon rope, the hitch (the part that go's around the leg) can be leather, neoprene or nylon and there is a swivel ant the end that attaches to the barrel or a-frame.

Chris

Thank you for this image. This helps with the directions Saladin gave. I never would have thought of grazing several cock/erels this way. There must be a conditioning phase for this as well.

I went to bed thinking of 30" tall birds who could give me 'the look'.... admiration goes along with trepidation in this case. Jurassic Park does not need to live here no matter how much I admire the possibilities. The Malay for RO was discussed a few times in that thread and may still be on the table here... or not.

I have 50+ cocks on tie-cords (what you refer to as tethers). The cock yard is surrounded by 4 strains of electric fence.

What!? PICS!