constructing a single chicken family unit for porch

[welasharon]

Quote:
Changes in tail only can be from moult or attempt by predator. When from fighting, feather damage includes lots of broken feathers on wings and neck as well as tail.

Eudardo went for a couple day with only the two longest sicle feathers and one of those broke from wear. He looked very ugly.

I am thinking predator...unless it is possible to moult only tail feathers.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Changes in tail only can be from moult or attempt by predator. When from fighting, feather damage includes lots of broken feathers on wings and neck as well as tail.

Eudardo went for a couple day with only the two longest sicle feathers and one of those broke from wear. He looked very ugly.

I am thinking predator...unless it is possible to moult only tail feathers.

Look at Eduardo, his tail feathers came out without help from predator.

 

[welasharon]

Quote:
I am thinking predator...unless it is possible to moult only tail feathers.

Look at Eduardo, his tail feathers came out without help from predator.

You are right! I found them in the front yard yesterday while I was out reading and watching them. Nothing bothers them inside the picket fence. I guess the remaining one will drop too. I feel embarassed for him....he is no longer majestic looking!

 

[centrarchid]

Eduardo without a tail looks stupid. Somehow the tail makes me think he has more smarts. It is used for a lot of signalling that I can interpret.

 

[welasharon]

I think they think the tail makes them more of a lot of things! I should show him the araucana babes!

 

[centrarchid]

I looked back over my records. It took three weeks for Eduardo to drop his entire tail once the first flight feathers were lost. Feathers dropped first (lateral which appear to be lower in photographs) are also the most advanced in regrowth process. The feather dropping was most rapid in last week.

 

[centrarchid]

TIME TO MOVE FRONT PORCH FLOCK OFF FRONT PORCH

Red jungle hen off nest at least a couple days to soon. Something found her brood.

Flock big enough to be quite a mass by beginning of winter. Juveniles seem to center activities around pop than their mothers.

New roost they will be moved to tonight. Roost poles a solid 8.5 feet above ground.

Side view of roost. Pallet will serve as launch point for juveniles until I am certain they can fly up with problems.

Warped board behind it was day roost until sumac leafed out.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
So how do you get them to move there. Just curious....

 

[centrarchid]

Depends on birds and alternative roost options.


With the front porch flock I tear down the existing roost just before dark, then once they committ to roosting locations they do not like I move them by hand and place them in desired location on roost poles. This may need to be repeated so will make updates on progress. This system usually works well with birds that are used to handling and where new location has good qualities for a roost.

The option used with cohorts of 4-week-old birds starts in chicken tractor . Chicks are imprinted on box while in brooder that they roost inside while in chicken tractor. When birds about 8 weeks old, I begin to move box incrementally from tractor to location where constructed roost is placed. The moves take several days to complete. See following threads for details. Still refining methods. Temperature appears to complicate move from ground to elevated roost.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=415571&p=1


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=7199265#p7199265

 

[centrarchid]

Last night, first in new roost, we had a pretty good storm with > 1 inch of rain and the kind wind that blows flower pots around. Two juveniles blown out of roost. They were wet and roosting on pallet below roost at 0430. This will continue until they adjust to roosting something that is not a flat surface.