Difference between "run" and "walk"

[ezeo]

Traditionally, pens for hens are called "chicken runs" and pens for roosters are called "walks" (hence the phrase "cock of the walk").

I've always been curious about the difference. Is it just the name, or is the design different as well? Anyone know?

 

[paneubert]

First, I have never heard that, but it makes sense when used in the phrase you provided. Second, I don't see why the construction or contents would differ. Both would need food and water, both would need the same space per bird, both would benefit from "toys", perches, shady spots to get out of the sun, etc.. At the core, they are all chickens, whether male or female. I guess the one difference is you could feed the female chickens a higher calcium feed if you knew your males were separated and eating a lower calcium feed.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Where the phrase originated is an interesting question.

I don’t know them to be called ‘walks’, but the pens for roosters mentioned in one explanation of the phrase I found online, are small single rooster pens that keep gamefowl males from fighting... very different than a “run”... but again I’ve not known these to actually be called walks... maybe it’s regional or just an old term...

Google told me this though :
http://www.cockofthewalkrestaurant.com/the-history-of-the-name/

....that kinda makes me wonder about the validity of idea that the expression comes from rooster pens....but the explanation involving ship walks seems a bit contrived too, so

I really don’t know, but it’s a fun question.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

I've never heard them called walks.. I've always heard them called "Bachelor Pens".. but I don't see any difference in the disigns.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

"Cock of the run" just doesn't have that punch, y'know?

 

[ezeo]

Okay, I asked some older chicken keepers... I think it's a regional thing. Gamefowl roosters used to be kept in individual pens to prevent fighting, and they had an outside area where they would be taken out once a day for exercise, or a "walk".

 

[ezeo]

oh yeah, and there was no such thing as a "chicken run" back then, because the hens were kept loose in the barnyard. Runs were invented after leash laws were created for dogs in the 1970s. People made dog runs for dogs to run off-leash, and then chicken keepers copied those runs.

 

[AmyJane725]

I've never heard of a "walk" either. Probably is a dated regional term.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

oh yeah, and there was no such thing as a "chicken run" back then, because the hens were kept loose in the barnyard. Runs were invented after leash laws were created for dogs in the 1970s. People made dog runs for dogs to run off-leash, and then chicken keepers copied those runs.

I’m not meaning to be rude... but can you site sources for this information...

... I simply ask because while there is a bunch of great information on this site, there is also a lot of unverified stuff that gets repeated over and over sometimes.

 

[ezeo]

I’m not meaning to be rude... but can you site sources for this information...

... I simply ask because while there is a bunch of great information on this site, there is also a lot of unverified stuff that gets repeated over and over sometimes.

Well... you can search google for "gamefowl walk" and you will find lots of links about how to design a walk for a roosters, as well as some history. I don't want to link to any sources because all the ones I could find are related to [something we can't talk about here].