Does anyone else free range Hamburgs? (or other wilder breeds)

[fzouk]

I would love to bounce ideas off of other people with Hamburgs, or I guess other breeds that have VERY independent, flighty personalities. It seems they don't follow the rules like the more docile breeds- specifically I'm dealing with chickens that (despite me following every suggestion given) insist on sleeping out in the trees. So far they've all been fine in the morning but I know the day will come when one or a few get eaten.

They just came off of a 2 week lock-in in the coop, I've put a (very expensive) fan in there to make it nice and cool, I turn the light on an hour or two before the sun goes down so the light will attract them, I give them a little corn inside to try and attract them, etc. I'm getting to the point where I don't believe there's anything I can do about them sleeping outside and as the REALLY independent ones get eaten replacing them with a more domesticated breed. I can't even find the ones that sleep outside because we live in the forest and they are VERY good at hiding. The few times I have been able to spot them they've been waaaaaay up in the trees where I have zero chance of getting them down. As you other Hamburg people know, they are excellent fliers.

Thanks very much! Hoping to find others with the same situation!

Frances

 

[Theda's Mom]

I've got a hamburg, and have yet to have a problem with her dashing off on her own accord. She's a bit standoffish, at least by comparison to my other hens (BO, Aus, BR, GLW, and a pair of Cochins), but she sticks close to the flock and comes into the roost every night on time.

 

[fzouk]

Yeah- I'm thinking that if I hadn't gotten ALL hamburgs I would be having an easier time. If they had some more docile chickens to influence them, I mean. Mine act more like guineas than chickens! I've done EVERYTHING I can think of to do and I'll keep trying, but I've lost enough sleep over it already. I should have gotten a different breed, I think.

Frances

 

[EweSheep]

My SSH bantam girl does not do like the others did LOL! My Spitzhaubens are more gentle and I dont have anything in the run that they would fly out. Sure they all like to forage for bugs but I keep them enclosed to keep predators and neighbors at bay LOL!

 

[fzouk]

A run would be good, and it would solve my problem for sure, but I got them to eat the ticks around the house. They do a GREAT job at it- haven't seen one since I got the chickens (YAAAAAY!) but it means that a run would defeat the purpose of having them since they couldn't go and eat the ticks. I think their wily personalities serve them very well out free-ranging- the ONLY thing I would change is their coming in at night habit!

 

[EweSheep]

Well you can keep your best Hamburgs in the run for breedings and use your culls for free foraging so you have a bit of both! That way you dont fret too much when you have extra roos around to get your ticks and coons or predators will get to them first.

 

[fzouk]

Well that's true- that's a good idea. I was going to buy some more chickens at the county fair in a few weeks and was going to get some REALLY ultra domesticated, docile, gentle pet chickens and was considering making a run for them because they probably wouldn't have the 'street smarts' the hamburgs do. Hmmmm...

Edited to add that now that I think of it, maybe they would be able to handle themselves outside. I've only had hamburgs so I wouldn't know! (and the 2 wyandottes, but they just follow along with whatever the hamburgs do)

But my point is that it will be fun to have other chickens that maybe won't give me so much trouble! Actually the hamburgs are great- they're not a bit afraid of me, come right up and eat out of my hands all the time, they just won't come in at night.

Thanks for responding, I was getting so frustrated before and just needed to tell someone who would understand my chicken woes!