Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[Arielle]

Quote: Bee I would think you could. Afterall , free ranging doesn't stop my boys from . . . functioning. lol Might depend on what male-female combos you want. I have one male and one female I definitely want to pen together but otherwise that boy keeps track of his 6 girls the best he can. Other roosters will hone in on his territory if they see an opening. . .. .but he make that boy have great regrets. lol

I have been thinking on this all day and can see why farms usually ran only one breed.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Bee I am free ranging mine AND breeding the RIR. Now later I will have to do a breeding pen/tractor if I keep more than one cock. But that will only for a week or two to make sure the preferred cock has sole access to her.

Kind of pasture with the hen I want him to breed. Right now am using THAT spot for ones artificially incubated since they would not be able to hold their own yet. They ARE on grass with a sheltered back part and roosting bars. Wanted them to have sun and grass and pretty sure two or three of the four are cockerels. So separated for a few weeks then later the pullet gets integrated in with the big coop. Right now it is protection since they weren't hen brooded for momma protection. If so they would be right in with the others. Guess you would call it a mini coop with a screened front over grass for play in the coop. Later they will know to return to this little coop and NOT the big one.

Now if one only has ONE cock then he and the special girl get their own coop and she gets to free range everyday AFTER laying the egg in that coop or they free range within their own pasture with coop inside it so no other hen can lay in there. Then out to full range once you have the days egg.

 

[lyndon]

You can free range breeders if you separate Roos from the flock. You can also partial free range. Have coops with clans and runs, the rotate free ranging. Clan 1 free ranges today, Clan 2 tomorrow, Clan 3 the next day, etc.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Really? Breeders can't be free rangers? Well, that knocks me out of the game, then, because we'll never be penning up birds around here for any length of time...maybe a broody, or a breeding scenario, or to give the girls a break from a rooster, but there will always be free ranging done with the flock.

Shoot! Here I was thinking I could breed chickens out on free range......

Bee, you CAN breed on free range, as long as you only have the one cock and your girls always lay in their nest boxes and you know who laid what egg so you can be sure to get the mating that you are looking for.

 

[gjensen]

Bee knows that she can breed her birds on range. The question was not really a question.

I free range my birds, but I cannot free range all of my males, all of the time. I keep too many males, and mate the birds in small groups. The putting them together, taking them apart, etc, is chaos. Not good for them and not good for me.

There could be 10 cockerels or cock birds here in any given winter. That is two breeds. About five for each, depending. If I let all 10 of the males run together, I would have dead and injured birds. It would be complete chaos, and the hens/pullets would not have a feather on them.

If I was going to go the complete free range all of the time, I would flock mate. I would replace all of the males at the same time, and they would have been raised together. All in and all out.

Managing the males in any qty. is a management challenge. I do not want to depend on a couple males. I want to be a little deeper than that.

And they are not all the same. Some tolerate the company of others better than others.

Everyone finds their own way.

 

[lyndon]

 

 If I was going to go the complete free range all of the time, I would flock mate. I would replace all of the males at the same time, and they would have been raised together. All in and all out.

Exactly what I had in mind.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

I just re-read her post. Yes she did say "....maybe a broody, or a breeding scenario, or to give the girls a break from a rooster, but there will always be free ranging done with the flock."

It was just a nice way of saying OH YES I CAN No wonder she is silent now.... shaking her head at our naivety at understanding her satire.

 

[jime]

I am one that free range my animals,I have layer hens and my breeders so one day the breeder in one group goes out and the next the other group , the rooster is the lucky one because he gets to interact with the layers as well.
In fall and winter (she weather allows) everybody free range together BUT even like that the groups never mix, the rooster go and take turn with the layers but the breeders girls keep to their own little groups and waiting for the man.Middle of winter I torte the males (houses) so they can get bait use to the new ladies and the ladies to the new guys so spring comes again an everybody goes to the schedule .

 

[Arielle]

I just re-read her post. Yes she did say "....maybe a broody, or a breeding scenario, or to give the girls a break from a rooster, but there will always be free ranging done with the flock."

It was just a nice way of saying OH YES I CAN

No wonder she is silent now.... shaking her head at our naivety at understanding her satire.

You are quick witted-- I just figured I missed something and followed the crowd, lol. Bee must be either shacking her head or laughing full tilt. . . .

At least it sparked a conversation!!

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Not so quick witted you noticed I joined in first THEN looked back because she didn't come back. Knew there had to be a reason.... THEN I saw it. Am a bit slow... especially today as it is drink the colon prep solution day. Stuck inside this afternoon watching out window as they free range.