Freedom Rangers need Roosts?

[RoosterGeek]

What's the general consensus on Freedom Rangers and rooster? I know that Cornish x you do not want to let roost due to weight and weak legs. I'll be getting my first batch of 25 tomorrow and building their Salatin style tractor this weekend. I was wondering if I should add onto the back end and allow for roosting. I'm asking this because I have heard that they are much more active.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

How big is your chicken tractor for 60 rustic ranger meat birds?

Just so you know, this thread is from 2010 and the member you asked this to hasn't logged into BYC since 2014. Getting a reply will take a miracle. You may want to consider using the search function to find answers to questions about chicken tractors, or you can also start a thread of your own.

 

[Shaun]

Mine would roost, but I put the roosts rather low to the ground just in case. You will find them very much more active indeed than Cornish cross, and they dress out to really lovely and delicious carcasses.

 

[RoosterGeek]

Thanks for the feedback! My wife brought up the secondary benefit of using it for the layers when "meatie bird" empty.



Anyone else?

 

[marceedee]

We build a roost for our red broilers about 6" off the ground, but most of the flock preferred sleeping on the ground. A few, about 10 out of the 60, used the roost.

 

[jaku]

They'll be perfectly happy without roosts. I just raised a batch in my tractor and they did fine without a roost.

 

[TimG]

Do I have the only non-meat chickens that don't use a roost?

 

[eKo_birdies]

in the coop i am currently using as a brooder there were already roosts and at 2 weeks my rangers were roosting... but the past batches i have done didn't have roosts and they seemed fine without them.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Mine never roosted or tried to roost but if you do it right they are ready to process at 16 weeks or less and many of my "larger" birds don't start roosting until that time. These birds although not as big and bulky as the cornish grow really fast and are pretty heavy fast. I think you are fine without the roosts.

 

[TimG]

Quote:
I know you said "or less", but I think 12 is plenty and the cockerels were ready by 10-11 weeks.