HELP! Chickens in field!

[LateBirdFarms]

You mentioned predation issues as well as your badly behaved roo.. is there more cover in the field than your yard? Are they hiding from aerial predators as well as your roo? If they've been aware of circling hawks they may be trying to do the smart thing and not get eaten. Do they stay in the field after dusk or do they return to the coop to roost?

 

[Vickischics]

You sound like you've become
defensive when the overall general consensus all agree you need to get rid of the Roo to solve your problem.
You asked and we are telling you.
You stated you have "two hens and
I want them out because all they do is lay there and I want them to see what's all in the yard." "They haven't been the healthiest since they're not allowed out".
They're not allowed out because you are keeping an abusive Roo that's has been so dominant they have lost their independence. Just like a human female in an abusive male relationship. You get so beat down, why bother to get up and then one day, someone makes you leave and you run like hell, dreading the idea the abuser will find you.
You also stated "I've also been looking for more chickens to buy but haven't had any luck."
This is a very difficult time in finding
Chicks let alone trying to find grown hens. Then, you will have to hope you can integrate them safely with that "abusive" Roo.
You mentioned adding 4 chickens and that will only total 6 females. You'll need at the minimum 8 - 10 hens for that Roo because he will continue to over mate his two favorites plus he will attack the other four.
Keeping him totally separate and away from your Girls sounds like the Best option for you since you stated "I'm not getting rid of him anytime soon".
We have ALL agreed the problem with your girls running to the field or not wanting to leave the coop is because of the Roo you insist on keeping.
We are only trying to help you with your problem. But, we can only make a recommendation to your solution. Ultimately, its up to you.
But, Roos come in different personalities and many on BYC have nice gentle Roos. Unfortunately, you do not have a nice one.
However, what you have told us so far is your keeping him and going to add 4 chickens.
Therefore, Good Luck and I hope things work out for you.

 

[Mamatomany123]

Of course I'm not going to jeporadize their health and safety when I'm perfectly capable of taking him out. I've had them for about 2 years and I know when they are getting sick or need help, which is why I've started separating them all day long. They run into the field when I let them out, not when they find an escape route and try to run for their lives. They did end up coming back yesterday and they're exploring the yard today. For their sake I'm glad they did come back. I have alot of possums and quite a few raccoon. A fox or coyote too. Not to mention the 5 stray cats. You act as though I abuse them. I can assure you that is not at all the case. They get many treats throughout the day and I take special care to make sure they are very comfortable in the coop. I asked how I could keep them out of the field, I didn't ask what I should do about the roo. He's overmating them and you should be glad to know that I'm looking into getting about 4 more chickens. Thanks.

You are abusing them by keeping them with that rooster.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

I don’t think, and hear me out, you should get rid of the rooster. If he isn’t being aggressive, then I’m not personally seeing any signs he is bad based off of what you have said. If he doesn’t have enough hens, he is going to act that way. And, you don’t have enough hens. Getting four more hens probably won’t be enough for him, but it might. Get more girls as quickly as you can, before the situation gets worse. Two hens and one rooster is a horrible ratio, and it’s bound to end up bad. I personally don’t think it’s the rooster’s fault. Of course he is the one being a jerk to the hens, but at the core I think he is just trying to protect them. He only has two girls, he won’t act the same as a happy rooster with a whole flock. But, I haven’t ever met him nor seen him, so I’m basing all this off what you have said.

I don’t think it’s right to call the rooster abusive, simply because he isn’t. Roosters “own” their hens. The hens are THEIR’S, in their eyes anyways. A good rooster does whatever they can do protect the girls, and have kids. Roosters do technically use, and abuse, hens sometimes ( non consensual sex, more non consensual sex, etc.), but in their eyes it isn’t abuse, it’s normal. Of course, it isn’t normal to us, but then again, we aren’t chickens. We are humans, so it’s not right to judge chickens based off what we think is right and wrong.

Have you seen any predators outside? He may have saw a fox, for example, and is scared to let his two girls outside in fears they will be killed. My cockerel acts the same way whenever he sees something he deems as a threat. He makes the girls go inside the coop, and blocks the entrance out with his body. Normally he just sees a squirrel, but I can see it happening with someone else with an actual threat. Have you lost any birds lately? If you have, he could also just be scared he will lose one, or both, of his hens.

TL;DR
Rooster good, but is acting bad. He needs more girls, and as soon as you can get some. 7-9 is the minimum number of girls per rooster, if you want them all to be happy. Roosters “own” the hens, they are his property in both his and the hen’s eyes. Don’t put human thoughts and feelings into an animal with a completely different social structure than ours. Check the field, yard, everywhere for any signs of predators.

- Me.

 

[aart]

He needs more girls, and as soon as you can get some. 7-9 is the minimum number of girls per rooster, if you want them all to be happy.

Not really.

The 'rooster' to hen ratio of 1:10 that is often cited is primarily for fertility efficiency in commercial breeding facilities.

It doesn't mean that if a cockbird has 10 hens that he won't abuse or over mate them.

Many breeders keep pairs, trios, quads, etc ....short term and/or long term.

It all depends on the temperaments of the cock and hens and sometimes housing provided.

Backyard flocks can achieve good fertility with a larger ratio.

 

[Egg Snatcher]

I'm not planning on getting rid of the roo any time soon. I've also been looking for more chickens to buy but haven't had any luck. Any suggestions on how to keep them out of the field or get them out when they run in?

Have you looked on Craigslist, there are tons of chickens. Are your chickens bantams or regular chickens, there are both on there including hatching eggs.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Not really.

The 'rooster' to hen ratio of 1:10 that is often cited is primarily for fertility efficiency in commercial breeding facilities.

It doesn't mean that if a cockbird has 10 hens that he won't abuse or over mate them.

Many breeders keep pairs, trios, quads, etc ....short term and/or long term.

It all depends on the temperaments of the cock and hens and sometimes housing provided.

Backyard flocks can achieve good fertility with a larger ratio.

Thank you! I was just going off what I knew and what I have heard on here, but it’s nice to hear some new information I can shove into my brain. I think, and don’t quote me on this, but roosters are more likely to over mate hens if he doesn’t have a lot of them. I’m not sure if the OP is running a breeding operation or not, I don’t think they said, but knowing if they are or not would be helpful. @AidKD care to answer that for me? ( or everyone, I don’t know if other people care or not)

 

[RW1984]

Finding chickens isn’t too hard. If you’re in the US just order online. I have found a ton available in the last few days of various breeds and ages.
If you want to look out for the girls and do right by them, I’d listen to the majority here, get rid of the old roo and get some new chicks in.
This will allow your older girls time to recover as well. When the chicks are older integrate them. If you are die hard on having a Roo, get a batch of unsexed chicks and keep the gentlest roo and get rid of the others if you have multiple.
In the time it will take you to get new chicks and them to grow, your two older hens will be even more traumatized by the rooster.
Get him gone and do it sooner rather than later.

 

[MaryMaryTurkeyGirl]

Of course I'm not going to jeporadize their health and safety when I'm perfectly capable of taking him out. I've had them for about 2 years and I know when they are getting sick or need help, which is why I've started separating them all day long. They run into the field when I let them out, not when they find an escape route and try to run for their lives. They did end up coming back yesterday and they're exploring the yard today. For their sake I'm glad they did come back. I have alot of possums and quite a few raccoon. A fox or coyote too. Not to mention the 5 stray cats. You act as though I abuse them. I can assure you that is not at all the case. They get many treats throughout the day and I take special care to make sure they are very comfortable in the coop. I asked how I could keep them out of the field, I didn't ask what I should do about the roo. He's overmating them and you should be glad to know that I'm looking into getting about 4 more chickens. Thanks.

My Hens (not all of them) don't like to venture out much either but it has nothing to do with an abusive Rooster, wild life YES they are scared now after encounters with a fox and a bear at night that tore off their window. Everyone is fine. I'm hoping time will help them come around. I give them, (Chicken gatorade) That's what I call it, put in their water and it really help them cope with the stress. I wouldn't just kill my Rooster either, he protects them.

 

[MotherOHens]

@AidKD:
'So my roo never lets my 2 hens out of the coop '
What exactly does he do? Does he run em back in or does he dance for them and they go back in? This is a wide open unknown. We can't know if it's on his action or on them until we have a better understanding on


'so today I decided to let him out for half the day'
How far away was he? Was he just outside or was he in another place? Maybe move him completely and see if they will come out without him.

'then I would force them out for the rest of the day.'
Maybe see if you don't have to force them if he's not directly there.

'Well the girls didn't like it and ran into the field next to the coop. I want them out because all they do is lay there and I want them to see what's all in the yard'
Good idea. They should be able to get sunshine and forage.

'They haven't been the healthiest since they're not allowed out and I thought that by doing this it would help. '
What makes you think so? What exactly cause you to think they are unhealthy? Please give us examples.

'How do I get them out?'
Make a routine. Chickens like routine. Maybe they were thrown off because of how new and unexpected this was. My chickies aren't into the unexpected. They get unsettled and unhappy. They can also get really stubborn
If they expect to go out at 730, they complain if they are not out at 730! I feed them a special treat at 6 to get them happily back in the coop. Don't have that treat? Well-- they don't think it's time to go in yet!

My advice: Identify the 'why' on the not wanting to go out- it may be something unexpected and not predicted. Who knows?
If it's your roo, figure out what you need to do there-- maybe he just needs to know they can come out? Maybe he thinks it's his job to make sure they stay inside?!
Establish a routine so they know what they should do and stick with it.
Good luck!