Jtaranc
Songster
- Sep 26, 2022
- 110
- 256
- 121
Ok maybe not weird, just different than my others.
I have a good size flock of hens and 1 rooster all from Tractor supply. They're all about 2.
Everyone gets locked up in their coop at night (buried hardwire cloth) and they free range during the day. There is a chicken door the hens go through to go up the ramp and lay eggs.
Well in the spring I purchased my DREAMMM chickens from a local breeder who said she breeds show chickens but needed to downsize.
I got 3 black copper marans and 3 blue copper marans. They were raised same as everyone else. I raise them in a tote in my house, then outside in a zipper up play pen inside the coop so the hens can get used to them, then I let them out to free range when theyre of similar size.
First let me say they come back at dark every night, all 6 will perch inside the coop, HOWEVER, they leave the yard and go into the horse pasture all day (they're still small enough to walk through the horse fence) They were going to my neighbors yard but we put chicken wire along the bottom and they have stopped doing that. Sometimes they disappear in the back of the 10 acre pasture, all together in a 6 pack.
At night during dinner they do not come off the perch to eat, they run when we toss scratch grains, we put watermelon and other treats out they refuse to come over for that.
It's like besides the coop to sleep they have zero interest in being owned. Also I really wanted them for eggs and at 4 1/2 months old I have no idea if they're laying elsewhere.
They're all a good weight, they are always catching bugs and worms, but I'd really like them to eat layer feed at some point.
Any advice?
I have a good size flock of hens and 1 rooster all from Tractor supply. They're all about 2.
Everyone gets locked up in their coop at night (buried hardwire cloth) and they free range during the day. There is a chicken door the hens go through to go up the ramp and lay eggs.
Well in the spring I purchased my DREAMMM chickens from a local breeder who said she breeds show chickens but needed to downsize.
I got 3 black copper marans and 3 blue copper marans. They were raised same as everyone else. I raise them in a tote in my house, then outside in a zipper up play pen inside the coop so the hens can get used to them, then I let them out to free range when theyre of similar size.
First let me say they come back at dark every night, all 6 will perch inside the coop, HOWEVER, they leave the yard and go into the horse pasture all day (they're still small enough to walk through the horse fence) They were going to my neighbors yard but we put chicken wire along the bottom and they have stopped doing that. Sometimes they disappear in the back of the 10 acre pasture, all together in a 6 pack.
At night during dinner they do not come off the perch to eat, they run when we toss scratch grains, we put watermelon and other treats out they refuse to come over for that.
It's like besides the coop to sleep they have zero interest in being owned. Also I really wanted them for eggs and at 4 1/2 months old I have no idea if they're laying elsewhere.
They're all a good weight, they are always catching bugs and worms, but I'd really like them to eat layer feed at some point.
Any advice?
