Yes, he free ranges every day. I make him walk and work for his food, in which I feed in strict amounts (rather than just free feeding). He is not on layer feed either. I try to give him more vegetables and leafy greens, so absolutely no mealworms or other fattening treats.
Yeah, just look on Craigslist for dog houses / kennels...... there are usually tons of them for sale, take your time though if you aren't in too much of a rush, sometimes you can find a nice one for very cheap as owners are just looking to get rid of them because they no longer have Fido around.No, not crazy! I do have a fuller sized door that I could carry and put him through into the coop, but he doesn't quite like being picked up. With how big he is, it is difficult to get a good grasp on him, so he starts flapping his wings like crazy. I'm afraid that he will have a heart attack if I put him through that stress every morning and night.So, I would rather not put him through that.
I will look at the dog houses tomorrow! That's a great idea too. Thanks!
Any better pics of him beside the door too see what he looks likeHello,
This is a rather strange, and sad (to me), question. I have 13 chickens; three of them are regular sized chickens, nine are bantams, and then I have one broiler bird, who's the problem. I was never expecting to own a broiler bird, but the supply store mixed up the chicks. And like a broiler bird does, he grew insanely fast and weighs probably ~20 pounds now. There is plenty of room inside the coop for them all to roost comfortably, so that is not the problem. The problem is that my broiler bird cannot fit through the door - he is simply too large (he is literally the same size as my 5-gallon waterer!) He is too wide to even be pushed through the door! No matter how I, or he, tries, he will not fit through the door. Further, due to his weight, it is very difficult to make it up the ramp (again, even with help). So, this means that every night, he sleeps alone at the bottom of the ramp. I feel so bad for him and I want to make something comfortable and warm to sleep in; especially when winter comes, because I live in the PNW and I don't want him sleeping in the rain and mud every night.
I cannot change the size of the coop door. It was special made, with a pulley system, track, and actual door - it would be very difficult to change all of that. Plus, he cannot even make it up the ramp himself, so even if the door was bigger, he wouldn't be able to make it up regardless. At the moment, I have a 7-gallon plastic plant pot turned on its side at the bottom of the ramp, but it is still too small for him to feel comfortable; I also don't think he likes the curve it has, so he will not sleep in it. So, whatever I house him in, it has to be big enough for him to fit and be comfortable. It will also have to be lower to the ground so he can make it in himself.
Does anyone have any ideas on what to house him in? I can build one if given some pictures or ideas, or I can buy something! Please help and just point me in a good direction. I feel terrible seeing him sleep alone; he is the sweetest, softest rooster who loves his girls, but can't even roost with them.Here's some pictures of him (doesn't show his true size though)
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I'm so glad that I'm not the only one experiencing this! He is so sweet, I couldn't call him. But I will give him the best life possible! I swear he has the body of a turkey though, impossible to get a good grip on them, much less with how heavy they are!I just want to say that I know how you feel about your Cornish rooster. I somehow managed to get a female Cornish in my bunch of pullets from TSC. She is over 3 months old now and so heavy I can barely lift her. Trying just to find a way to hold her is a challenge. And they really don't like being picked up! My girl is so sweet and there's no way I could harvest her. I know she won't be long lived but all we can do is make life pleasant for them while they are alive.
I have my big girl living in the broody coop since it is close to the ground and easy for her to get in and out. It is a 3' x 5' coop with an 8' x 16' run so she has plenty of room and her best friend lives with her.
No, not crazy! I do have a fuller sized door that I could carry and put him through into the coop, but he doesn't quite like being picked up. With how big he is, it is difficult to get a good grasp on him, so he starts flapping his wings like crazy. I'm afraid that he will have a heart attack if I put him through that stress every morning and night.
I will look at the dog houses tomorrow! That's a great idea too. Thanks!
