I have birds that keep wandering in the road! Please Help!

[Livia Stouffer]

The first birds you sell should be the ones that go out into the road the most. No sense keeping the bad actors if you have some that stay home.

That'd be all my wyandottes. It's pretty sad because they were my first birds, and I went through just about everything with them for the first time.

 

[NatJ]

And my run is 30' by 8', and from what I read, that isn't enough room for it to be a full time run for my 30 birds. I also feel guilty that they're just left in there all day with nothing to do.

If that was 30 chickens, it's a bit tight but probably not too bad.
With some being turkeys, maybe not so good.

About them having nothing to do: you can change that part! For example, you can add perches to sit on, and maybe even tables that they can go both under and over.

I also suggest adding more stuff for them to eat/scratch inside the run. Throw in any non-toxic organic matter: wood chips, leaves, straw or hay, weeds, vegetable peelings, apple cores, watermelon rinds, pumpkin guts, and so forth. They can scratch through it and eat some bits, and as it starts to decompose (like a spread-out compost pile) they can keep digging through it for worms and bugs. Even though you cannot safely let them out to forage, at least you can provide some forage inside.

 

[Livia Stouffer]

It’s easy to get in that position. Adding a few here and there, maybe let a broody hatch, and the next thing you know, you’re out of space. I currently have 27 chickens. I plan to be down to a dozen by winter.

Well at least I know I'm not the only one making bird mistakes. I just feel so guilty for letting this happen.

 

[Livia Stouffer]

I think I'm just going to hold off on my turkey breeding until I have a suitable set up for them, to keep this from happening again.

 

[LaFleche]

I just feel so guilty for letting this happen.

Don't feel guilty, it is just a paralyzing emotion that keeps you from taking control of the situation.

 

[LaFleche]

I think I'm just going to hold off on my turkey breeding until I have a suitable set up for them, to keep this from happening again.

Very good decision!

 

[Nigel27]

It’s easy to get in that position. Adding a few here and there, maybe let a broody hatch, and the next thing you know, you’re out of space. I currently have 27 chickens. I plan to be down to a dozen by winter.

Chicken math! Lol
You can increase “floor” space by adding shelves and tables in the run

 

[LaFleche]

Maybe you could start with a stock-check/inventory and then choose the breeds and the birds to keep marking them with zip-ties.

Then advertise the rest of them.

 

[Livia Stouffer]

Very good decision!

Don't feel guilty, it is just a paralyzing emotion that keeps you from taking control of the situation.

Thank you!

And I will try not to stay down about this, thank you so much for the encouragement.

 

[bobbi-j]

Well at least I know I'm not the only one making bird mistakes. I just feel so guilty for letting this happen.

I live on a farm, so they have plenty of room to roam. My flock consists of ten 2 1/2 year old layers (nine of which will be processed later this fall or early winter), eleven 5-month old pullets (two of them have already started laying - this does not bode well for the older girls), and six 8-week old chicks. At least two are cockerels. I will be keeping one for sure, but I don’t know which one yet. I do this about every other year or so - build up my flock in the spring through the summer, then reduce in the fall so I only have one coop to take care of.