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LucynPecker

LucynPecker

Chirping
6 Years
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Messages
15
Reaction score
1
Points
69
Location
Athens, Tx
A sweet sweet boy from across the road brought me a fully grown rooster. Hes a new addition to our family. Yesterday he brought me a beautiful black hen. Now my concern is...he said they have to match or he will hurt her, possibly kill her if I put them in the same cage. So now they are in separate cages sitting next to each other and checking eachother out. Will I ever be able to put them together? Should I? I'm building a small coop. Oh and of I let them out to range wont they run away? I have 2 acre front yard with 15 acre heavily wooded backyard. All primative.
 
I never let my birds out until they have lived in the coop for weeks, and are mature birds (laying eggs is my guidepost) I did it too early one year, and the roosters taught the hens to sleep in the trees. By October they had gone missing one by one, so never again!!
Do you have a coop/barn/building for them lo live in? If so, let them get to know each other in the open. Also you probably want a few more girls for him so he doesn't 'pick' on the one you have. She will be bareback and featherless in no time. It depends on the roo, and the breed. Some are rougher than others. 4:1/5:1 hen to roo is probably pretty good. If you have room that is.
 
Oh thanks!, I'm building them a pen about the size of a king size bed..lol ((I dont know my measurements well)) covered and part-enclosed. They are grown but shes not laying. Better find some more hens.
 
Welcome to BYC
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Glad you joined us!
 
Thank you for the welcome. I've been reading some good info on here. I'm actually excited about something since losing my old breeding dogs and companions. I think I've decited on the chickens I want and I think I'm on the right trac in building my coop. I did find alot of good ideas. So....glad to find you!
 
Hi Lucy. To save you a lot of heart ache pleae do a lot of research on building your coop and run. There are all kinds of critters that will try their very best to kill your chickens. Use hardware cloth for your fence, NEVER "chicken wire". About any animal can tear right through chicken wire. I would say that your biggest problem will be your neighbor's dogs.

Pay close close attention to the space requirements: 4 square feet per bird for the coop and 10 square feet per bird for the fenced run. For example: a 6 foot by 6 foot coop is 36 square feet. Divide that 36 square feet by 4 square feet = you can put 9 chickens in that coop. It is the same formula for the fenced run except they need 10 square feet per bird.

Also, if you get new birds from somewhere to add to you flock, BE SURE TO KEEP THEM TOTALLY SEPERATE FOR 30 DAYS TO SEE IF THEY ARE SICK.
 

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