My new flock meeting neighbours flock

[Laika]

Apologies if this is a ridiculous question

I'm all set to get my first hens. I live on a country estate but have an enclosed garden. I know my hens will hop the fence but my worry is, will they be ok with my neighbours two, free range, old ladies and cockerel? Ideally, I'd like them all to wander freely.
Many thanks

 

[cpegram]

should be fine as long as they aren't housed together although the rooster may try to mate with them. But if they are all the same size and they have room to run it will be fine

ETA you do for a week keep them locked up in their own coop so they know where home is....then roaming is fine.

 

[Alicatt]

If I were you I would keep my chickens locked in their coop until they knew where home was. A week or so. My sister would gain guinea hens from her neighbors flocks, they would just show up. I would be afraid that they would integrate easily, Outside anyway, because they are flock animals. And I wouldn't trust their rooster not to steal them. This is my first year with chickens, not claiming to know anything. This is just my opinion!!!


Of course if you are getting more than 4 hens, don't think they would go to small flock, you might gain a rooster!!

 

[ScottyChic]

They may get along with your neighbours poultry but wouldn't it just be a better idea to raise your fence a little higher?
More than likely it would be the Cockerel who would be liable to jump the fence first.

How do you think your neighbours will feel to have your hens on her land? Are you friends?
Something for you to think about.

 

[Laika]

Wow - amazing advice, thank you all so much

My neighbours flock are free range on the estate - I'd like mine to be too

Napoleon, my neighbours cockerel is an old boy with bad feet so not sure how he'll be with my young uns

My girls will be the same size as my neighbours
I'll definitely think about raising the fence for a bit, till they're settled

Many, many thanks again - hopefully I'll have my first flock by next week - so excited!!

 

[ScottyChic]

Hi

You mentioned that your neighbours flock are free range on the estate - and you'd like yours to be too.

One thing that i would worry about is 'roaming dogs' - as you know, here in Scotland people have the 'right to roam' - meaning that more than likely you will get dog-walkers. Now any roaming dogs that happen to come across a 'roaming hen' could end up a recipe for disaster as most dogs will go for hens.

I personally would not want my hens away-a-roaming.

I'm guessing that you must have a reasonable sized garden/piece of land.

Just size up the situation, you know whether you get many dogs and walkers in your area. But do you take the risk?

Enjoy your hens when you get them. What breed are they or are they Hybrids for egg laying?

 

[Laika]

I actually work on the estate ScottyChic and know that the land owner is your ferocious old school type

It's a game estate, and out of control dogs have been shot here in the past - hence - there's very, very little through traffic......

 

[ScottyChic]

As long as you feel secure and more importantly KNOW that your hens will be safe.

However - saying that, there will be the threat from mink and otters ( as long as you are within a 12 mile range of the sea/rivers) - otters can travel over 12 miles and have a fairly large territory.

Living and working on an Estate then you will be aware of all this.

 

[ScottyChic]

Oh I do like those ~~ferocious old school types.

We have the same here where I live.

 

[Klutch]

Apologies if this is a ridiculous question

I'm all set to get my first hens. I live on a country estate but have an enclosed garden. I know my hens will hop the fence but my worry is, will they be ok with my neighbours two, free range, old ladies and cockerel? Ideally, I'd like them all to wander freely.
Many thanks

Don't forget the dominant cock will add the ladies to his harem, which is fair in free roam. So no hard feelings