Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

I need some help or ideas...so I have had my girls out since may. I have added to them twice once in June and another time in August. I also have gotten rid of my roosters in the time being. I have let them out to free range ever since day one. They have never left our yard which is only an acre. But yesterday the farmer down behind us who has turkeys came up and asked if i could keep my girls out of this area has it would be a health code violation for him and doesnt want my birds to bring anything into his. Which i get and itsnt a big deal. he said they were down last night and the day before and thats the first he has saw them. So its only recent that they have started doing this. There is about 50 yards of woods behind our house that separates the two properties. And the turkey barns are about 400 plus yards away from the end of the woods line if not more. What caused them to wonder this far are they just getting brave? And beside putting up a fence the whole way around our property is there anything I can do to still let them free range and not end up going down there? I have 7 hens 2 buffs, 2 swedish, sultan, silkie, and a polish/swl mix. So some of them are small birds my buffs are larger. Their run is about 24 ft by 5ft and the coop is 5 by 5ft. I was planning on letting them free range but silly me didnt think they would wonder... is this going to be enough room for them or should I plan on making it bigger? and I feel bad and guilty that i cant let them out anymore. if i keep them locked up for awhile will this stop them from wondering for awhile? or since they already wondered will they just keep going back? Help please!

The roosters are what kept them close to your coop. They are the guardians, otherwise if the hens are finding food they will just wonder everywhere.
 


I would LOVE to have this big chicken…..well for a week or so.

Color me HAPPY!! the porkers are at the butcher, YAY!! had we been brave enough to film the fiasco of getting them on the trailer, it would have been prime pickings for Funniest Home Videos. As it is, I am happy to say we are still married. Gotta go clean out my freezer.
Love that bird also!
Congrats on the pigs. I know what you mean about cleaning out the freezer, we have been lucky enough to split a pig with a friend of ours the last 2 yrs, AWESOME meat!
Between our meat birds, nearly 100 lb of walleye and perch and then the pig we were out of freezer space though.... ended up upgrading our old 13 cubic ft freezer for a new 20 cf upright. Now we have room for the fresh meat!

Alright, I'm green with envy.....fresh pork and Walleye.....life just isn't fair....Blarney, if you are going to do any smoking/sausage/hams etc., would you mind if I came poking around to see the process?
 
I know this was briefly mentioned here before but wanted to bring it up again....   anyone going to the Mother Earth News Fair at 7 Springs next weekend?   We are going on Saturday and if anyone else is going to be there we would love to meet up to put faces with the names!


I am! I am manning the PASA booth for a shift Saturday morning, and then I am free. If you PM me, I can send you my info so we can meet up if you want. :)
 
[COLOR=0000FF]I would LOVE to have this big chicken…..well for a week or so. [/COLOR] [COLOR=0000FF]Color me HAPPY!! the porkers are at the butcher, YAY!! had we been brave enough to film the fiasco of getting them on the trailer, it would have been prime pickings for Funniest Home Videos. As it is, I am happy to say we are still married. Gotta go clean out my freezer. [/COLOR]
Love that bird also! Congrats on the pigs. I know what you mean about cleaning out the freezer, we have been lucky enough to split a pig with a friend of ours the last 2 yrs, AWESOME meat! Between our meat birds, nearly 100 lb of walleye and perch and then the pig we were out of freezer space though.... ended up upgrading our old 13 cubic ft freezer for a new 20 cf upright. Now we have room for the fresh meat! Alright, I'm green with envy.....fresh pork and Walleye.....life just isn't fair....Blarney, if you are going to do any smoking/sausage/hams etc., would you mind if I came poking around to see the process?
C'mon now! You know I'm a Ridley Girl. I have no idea how they are doing what they're doing, although you are welcome here anytime.
I need some help or ideas...so I have had my girls out since may. I have added to them twice once in June and another time in August. I also have gotten rid of my roosters in the time being. I have let them out to free range ever since day one. They have never left our yard which is only an acre. But yesterday the farmer down behind us who has turkeys came up and asked if i could keep my girls out of this area has it would be a health code violation for him and doesnt want my birds to bring anything into his. Which i get and itsnt a big deal. he said they were down last night and the day before and thats the first he has saw them. So its only recent that they have started doing this. There is about 50 yards of woods behind our house that separates the two properties. And the turkey barns are about 400 plus yards away from the end of the woods line if not more. What caused them to wonder this far are they just getting brave? And beside putting up a fence the whole way around our property is there anything I can do to still let them free range and not end up going down there? I have 7 hens 2 buffs, 2 swedish, sultan, silkie, and a polish/swl mix. So some of them are small birds my buffs are larger. Their run is about 24 ft by 5ft and the coop is 5 by 5ft. I was planning on letting them free range but silly me didnt think they would wonder... is this going to be enough room for them or should I plan on making it bigger? and I feel bad and guilty that i cant let them out anymore. if i keep them locked up for awhile will this stop them from wondering for awhile? or since they already wondered will they just keep going back? Help please!
The roosters are what kept them close to your coop. They are the guardians, otherwise if the hens are finding food they will just wonder everywhere.
I agree. Silly girls!
 
I am! I am manning the PASA booth for a shift Saturday morning, and then I am free. If you PM me, I can send you my info so we can meet up if you want.
smile.png

I am at work... so have to be quick... will do though. Hopefully a few more will be going also!
 
I know this was briefly mentioned here before but wanted to bring it up again....   anyone going to the Mother Earth News Fair at 7 Springs next weekend?   We are going on Saturday and if anyone else is going to be there we would love to meet up to put faces with the names!


I have been thinking of going to this. I saw it in the magazine and it looks interesting. Has anyone gone before?
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom