PLEASE Tell Me What Would YOU Do With Deacon? Need Advice (Poll)

[ronott1]

Why not Clip one wing as an option? That is what my Dad taught us to do years ago and that is what Poultry books say to do.

He would still be able to fly enough to get away from predators but not high enough or well enough to get over the wire and escape.

Clipping two wings would likely not solve the problem at all.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Why not Clip one wing as an option? That is what my Dad taught us to do years ago and that is what Poultry books say to do.

He would still be able to fly enough to get away from predators but not high enough or well enough to get over the wire and escape.

Clipping two wings would likely not solve the problem at all.

just what I said. clip one wing

 

[speckledhen]

Here is what I have, the extension of the old ladies' pen. It's about 10x12. We're removing the wood and skids from in there. Just have to close the gate into their main pen. My DH doesn't know how to build "temporary" anything, LOL. He builds buildings. I have a Great Dane size dog cage that I could put in there and cover with something for him to go into, but then, he could get up on it and try to fly out unless I cover the top somehow. This is probably the best place for him during the day. I could try and see if he is inclined to fly out of it.

 

[AmericanMom]

I would clip his wings and see what happens, We had a hen that was forever flying out of the run, dangerous thing as our neighbors have dogs that have developed a taste for stray chickens, we clipped one of her wings and while I stood there and watched she literally climbed the fence, had enough lift with the one full wing to do this, so that night went in and clipped her other wing, she has to date never flown the coop again

 

[speckledhen]

I would clip his wings and see what happens, We had a hen that was forever flying out of the run, dangerous thing as our neighbors have dogs that have developed a taste for stray chickens, we clipped one of her wings and while I stood there and watched she literally climbed the fence, had enough lift with the one full wing to do this, so that night went in and clipped her other wing, she has to date never flown the coop again

Oh, my goodness! She was really determined !

 

[AmericanMom]

Oh, my goodness! She was really determined !

Yes she was, I guess it was the whole grass is greener on the other side... She is still with us, her wings have grown back but she doesn't fly over the fence anymore, she is one of my oldest and friendliest hens

 

[Beanzie]

Have you thought of putting something on the top of the fence angling inward? Sort of like what they'll have at zoos to keep the voracious carnivores from climbing out of their enclosures. Except in this case you'd just be keeping in a rooster.

This is kind of what I mean.


Not sure if it would work, but it seems like it could? Depending on how he flies out of there, because he could just land on the top and plop over. But just another idea. Good luck with him, he sure is handsome.

 

[speckledhen]

When I was a kid, we did that on the fence for our Dobermans, but Deacon jumps on top of the coop itself, walks across and jumps down on the other side, so that wouldn't keep him in, I'm afraid. Good idea if he was only sailing over the fence.
I have him trapped in the pen extension, but two hawks are crisscrossing the skies a little ways off and he can see them and has no cover in that pen right now. I used to have the mason's line with CD's hanging on it, but removed it at one point.






I have these two doors that used to be on our stand up crawlspace that we replaced with a solid one with a hardware cloth window (to keep the mice out). They are pretty large and I'm wondering if I could use them as a base framework to make an A-frame coop for one troublesome rooster. Just add the ends and some predator proofing and cover the lattice with solid plywood. What do you think? The doors are just sitting, doing nothing.

 

[1muttsfan]

Since he is not vital to your breeding program, I would consider letting him live how he likes - for whatever time he is around. Clipping his wings at all, unless it completely prevents him from escaping, will limit his ability to flee if attacked.

A short life but a happy one?

 

[speckledhen]

Since he is not vital to your breeding program, I would consider letting him live how he likes - for whatever time he is around. Clipping his wings at all, unless it completely prevents him from escaping, will limit his ability to flee if attacked.

A short life but a happy one?

A valid point you're making. I still hate for him to die a needless death by fox ( or whatever) and I may still use those lattice doors to make a small rooster "pod" and cover that outer pen extension so at least, when we are not home, he can be in there.

Here is the problem child doing what he does best, caught in the act. He showed me he could fly out of the pen extension by doing it right in front of me so for awhile I put him in a cage, but he was crazy wanting out so I just let him go back to the main pen, which of course, he escaped from as you can see in the pics below.

Here are the doors, the way I'm thinking of using them to make a little day coop.




And here is one reason I won't put him in with my elderly hens. Amanda didn't come out of the coop all day long, even though it was a warm, sunny day. Her arthritis must have hurt her very badly.