Prodigal Flock

[Lil Chickie Mama]

We are planning to let our little band of chickens free range during the day. However, we live in an area that is very open, no fences, and there are many mini flocks- usually a roo and pair of hens- that run wild up and down the street. One strange flock roosts in our trees at night and will sometimes hang out and run around our yard. (We live on a grain drying and storage facility so there is quite a bit of rice and corn piled on the ground to entice them.)

My question is: Will they try to join my flock, attack my flock, anything? Mainly I'm concerned with the strange roosters, will they try to mate with my girls?

It's a newbie concern, but indulge me.

 

[Mahonri]

I would try and keep the roaming flock away from your own at first... or yours will join up with them... and you don't know what diseases they are carrying.

If I were you I'd start out with a totally enclosed coop AND run and keep them that way for some time. We have roaming flocks to the south of us and a few times we had some single juvie roos wander into our yard. We kept them separated.

Once your flock has been in their enclosed coop and run, you could have a separate pop door to the outside, start out slow... let them out for ony the first half hour before dark so that they will quickly find their way back in.

If you are set on them being completely free range then you have to be ready for the neighbors roosters to do their thing and perhaps try and steal your hens and maybe even give them disease.

Good luck.