You are correct once they get so heavy try can't fly anymore.
I have never seen a 30+ pound heritage White Holland or Standard Bronze tom get more than 3 or 4 feet off the ground. From raising 6 breeds here, some heavy some light I would guess-ti-mate the the flying weight limit at somewhere just over 20 pounds.
The Midget White, Beltsville Small White and Royal Palm hens are less than 20 pounds and they don't have any problem getting airborne. The toms are right at 20 or just a little more and they used to go to the roof of their range roost which is about 6 to 8 feet high. Now they only go about 3 feet to the actual roost part.
The Bourbon Red, White Holland and Bronze hens can jump/fly but it's rare.
The toms of those breeds have roots instead of feet. smile
Steve in NC
Well our toms (Bronze,Bourbon & B Spanish) are over 30lbs and they all can fly up to a roost of 6-8 feet easily.
Our pump house eave is at least 9 ft and all of them have been on there when the dog thinks it is time to herd them and they don't want to.
During the winter they all fly up in the alder trees here and the lowest branch is 8-10 ft off the ground and they all make it up and down every day.
Our toms when locked up at night and then out the next morning can fly up to 50-60' at about 2-3' off the ground and the hens a little higher.
When not in pens and locked up all the time and they get the exercise daily they need to fly they can and they do at the heavier weights, but if penned up all the time they will not be in shape to and they probably can't do it, especially if they are not use to doing it.
Wes Harp in WA
I have never seen a 30+ pound heritage White Holland or Standard Bronze tom get more than 3 or 4 feet off the ground. From raising 6 breeds here, some heavy some light I would guess-ti-mate the the flying weight limit at somewhere just over 20 pounds.
The Midget White, Beltsville Small White and Royal Palm hens are less than 20 pounds and they don't have any problem getting airborne. The toms are right at 20 or just a little more and they used to go to the roof of their range roost which is about 6 to 8 feet high. Now they only go about 3 feet to the actual roost part.
The Bourbon Red, White Holland and Bronze hens can jump/fly but it's rare.
The toms of those breeds have roots instead of feet. smile
Steve in NC
Well our toms (Bronze,Bourbon & B Spanish) are over 30lbs and they all can fly up to a roost of 6-8 feet easily.
Our pump house eave is at least 9 ft and all of them have been on there when the dog thinks it is time to herd them and they don't want to.
During the winter they all fly up in the alder trees here and the lowest branch is 8-10 ft off the ground and they all make it up and down every day.
Our toms when locked up at night and then out the next morning can fly up to 50-60' at about 2-3' off the ground and the hens a little higher.
When not in pens and locked up all the time and they get the exercise daily they need to fly they can and they do at the heavier weights, but if penned up all the time they will not be in shape to and they probably can't do it, especially if they are not use to doing it.
Wes Harp in WA
