This is our first spring with our chickens. We have 7 hens, no roosters: 3 plymouth rocks; 4 cochins. We have a fairly secluded and big back yard - and many people have said (and these are "chicken folks")...."Oh, just let them out and they will come back to the coop in the evening.". We've been experimenting with letting them roam a bit - but are concerned about the neighbors being bothered. A few days ago, they wandered VERY far away from the house - nearly 2 houses down (in the woods). Dense underbrush, we thought they had totally disappeared. Finally found them and rounded them up. Today it was sooooo beautiful here, and I felt so bad for them - they were wanting to get out sooo bad. So I let them out.
This one ROGUE Plymouth Rock just TAKES OFF. And i mean - if this chicken could have a thought bubble over its head, it would say "I am SO frickin' OUT OF THIS PLACE!" and she RUNS up the hill towards the neighbor's house (dogs)! I had to chase her through all this underbrush and she kept going deeper and deeper into the woods til we were just in back of their patio (in the woods)! Thank GOD no one was home - or at least they weren't outside to see me swearing and chasing this stupid chicken through what i'm SURE was a field of poison ivy. ARGGG!
My husband is going to try and construct some sort of larger area that they can roam - but stay safe in our yard. We cannot afford to fence our back yard - it would be very, very expensive because of the size. So we are going to try this. We've had picking problems (they are bare butted and bare backed - the cochins much more victims than the rocks - the rocks seem to be the more aggressive and loud ones) and the Agway guys says "Oh, it's probably the combination of Cochin and Rocks - the Rocks are aggressive". Would have been nice to know that when we BOUGHT the chicks last May! I'm worried that we don't have enough room and that maybe they are picking because they are too crowded and wonder whether we should re-home the 3 Rocks (they ARE good egg layers)....but don't know if the cochins will become aggressive if the Rocks are gone.
The lowest chicken is a cochin - and she is really being bullied by the rocks. Today I noticed her comb was bleeding and the top of her head was being pecked too. The Rocks are going after her from what I saw.
(this is poor Petunia - my favorite - the one who is at the bottom of the pecking order)
Whaddyall think? Have you had this combination before? I love the cochins. They are funny and entertaining. The rocks are not as friendly, they are loud and aggressive (ok, maybe i'm a bit more biased towards the cochins!). The Rocks are the ones who are FREAKING out everyday, running back and forth infront of the run door to get out. The others get excited, but not like the Rocks who seem to be obsessed with getting out. The cochins are pretty happy-go-lucky!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated....
Kara
This one ROGUE Plymouth Rock just TAKES OFF. And i mean - if this chicken could have a thought bubble over its head, it would say "I am SO frickin' OUT OF THIS PLACE!" and she RUNS up the hill towards the neighbor's house (dogs)! I had to chase her through all this underbrush and she kept going deeper and deeper into the woods til we were just in back of their patio (in the woods)! Thank GOD no one was home - or at least they weren't outside to see me swearing and chasing this stupid chicken through what i'm SURE was a field of poison ivy. ARGGG!
My husband is going to try and construct some sort of larger area that they can roam - but stay safe in our yard. We cannot afford to fence our back yard - it would be very, very expensive because of the size. So we are going to try this. We've had picking problems (they are bare butted and bare backed - the cochins much more victims than the rocks - the rocks seem to be the more aggressive and loud ones) and the Agway guys says "Oh, it's probably the combination of Cochin and Rocks - the Rocks are aggressive". Would have been nice to know that when we BOUGHT the chicks last May! I'm worried that we don't have enough room and that maybe they are picking because they are too crowded and wonder whether we should re-home the 3 Rocks (they ARE good egg layers)....but don't know if the cochins will become aggressive if the Rocks are gone.
The lowest chicken is a cochin - and she is really being bullied by the rocks. Today I noticed her comb was bleeding and the top of her head was being pecked too. The Rocks are going after her from what I saw.
(this is poor Petunia - my favorite - the one who is at the bottom of the pecking order)
Whaddyall think? Have you had this combination before? I love the cochins. They are funny and entertaining. The rocks are not as friendly, they are loud and aggressive (ok, maybe i'm a bit more biased towards the cochins!). The Rocks are the ones who are FREAKING out everyday, running back and forth infront of the run door to get out. The others get excited, but not like the Rocks who seem to be obsessed with getting out. The cochins are pretty happy-go-lucky!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated....
Kara