Show Off Your American Gamefowl and Chat Thread!!!

[centrarchid]

He has a limp. I am pretty sure the bird I got was considered a cull. Will still work for my needs. Stag, like about 20 others, was kept in an overturned barrel by himself. Some of those where freshly dubbed. And several where in questionable health. Birds I now think where retained as better birds where kept in pens in contact with ground. Those in preferred setup differed first in color. The stag I kept did score high with me based on feel. A little heavy owing to tight confinement and likely rich feed but otherwise well proportioned. I will give his leg a week to heal. He also needs to roost up.

 

[centrarchid]

This is what I like with my free-range stags just prior to penning. The come straight to you and no hackles raised. When they come at an angle they have some sort of social process going on with me.

A mistake I wish was not done a few years back. I tried to use these little egg boxes for hens to hatch eggs. Total waste of time. Pens still serve very well for covering broodies in field overnight. The pens as shown are suitable for collecting hatching eggs but I had to lay on ground to reach in. Then I would loose my marking pencil.

 

[B123]

i put them on tie cords. I will usually take out 3 or 4 birds whenever I can. But I rarely let one loose unless my wife is out with me. Can't even run in the house to take a leak or I'd come back to a mess otherwise.
I think it's important to get them out of the pens as often as I can. They'll go crazy otherwise.

Your birds always look top notch and I know you take good care of them! If they all got along, we wouldn't be as interested in them. lol I just try to give them as much space and stimulation as possible, however that works out, bigger pen, tie cord, or time running the yard.

 

[centrarchid]

This picture is already four years old. That means my older birds, not shown, where already three years old. Those dogs were and are critical to my way of keeping chickens. Young birds free-range until age needed for penning. Missouri Dominiques free-range all the time. Brood fowl are penned in a cockyard surrounded by two perimeters dog can beat and use against whatever is trying to get their birds. I also now have a barn that is better than 100 yards from house where I cannot here what is going on even when windows are left open. The larger dog, Scoob (a male), was incredibly smart and could lay waste to any coon he caught where it could not get into a tree. He also would recruit me in addition to Lucy when he needed help which seemed to happen lot when raccoons got into neighbors chicken coop / house. Pup at time of picture had not yet killed her first chicken, she did that later and did quite a few before she settled into job. She is now into game and has mentored a third dog into guarding here chickens. The third dog killed a few as well but now I can sleep easy at night knowing dogs are on the job. Takes anywhere from 18 to 24 months before I can trust a given dog.

 

[sdm111]

Thinking about building a run of pens 40wide 8deep and 8 or 10high with 4ft wide stalls so 10stalls. I think that way I can get the most use of lumber. Not in the ground build the walls in 10ft sections and stand up. 2x6 rafters. And have them on pea gravel for drainage

 

[centrarchid]

Thinking about building a run of pens 40wide 8deep and 8 or 10high with 4ft wide stalls so 10stalls. I think that way I can get the most use of lumber. Not in the ground build the walls in 10ft sections and stand up. 2x6 rafters. And have them on pea gravel for drainage

I am thinking about doing similar close to house for prize old birds. I have to make mine match house so as not to detract from property value. Wife says so.

 

[centrarchid]

Wearing just shorts, I was outside walking yard. Pretty comfy. Expecting rain but could morph into a wintry mix.

 

[B123]

Thinking about building a run of pens 40wide 8deep and 8 or 10high with 4ft wide stalls so 10stalls. I think that way I can get the most use of lumber. Not in the ground build the walls in 10ft sections and stand up. 2x6 rafters. And have them on pea gravel for drainage

That sounds nice. I thought from your pics you have some pretty big pens. Are you expanding?

Have you ever done pens on pea gravel? I had a friend growing up that did and I never cared for it. It looked nice at first, but was a mess when it was damp with a little manure mixed in. Would you have access to wood chips, compost, or horse manure? Something to raise the pen level above ground level?

 

[centrarchid]

I am going to load mine up with low quality hay. Also additional roosts will be setup to get birds to do a little more flying.

 

[birdman55]

The long skinny one is 8'x32' and the big one is 16'x20'