stop fence fighting - now - (on the cheap)

[ChicKat]

Yeah, I get really tired of the males spending all their time posturing. Even with fences between they can bloody their combs.

Yesterday I had enough and wouldn't let one of them into the courtyard to play because I didn't want the fence thing going on.

for about $2 I put a stop to it. You may have already done this or similar if you have open adjoining fences with male egos on each side. (oops - sorry to anthropomorphize my guys) The cheap plastic tarps in about 3'x4' and some twist-ties from bread wrappers, and they begin to spend their time sunbathing, scratching, dust bathing, eating, breeding, grooming and not fence fighting. I like that better.




You can see one of my Cream Legbars on the other side -- wondering where that guy he wanted to spar with has gone. IF you have a door -- put the little tarp on the inside so the tarp will sag with the opening if the door opens in. (you knew that)

If I get spare time - I will add more grommets - the cheap tarps only have one in each corner -- and I could make it more 'neat' now that I look....but I wanted an end to the nonsense NOW!!! so I slammed it up - and it is doing the job.

 

[azygous]

Awe, you took away all their reason for living! Just kidding. Good solution!

While I have you here, I just got myself a couple of Legbar chicks. Can you tell me if you can tell the males from females in the first week by looking at their wings and color of heads? I have one with precocious wing development and a light head, and one with only the beginnings of feather buds on the wings and a dark head. They're exactly one week old. I ordered two pullets, but I have my doubts I got two.

 

[ChicKat]

Awe, you took away all their reason for living! Just kidding. Good solution!

While I have you here, I just got myself a couple of Legbar chicks. Can you tell me if you can tell the males from females in the first week by looking at their wings and color of heads? I have one with precocious wing development and a light head, and one with only the beginnings of feather buds on the wings and a dark head. They're exactly one week old. I ordered two pullets, but I have my doubts I got two.

Drat! That is exactly what Isn't supposed to happen with this breed. I will PM you some photos of my chicks and maybe you can compare??

 

[ivan3]

Bought a roll of black garden fabric to knock down weed growth, years ago. Ended up as a quick and dirty "separator" to prevent roo from engaging turkey toms through fence. Zip tied some up and it's enough of a distraction to prevent the roo from attracting the attention of the big boys. The coverage isn't complete but it doesn't seem to matter - no "consistent view" of the putative opposition? No fighting. Seems that if the initial "challenge" (flapping wings and staring hard at the "challenged") isn't sufficiently "visualized", sparring doesn't follow.-

 

[ChicKat]

Bought a roll of black garden fabric to knock down weed growth, years ago. Ended up as a quick and dirty "separator" to prevent roo from engaging turkey toms through fence. Zip tied some up and it's enough of a distraction to prevent the roo from attracting the attention of the big boys. The coverage isn't complete but it doesn't seem to matter - no "consistent view" of the putative opposition? No fighting. Seems that if the initial "challenge" (flapping wings and staring hard at the "challenged") isn't sufficiently "visualized", sparring doesn't follow.-

Love it! out of sight, out of mind! good solution.

ETA - it gets hot here -- (understatement) - and I was worried about cutting down the air circulation...I think what it cuts in breeze it makes up in shade.