Unexpected helpful tool

[swatchick]

I've got a roo who is a great flock protector -- too good, in fact, as he considers me a threat to the girls most of the time. He's free range, so it can be a bit of problem. The other day, he started coming at me and I picked up a length of 3' woven wire that I had curled into a circle/tube about 2' in diameter to use for compost materials. When he got close enough, I dropped one open end over him trapping him inside. It's big enough to let him move around a bit, but not big enough to give him room to really stretch out and make a leap to fly out (he's pretty big). Since then, I've been leaving that wire tube near the gate to the meadow, and when I go in, I just bring it with me. Roo comes near me, tube goes on, I do what I need to do, no problems. It has become my new favorite way of dealing with him, and it has also proven useful when trying to get my hands on one of the hens -- they don't even seem to mind it, especially if I drop a little scratch first.

 

[jak2002003]

That is a great idea. I keep some of my roosters and hens under baskets and they are very light and easy to move around if I need to isolate a bird or chicks for any reason. You could make the wire into a dome to put over him.

He is a pic.....you can just see the baskets.........

 

[Mahonri]

I'd love to see a pic of this wire you are talking about.

 

[mixitup]

Nice baskets! And very useful too. I will have to look around to see if I can find something like it You never know when it will come in handy.

The guy where I am picking up my chickens today was laughing because I am using the plastic dog crates. I thought it was a pretty good idea myself-rather than a cardboard box where they could get out!

You always use what you can!

 

[jak2002003]

Some of mine are in the metal dog crates too. They are very good because the poop all falls through the wires on the base, so the birds stay nice and clean. Also fixing in a roost branch is easy and the dog crates are very secure from predators (pythons where I am).

 

[speckledhen]

Golly, I'd hate to have to live that way. You need a different rooster! Mine free range and I can see how a big rooster (my blue Orp in my avatar is about 14 lb) could make life unpleasant for you to walk around outside while he was out there. I wouldn't put up with it. At least I know when my two big roosters run into me, it's because they were clutzy and misjudged the distance, LOL. They are super easygoing and come when called and trot along with me wherever I go.

Good use of tools, though!

 

[swatchick]

Just to be clear, my roo is NOT living in this wire enclosure -- I simply pop it over him when I am intruding on territory which he is tasked with protecting. I don't need him to be nice to me, I need him to protect the hens, and he does a great job of that.

I love those baskets!

 

[speckledhen]

Oh, I understood what you meant about the wire.

Me, I do need mine to be nice to me AND protect the hens! I broke my ankle a few years ago and it still isn't doing well after all this time, plus I live on a mountain with uneven ground, roots and rocks and I cannot be knocked off my feet by an unruly rooster. It's not safe. So, I keep only non-human-aggressive roosters who are good protectors as well. It is possible, trust me!

Yup, keep that wire handy if it works for you!

 

[jak2002003]

How old is your rooster? I find that some of my teenager ones get I bit of an attitude as if they are trying to prove themselves to the flock. Once they mature a bit they calm right down. He should eventually realise you are the boss (if you keep putting him in the wire cage thing) and he will get bored and used to you. Then he won't see you are a threat to his hens and he should leave you alone.

 

[swatchick]

That calming down with age was what I was planning on. Unfortunately, he became lunch to a bobcat today.... Ironic, since he has been driving me nuts for quite awhile, and I had just gotten into a relatively smooth routine with him and was even feeling a bit fond of him for all his moxy. I already miss that incessant crowing....