Well, that didn't work...

[bobbi-j]

I decided today that since I'm home and was going to be working in and around the coops, that I would let both flocks out to free range just to see if they could keep their distance from one another and range peacefully. They didn't. Both flocks consist of one rooster and nine hens each. It wasn't five minutes before the roosters were facing off, hackles flared, and jumping at each other. So, I grabbed the fishnet and caught the one that would be easiest to contain for the day. He was not pleased with the situation. Rather than try to get all the hens in, I left them out and am hoping the girls all go back to their respective coops at roosting time.
(These birds were all one big, happy flock last summer and fall before I separated them for the winter. It went down about how I expected, but I had to try anyway.)

On the bright side, my wonderful, patient, ever-tolerant of my whims DH put up some shelving for me in one of my coops. The coop itself is 12x8'. The front part is an 8x4' storage area, with an 8x8' living area for the chickens. Anyway, it's a lot more organized than it has been in a long time!

 

[N F C]

Well, you wouldn't have known how they were going to act if you didn't try it. Now you know, lol!

WTG on the new shelves, always nice to have more of that.

 

[bobbi-j]

You're right about that! Now I know. All the girls did go to their own coops tonight, so all is well. The coop that today's locked up rooster is in will be the one that gets to free range tomorrow so the poor guy can get out to play.

 

[N F C]

Maybe next time you want to try letting them out at the same time, you should prominently post the rules of behavior for all to see

Make sure they read the sign, lol.

 

[bobbi-j]

Maybe next time you want to try letting them out at the same time, you should prominently post the rules of behavior for all to see

Make sure they read the sign, lol.

That's what I did wrong! I'll have to remember that next time and let you know how it goes.

 

[aart]

Hahaha!!....glad you shared your adventure......and the 'rules' should indeed be prominently displayed .

Maybe alternate ranging days, eh?

 

[azygous]

Cheers for creative flock management! Chickens certainly need to remind us every now and then they have their own agendas.

And congrats on the new shelving. Chickens will appreciate having new surfaces on which to poop.

 

[bobbi-j]

Hahaha!!....glad you shared your adventure......and the 'rules' should indeed be prominently displayed .

Maybe alternate ranging days, eh?

We've been alternating days. It was just so nice out, I wanted to give them all a chance to be out ranging.

Cheers for creative flock management! Chickens certainly need to remind us every now and then they have their own agendas.

And congrats on the new shelving. Chickens will appreciate having new surfaces on which to poop.

The shelving is not in their living quarters so hopefully they won't get into it. That part of the building is completely walled off from the coop part. They do love it when a door gets left open, though!

 

[aart]

Quote: That's how I got my starter flock, she got tired of the alternate ranging so sold 10 birds to me for $20.

Glad the shelves are 'poop proof'...haha!

 

[donrae]

Myself, I would have let them go at if for a bit, just to see how invested they were.

When I do that--let flocks range together--the roosters usually spar for a few minutes, then one backs down and takes off. It's usually less than 15 minutes, and no one gets injured.


Talking about using the net to catch the birds....I was at the local livestock auction Saturday. They have tack/junk before the animals, and there were three fishing nets bundled together. Two with the regular short handles, one with a longer handle. It caught my eye, I was thinking that might come in handy cause all I have are the short handled nets. Well, the ring guy picked them up and called out "fishing nets" and the auctioneer responded "nope, those are chicken nets". Anyway, those three used nets sold for over $20! and not to me, too much for my pocketbook. Guess someone else has hard to catch chickens also.