so I have been a chicken owner for a week and a day almost to the hour. I came home with 6 hens and a roo that were free along with their coop. today I made the run part of their living space bigger. bud the roo and I had a disagreement sat and I figured I would give him the benefit of doubt till he had some time to adjust to the bigger living area. if he doesn't change his tune- I have no problem turning him into dog food or stew for me. however, I watched the girls today with him out of the pen.. and now I am not so sure. in the flock there are 2 orpingtons who were very stressed that he was in a dog crate two feet away. they were pacing, and clucking and running in and out of the coop. they seemed very unsettled that he was away from them. I had them in a 4 by 4 kennel and what I did was to add two 10 ft panels and move the end so now they are 4 ft wide and 14 ft long. once the girls had access to the extended area.. they were slow to move to the new grass. they were scratching quite a bit right where the old end had been because the grass was pulled up and the fresh earth was exposed but that was about all. as soon as I put bud back in- he marched right down to the far end and they followed right behind him. no one had ventured beyond the original 4 ft spot even though there was no barrier anymore until he did. if I do end up needing to cull bud due to he and I not seeing eye to eye on whose chickens they really are...I am nervous the girls will not do well.
