[Sudanpan]

We finally got round to getting some chickens again after our original ex-batt hens got snaffled after 2 years by a fox.
We went to the Truro poultry auction and basically used the method of: "they look nice, lets go for them"...! 
We ended up with 3 x 9 week French copper black marans and a pair of cream crested legbars. We brought them home and put them in the run to settle down. They found the water and food no problem and also checked out the coop during the afternoon, but basically spent the time under the coop in the shade.
As early evening started Mr Leghorn was persistently checking out the boundary fence and seemed quite agitated. The girls weren't fussed. He also kept going into the coop. This went on for about half and hour, then he worked out how to use the top rung of the gate as a staging point to freedom....So - 15mins of gathering up the cockerel ensued, and we decided to return him into the coop itself, and collected the girls to be with him and have shut them in for the night.
It looks like we will need to sort out the height of the fence (wasn't ever a problem with our original lot) - any other tips as to how to stop him being a flight risk?

[in the hills]

You could cut the bottom section off his flight feathers on one wing. This will mean he is not balanced and not so able to fly.


If you look on the net, you will see diagrams explaining how to do this. It's not difficult.


Good luck with your new hens ..... they sound great 

[Sbom]

And get yourself a large broom  never met a cream legbar cock yet that wasn't nasty tempered! French Marans lay a lovely dark egg, I love them 

[Sudanpan]

Thanks for the replies 


After all the shenanigans last night with recapturing Mr Legbar, then having to catch the other chooks ot put them in the coop, I had a bit of a sleepless night worrying about them! So, this morning was very perturbed to see no evidence of them in the run (there is an auto door opener on the coop that works on light levels (best £100 ever spent wrt chickens!) at 6.30    Went up and checked on them - terrified that I would find 5 bodies in the coop - so was extremely relieved to see them in the coop none the worse for wear. However they have basically spent the whole day inside   They have ventured out a couple of times to get a drink and eat some mixed corn I threw in for them - but no real attempt to go to the main feeder or spend any time outside - have we traumatised them?
We're just going to give them lots of time and space, hopefully with them staying in the coop we won't ave the same issues as last night at dusk so shouldn't have to try and gather them up again.
Anything else I can do to help them settle?

[in the hills]

Just re-read your original post ...... didn't take it all in obviously 


He probably flew out at dusk because he was unsure where to go to roost .... bless him.


Sure they will settle now. Probably a good thing that they have been inside the coop today ... will establish this as "home" and hopefully will then go "home to roost" in future  . Would it be possible to pop their food and water in the coop for a while? Some people lock them in the coop .... with food and water ..... for a day or two anyway ..... to teach them where home is.

[suziequeue]

Interested to know more about your light sensitive door opener Sudanpan.

[Bionic]

Interested to know more about your light sensitive door opener Sudanpan.

I would be interested to know how this works in the evening. I would worry that the chooks might get shut out if they are party goers.

[Sudanpan]

Suziequeue and Bionic


This thread has the links etc to the door closer:
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=8305.msg82761#msg82761


Basically you can set the sensitivity so that it only closes when pitch dark (how much of a party goer are your gals??) We used the closer with our previous chooks (ex-batt) and it worked a charm. The girls were never out when it did shut, and we could have a lie in occasionally without feeling guilty that they were stuck inside!

[lachlanandmarcus]

We've also used one in the past and never had any issues with chickens getting shut out, they are very good.

[Sudanpan]

Well it looks like Mr Legbar is going to be a pain in the proverbial!    Having spent most of today actually IN the coop, just now he decides to get all agitated and do his fence running trick again - then he does his gate hopping procedure despite our added fortifications 
However, once on the other side of the fence he then runs along the line trying to get back IN! The other birds stayed in the coop this time, so I just blocked them in quietly, then herded Mr Legbar back into the run. Once I'd opened up the door to the coop again he went inside and I then shut the door.
OH not at all impressed with Mr Legbar!
So, tomorrow is another day and Mr Legbar is probably going to get his wing clipped