Late Breds Clearing Off

Diamond dave · February 16, 2012

Just wondered if anyone has any ideas on why two out of 6 late breds cocks that when I let them out with the rest of the old birds keep clearing off and don't come in with the others. I have to go off to work so they have been shut out very day this week?

I thought I had lost them to a hawk on Monday and was pleased to see them back when I came home from work.

Do you think they might just be "ranging" and why aren't the others going with them.

thanks

D.D.

Michael J Burden · February 16, 2012

fielding ?

Tony C · February 16, 2012

If they're sexually mature my guess is they're flirting with hens somewhere.

andy Burgess · February 16, 2012

could be a number of reasons , are they paired or ?? is really only guess work without having all the info . :emoticon-0138-thinking:

dal2 · February 16, 2012

\they are learning, wot they would have done with the batch as babies in march til may?

barnie · February 17, 2012

Like yourself I had 6 LB's batched up and flying for @ half hour to 1 hour then 2 started coming back well after the rest.

Before long all 6 were missing for hours and when I was out with the dogs one day I noticed them sitting on the rooftops on a nearby estate enjoying the sunshine.

If you let them out when you're not at work then you see them return maybe around half hour after the rest possibly they are still flying, but my guess is they're sitting somewhere.

I stopped mine sitting out by not feeding a.m. and only letting them out an hour before dark. Unfortunately they got YBS and I ended up with just a pair. Now this YBS was a week before Xmas so much for it being a summer disease. Good luck.

Diamond dave · February 21, 2012

I Have taken all the hens away now along with their babies. so all that is left in the shed is cock birds.

They werent mature enough to pair up in Dec/January when I had spare hens in the shed with the other pairs but I guess they could be now. - They are August bred.......?

Do you think that if they were flirting somewhere the older birds might have gone with them?

D.D.

peter pandy · February 21, 2012

Handle Them... If they are down a bit in the body then they are flying.. If they handle the same as usual then they are sitting somewhere.. Its not rocket science.