Wandering Hens

[Guest maricelbill]

I always seem to have these wandering hens, you find them squatting in nest boxes all over the place they cause more mayhem than cocks. it's always the young women who cause the fights the young men are the ones who end up with stitches lol.

 

what cures have we in the cupboard lads

 

B'

[gulkie]

I don't think anything in the cupboard will help,do u still have them together,at this

Time of the year cocks and hens should be split cocks one section hens another

And if letting out cocks first hens next this is my way not everyone will agree ,good

Luck .

[Guest maricelbill]

I don't think anything in the cupboard will help,do u still have them together,at this

Time of the year cocks and hens should be split cocks one section hens another

And if letting out cocks first hens next this is my way not everyone will agree ,good

Luck .

 

 

no they are parted but I always find the first week or so pairing I get these blasted hens in the wrong boxes. put them back in their own box an hour later I find them in a different box again. I always seem to have 3 or 4 of them early on in pairing. then their cock joins her and that's when the rows start.

 

it's not to do with preparation or time. they just wander off into boxes when the owners leave it.

 

in my experience they cause more damage than cocks in the early nest. not because of their fighting but because they've caused it. once they settle they're fine.

 

b

[Guest maricelbill]

well I guess that stumped the classroom :emoticon-0127-lipssealed:

[Wiley]

Bill, they must be settled before you open all the boxes... We pair and everything is locked in their boxes at first, but you always get one pair that dont take to each other, so on the first day of pairing we leave this pair out, the next day this pair go back in the boxes, and we let out one pair at a time, a couple hours a day each, and we may do this for 2-3 days, and gradually we start letting out more and more pairs at a time, two pairs at time, 3 pairs at a time ect, until eventually by day 6-7 we have successfully got every pair out of their box and content, but generally by this time, my cocks do not let my hens move from their boxes as they are generally driving very hard.

[Guest maricelbill]

that's pretty much the system I followed ryan. and I still find them gone awol. I spent practically all day every day last year pairing them and all was going quite well but still I found two that every time I turned my back went off hiding in a different box.

might have been one of those things but they were not only late going to nest they were very slow to lay between the rounds. as in 2 weeks after weaning they would go back down.

 

thanks for the reply ryan.

 

b

[Tony C]

A couple of things you could try. 1) When hens are being driven hard put a teaspoon of grit in their box everyday till they lay out. 2) Once all pairs are settled to their boxes and have the liberty of the loft cease feeding them in their boxes and feed communally (remove pots from boxes).