When breeding chickens, the problem is what to do with the roosters. Assuming that you get about as many roosters as hens, people, whether breeding for show or pets, mostly want hens. This year I have had a super abundance of chickens but managed to sell almost all of my hens, which leaves the roosters. Because roosters fight, and I have rescued several very bloody losers, I realized that I had to keep the roosters separate. In the past I have tried to sell all the roosters off after the spring show. Those that I can't sell at the show, Craig's list, or my web site: sunsetseramas.com, I take to auction. But last year, after the fall show, and after posting some on Craig's list, I didn't want to take the roosters that remained to the auction because in the fall they don't sell well to the general population. I hate to keep chickens in cages inside my shop, but that is the only place that I have to keep the roosters separate. And so they lived through the winter in my shop.
To get them outside this winter, I purchased several small chicken tractors, or pens from Craig's list. But that only took care of about five roosters, ( these small tractors did work out for breeding pairs and broody hens though). Then I read that you could put roosters together and they wouldn't fight if there were no hens around. So I thought I would try that. The picture above shows my "Rooster Yard", and its true, the roosters don't fight. So all the roosters went into that pen. Then the roosters that I wanted to keep I put in another tractor. And then there were some roosters that were raised apart from the others and they went into another tractor. And I have some in the shop also; a new rooster I bought, and the rest were my "best" roosters, that I didn't want to lose in case of terribly inclement weather, or accidents, etc.
After putting together my "rooster yard" I was ready to put the roosters in it the coming weekend. Before that happened we had a terrible windstorm with very high winds which picked up the ten by sixteen foot rooster yard, spun it up in the air and crashed it about forty feet away in the corner of my lot and trashed the whole thing into a crumpled mess. The tarp was still attached and filled up with water as we had
an almost record rainfall that twenty-four hour period.
That was really discouraging. My son came and helped me cut the tarp loose and straighten out the bent pipe and we placed it back in the same location and put it together again. Why the same location you ask? That is the only place I have that is somewhat sheltered from the winds, and high winds like that are not uncommon, but I did not expect the whole thing to blow. I ordered some shed tie downs that I am hoping will help keep the pen in place but I think that the tarp will act like a sail, and the tie downs will not help. The only thing I can think of is to tie the tarp to another set of tie downs in the ground, instead of to the pen. and then if the high winds come just the tarp will blow and not the pen. The wind is always a problem here. That is the one thing I don't like about living in this beautiful place.
The chicken tractors have been moved into the natural shrubbery and were not affected by the wind. The one that is placed out into the windy area is a great pen and I wish I could get someone to build another one for me (I tried to find someone but no one is interested). You can see that it is covered by a clear tarp and it is very warm inside, sort of like a green house, and the tarp sort of clings to the shape of the pen, it is tied down with zip ties. There is a roost and a nest box in the back.
The roosters in this pen seem very satisfied.
I wish I could let my roosters roam but I have two terrier type dogs that are always intent on getting the chickens, and there are always owls and hawks, so unfortunately the roosters have to be caged.
