cockercas Posted July 12, 2011 Report Share Posted July 12, 2011 On one of my permissions I've been given the go ahead to keep some chickens, gini fowl and some turkeys in one of the woods. Anyone want to give me some tips on keeping them. I plan on releasing them and letting them roam free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpower Posted July 12, 2011 Report Share Posted July 12, 2011 fOXES MUST BE ONES NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.,AND THEY WILL NEED FEED IN THE WINTER,AND IN THE SUMMER IF THEY ARE LAYING ,GUINEA FOWL ARE GOOD WATCHMEN THOUGH CAN DO YOUR HEAD IN AT TIMES WITH THE NOISE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockercas Posted July 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2011 Thanks hush power foxes are already number 1 on the list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted July 13, 2011 Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 I don't think that foxes are the only predators you should be thinking about! You might (Depending on how well secured and protected the area is) want to think about other predators including the two legged kind mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxon88 Posted July 13, 2011 Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 good luck with the guinea fowl. They make such a racket!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted July 13, 2011 Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 I have all three of the above. Chickens are very stupid and unless they are shut away they are likely to sit around when its dark are wait to be eaten. Turkeys are slightly brighter but when they get bigger can not fly that high so might be prone to being eaten as well. I lost one of my males and he was well over 25lbs to a fox he could not get far with it but he ate what he wanted then left the rest, such a waste. Guinea Fowl are the brightest of the lot, they are noisey but the fly just about as well as a pheasant and will roost high up in a tree. Why are you going to keep them meat or eggs. If its eggs they will need somewhere to lay or you will not find many in a wood, and this is the place the chickens will wait for the fox to come for dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted July 13, 2011 Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 do you know that technically its illegal? most of the bigger shoots here have stopped releasing guinea fowl due to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockercas Posted July 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 Al4x I'm not really bothered. Frenchieboy point taken someone stole 18 chickens from the pub down the road. Rimfire excellent reply I was sort of going to let the turkeys guinea fowl roam free and the chickens roam free but I made a shed for them to lay eggs in (if they will). There fen traps out and I'm going to put the snares back out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul T Posted July 13, 2011 Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 On one of my permissions I've been given the go ahead to keep some chickens, gini fowl and some turkeys in one of the woods. Anyone want to give me some tips on keeping them. I plan on releasing them and letting them roam free. In that environment I'd go for a lightweight breed that can at least fly to get out of trouble and perch in trees. Silver Spangled Hamburghs are bonny birds that will lay for ever. I doubt the heavier, soft feather breeds like Orpingtons would last long in a wood to be honest. The chances of predation are very high and they have no defence at all. As Rimfire said, Guinea Fowl might be a good choice, but it's something I've never kept. Silly question: why don't you stick a pen up and do some pheasant and partridge? That way you can at least release them and get some shooting in . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockercas Posted July 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 Paul I do have a pen and put pheasants down. Just wanted to try something different. And get some eggs/meat in the process. Thanks for the replys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted July 14, 2011 Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 If you want meat birds you want something dual purpose like 'Light Sussex' or Rhode Island Reds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted July 14, 2011 Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 I have all three in the wood where I shoot. The turkeys were great, pretty safe from foxes, out of ten only two were nailed by a fox, both as they came down from roost. Chickens , if they go to roost they should be relatively safe but I would still not expect them to last long, if they will not go to roost then you can expect them to last days and not weeks. Guinea fowl, same as turkeys, pretty good at avoiding fox but those we have lost have been generally killed near the roost tree. We cut an area of grass next to our pheasant pen, the birds are most vulnerable during teh summer when the tall vegetation allows charlie to belly crawl up to his target unobserved. If our experience is anthing to go by, do not expect to find any eggs at all, but we do have pretty solid ground cover in our wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted July 14, 2011 Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 That Hugh Fernley Whittingstall chap had a good idea in one of his River cottage series.He made a chicken coop which was about 10ft off the ground called 'Chickenopolis' and they accessed it via steps.It didnt take him long to teach the hens how to negotiate the steps using food and allowed them to free range,but safe from predators at roosting time as they cannot climb the steps. Not sure if suitable for turkey or guinea fowl though,but i supopose it just comes down to size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockercas Posted July 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 Thanks lads I'm taking it all on board of to get some turkeys on weekend I'll let you know how I get on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airgunalex Posted July 14, 2011 Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 I have just taken ownership of 26 day old Bronze turkeys today! going to be a tasty Christmas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockercas Posted July 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 That's what I'm getting airgunalex. Mabey abit older then 1day old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airgunalex Posted July 14, 2011 Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 That's what I'm getting airgunalex. Mabey abit older then 1day old they are looking fairly healthy at the moment but i have been told they have a tendency to die easily! Off heat poults may be a better option but they are more expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teal Posted July 15, 2011 Report Share Posted July 15, 2011 That Hugh Fernley Whittingstall chap had a good idea in one of his River cottage series.He made a chicken coop which was about 10ft off the ground called 'Chickenopolis' and they accessed it via steps.It didnt take him long to teach the hens how to negotiate the steps using food and allowed them to free range,but safe from predators at roosting time as they cannot climb the steps. Not sure if suitable for turkey or guinea fowl though,but i supopose it just comes down to size. I reckon a fox would climb that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted July 15, 2011 Report Share Posted July 15, 2011 I reckon a fox would climb that Those around here certainly would !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockercas Posted July 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2011 Airgun alex. Took your advice and got off heat poults. Got 5 for £50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airgunalex Posted July 15, 2011 Report Share Posted July 15, 2011 Airgun alex. Took your advice and got off heat poults. Got 5 for £50 Let me know how you get on with them! mine are doing well so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark@mbb Posted July 15, 2011 Report Share Posted July 15, 2011 I have guineafowl and old english game hens they wander around the fields and roost in the trees at night and the noise that they make is enough to wake the dead it keeps any charlie away and most intruders but they lay there eggs anywhere and it always seems to be around 11am every day and guinea fowl dont make good mothers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted July 15, 2011 Report Share Posted July 15, 2011 i was under the impression it was illegal to release Guineafowl into the wild Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quist Posted July 15, 2011 Report Share Posted July 15, 2011 Its illegal to release any non native species into the wild. If you release them but claim them to be domestic livestock, you could find yourself facing cruelty charges if you don't provide them with adequate housing and support. The RSPCA would love to hang your scalp from their wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattslaptop247 Posted July 15, 2011 Report Share Posted July 15, 2011 I suppose tchnically speaking, they are not released in to the wild, you have them on your land, same as if you had a field of cows, but instead you have a field / wood full of birds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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