Putting a Rooster on a leash

[myfester]

Ok, I have a problem. A BIG problem...I have a small flock. 4 hens (2 years old), and 2 roosters

that I hatched myself. Just my luck. Well the roosters get along great...are people friendly...however, they are beating up my girls...well, one of them. I'm trying to keep boys separated from the girls with a 4 foot fence. It keeps the girls in, but the boys are light enough to jump over it. Right now, as punishment for the boys, they are living in a dog house. I hate doing that to them, but I hate that they are beating up my girls. I am trying desperately to find homes for the boys. I'm sure one of the Amish farms will be happy to have them...for dinner...but I'd like for them to be pets if possible. I just need more time. Since the boys cannot keep living in a dark dog house and I can't keep them from getting to the girls (who BTW, stopped laying eggs since they started this), I thought of putting a leash on their leg...this way, they can be outdoors during the daytime, the girls can go back to being free range and I can stop worrying all day long.

Has anyone every saw or heard of leashing a chicken. If so, what's the safest thing to use for their leg? Please, please help me!!

Laura

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Yup, tie cords.

You can even buy them with stakes on one end. Just slip the loop around the foot and tighten where it rests above the spur.

http://www.randallburkey.com/Tie-Cords/products/246/

 

[Cuban Longtails]

By the way, you don't have to buy stuff like that. I've seen folks make due with a piece of rope.

 

[myfester]

Thank you so much for the reply. At least knowing there are items sold specifically for this sort of thing makes me not feel quite as bad doing it. And seeing what they use on the "leg end" gives me ideas of what I can find in the hardware store. I didn't want to put something around their leg that would irritate it, or cut into it. Although, something tells me the roos will be irritated in general with me doing this...hehehe. But I can't stand seeing all the blood and bruises on my girls.

Laura

 

[davidb]

wished you live close by, I have 12 or 15 tie cords with stakes on them, I think I bought mine from berkeley supply co,

 

[myfester]

Hehe, yeah...Georgia is a little out of the way from me. I'll rig something up. I just hope I find a home for them soon. But at least they'll be able to be in the sun and have plenty of bugs to hunt. Thanks for the thought

 

[cybercat]

Hubby was saying we need to do this with our rooster so hens lay in coop.

But I did see a show on TV where a game breeder had alot of roosters and they all had leashes on and their own house. So yes you can do it.

 

[gsim]

gamecock raisers use them and yes, each gamecock has his own house, usually a little A-frame and they are staked next to it within their run so they do not kill each other. So a place which caters to that trade would have them too. I don't know why some cotton twine wouldn't do it tho.

 

[proudmama88]

Yes, you can tie him up. It's alright.

I had to tie my rooster up when we moved, because he would go wander off while free ranging and lead the girls with him. He never went too far, but far enough to make me concerned. Hubby just bought a dog tie out stake and tied a bit of long rope around Grumpy's leg, and that's where he was while the girls free ranged during the day light hours. At night, into the coop he went.

You can make due with some soft rope and things like that, like we used. As another poster said, you don't have to buy anything special for him. Just make sure he stays safe and he'll be fine.

 

[Jonathanq1]

Don't worry they will do fine with a tie cord and will be happy to have sunlight and fresh air!