Ex Layers?

[man o kent 269]

Hoping to put a few birds down this year for a little rough shooting. Wondered what you gents thought the pro's and con's were with ex layers? Many thanks

[Lab 10,979]

Great if you have a good bit of ground to play with. If not I suggest you clip there wings and try and keep them around as long as possible.

[man o kent 269]

Do you think poults are a better first time choice?

[neil cooney 10,415]

For rough shooting I'd go with poults and over here in Ireland we're not allowed shoot hens so that leaves the hens behind for breeding.

Regarding ex-layers ? Again, over here most commercial breeders use Michigan Blue cross hens as they're great mother but great wanderers too so as Lab says they might wander.

I'd go with poults and try and build up your stock of wild hens.

[man o kent 269]

Thankyou for your thoughts gents

[Lab 10,979]

Do you think poults are a better first time choice?

Depends how much time you have to spend with them. Poults will require you being there early morning and for the first few weeks you will need to be there in the evening till they have learned to roost. You will also need to get poult pellets then gradually move them over to wheat where as layers will be just on wheat. Poults will be more expensive too.

Ex layers are a far easier option.

[Qbgrey 3,968]

We still put our exlayers in the release pen.get them used to the area and let them rest a bit.then release after 4 weeks or more.I know a few lads who just chuck em straight in the woods no feeders out nothing.

[CushtyJook 1,097]

We still put our exlayers in the release pen.get them used to the area and let them rest a bit.then release after 4 weeks or more.I know a few lads who just chuck em straight in the woods no feeders out nothing.

Bet they don't hang around for long ?

[Skull Hooker 185]

I know a keeper in Surrey who put down 1000 ex layers one year. The birds were poorly back feathered cos they lo.se a lot from the attention of the cock bird. We had a long period of rain and unseasonably cold weather and it wiped virtually all of them out from exposure. In my mind, if you're serious about it, get poults.

 

I have a farm near me which we put 100 poults down on. We built a small pen and those 100 birds give us two good days rough/walk and stand shooting, for 5 or six people. We look after em though. Ex layers are buggers for wandering off as well

[man o kent 269]

With poults, if they were 7 weeks at the end of August, when would they be ready/fly well?

[Qbgrey 3,968]

For a shoot on a budget I think exlayers are not a bad way to go.they are good flyers being pushed over guns week in week out.

[Lab 10,979]

Wouldn't want to be shooting them till December.

[man o kent 269]

I think there will be a shortage of ex layers this season.

[Alimac2 321]

With poults, if they were 7 weeks at the end of August, when would they be ready/fly well?

As a rule of thumb they should be ready at 20 weeks unless your tight on pellets & had bad weather, in which case leave for a couple extra weeks..

[PENCHECKER 41]

H

Ex layer can work if you look after them right, we pull feathers on one wing put them in the pen, hand feed daily and get a great return.