OT - Just for fun. Does anyone else here raise chickens?
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OT - Just for fun. Does anyone else here raise chickens?
I raised chickens for eggs about 15 years ago. With the cost of meat and everything else going up, I decided to start up again.
There's already a huge, walk-in 12x12 ft coop which I've used before. It was originally a horse stall. There is enough fenced yard for them to free range during the day.
I have two friends who also want hens, so we ended up getting an assortment of 21 fall chicks. I'll be raising them until they are three months old, and then we will divide them up. My one friend has three chickens already and my other friend lost her hens to predators.
Right now the little gals are in a brooder on top of my washing machine, enjoying dried mealworms, squash, and minced green beans in addition to their chick starter.
Major cuteness!
There's already a huge, walk-in 12x12 ft coop which I've used before. It was originally a horse stall. There is enough fenced yard for them to free range during the day.
I have two friends who also want hens, so we ended up getting an assortment of 21 fall chicks. I'll be raising them until they are three months old, and then we will divide them up. My one friend has three chickens already and my other friend lost her hens to predators.
Right now the little gals are in a brooder on top of my washing machine, enjoying dried mealworms, squash, and minced green beans in addition to their chick starter.
Major cuteness!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Riverwood
Posts: 124
I don't have any kind of phone or camera which will take pics right now, or I would share! My computer is decent, but I'm a bit behind in other technology.
Chickens are friendly and fun. Great personalities! They put themselves to bed at night and eat lots of bugs during the day. They'll also eat a lot of table scraps. I didn't realize how much I missed having them around. Lots of fun to watch. They used to like to go blackberry picking with me.
Predators are a problem. We have coyotes, raccoons, hawks, owls, and bald eagles where I live. My one friend thinks her two hens were grabbed by a Coati Mundi. She had spotted the critter a mile or so away and didn't know what it was until we looked it up on the internet. Must have been someone's pet because they sure aren't native around here.
I've also had a pair of Button Quail and have thought of raising them again for their eggs. Here's a link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qnp2M2CIcs
Chickens are friendly and fun. Great personalities! They put themselves to bed at night and eat lots of bugs during the day. They'll also eat a lot of table scraps. I didn't realize how much I missed having them around. Lots of fun to watch. They used to like to go blackberry picking with me.
Predators are a problem. We have coyotes, raccoons, hawks, owls, and bald eagles where I live. My one friend thinks her two hens were grabbed by a Coati Mundi. She had spotted the critter a mile or so away and didn't know what it was until we looked it up on the internet. Must have been someone's pet because they sure aren't native around here.
I've also had a pair of Button Quail and have thought of raising them again for their eggs. Here's a link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qnp2M2CIcs
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 94
OK, so here's my chicken thing .... I am about to close on a beautiful house with 3/4 acre of enclosed land for my two dogs, my offer has just been accepted today subject to some conditions. It comes with a chicken run - fenced from the dogs - an antique hen house - very cute - and four chickens ,no cockerel. I am excited about taking on these chickens but have never had any before. Tips welcome!
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I did, chickens are fun!
Originally Posted by TalenCrowhaven 
I raised chickens for eggs about 15 years ago. With the cost of meat and everything else going up, I decided to start up again.
There's already a huge, walk-in 12x12 ft coop which I've used before. It was originally a horse stall. There is enough fenced yard for them to free range during the day.
I have two friends who also want hens, so we ended up getting an assortment of 21 fall chicks. I'll be raising them until they are three months old, and then we will divide them up. My one friend has three chickens already and my other friend lost her hens to predators.
Right now the little gals are in a brooder on top of my washing machine, enjoying dried mealworms, squash, and minced green beans in addition to their chick starter.
Major cuteness!
There's already a huge, walk-in 12x12 ft coop which I've used before. It was originally a horse stall. There is enough fenced yard for them to free range during the day.
I have two friends who also want hens, so we ended up getting an assortment of 21 fall chicks. I'll be raising them until they are three months old, and then we will divide them up. My one friend has three chickens already and my other friend lost her hens to predators.
Right now the little gals are in a brooder on top of my washing machine, enjoying dried mealworms, squash, and minced green beans in addition to their chick starter.
Major cuteness!
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Riverwood
Posts: 124
Originally Posted by Brindie
OK, so here's my chicken thing .... I am about to close on a beautiful house with 3/4 acre of enclosed land for my two dogs, my offer has just been accepted today subject to some conditions. It comes with a chicken run - fenced from the dogs - an antique hen house - very cute - and four chickens ,no cockerel. I am excited about taking on these chickens but have never had any before. Tips welcome!
Try some google searches online for basic information regarding keeping chickens. There are a couple of good documentaries on YouTube.
Post here or PM me anytime, and I'll share what I know!
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Midwest, USA
Posts: 2,899
I talked to a lady this weekend who says that raising Muscovy ducks is FAR superior to chickens. And she loves chickens. She said they're pretty quiet and their eggs are amazing, and they are born and bred pest killers. They will control a mosquito and fly problem without any effort at all.
Last night I dreamed I owned a flock of ducks. Ha!
The Muscovy Duck by Dr. Dennis P. Smith from the October/November, 2007 issue of Backyard Poultry | Backyard Poultry Magazine
Last night I dreamed I owned a flock of ducks. Ha!
The Muscovy Duck by Dr. Dennis P. Smith from the October/November, 2007 issue of Backyard Poultry | Backyard Poultry Magazine
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Posts: 124
Ducks are great too! (Well, the right kind of duck of course. Quack-quack!)
I had a couple of female Domestic Mallards. There's a small pond in my garden where they liked to swim and catch feeder fish I'd bring them from the pet shop.
Unfortunately, a racoon got them.
I had a couple of female Domestic Mallards. There's a small pond in my garden where they liked to swim and catch feeder fish I'd bring them from the pet shop.
Unfortunately, a racoon got them.
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Olney, MD
Posts: 268
I LOVE chickens. I live in a townhouse with a HOA so no chickens for me. But SOMEDAY I will have land in the middle of nowhere where I can have chickens. I would like some blue marans. Gorgeous colors. Or some barred rocks.
Really my dream is to operate a CSA some day.
Really my dream is to operate a CSA some day.
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: AR
Posts: 7,654
Hi Brindie!
Yes Bluechair is right! I have chickens!
Only mine are house chickens! LOL I've posted lots of pictures and tell many a story about their antics! I have three Chinese Silkies and two Morans!
Here's the link if you want to drop by and chat!
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ml#post4926930
TOD
Yes Bluechair is right! I have chickens!
Only mine are house chickens! LOL I've posted lots of pictures and tell many a story about their antics! I have three Chinese Silkies and two Morans!Here's the link if you want to drop by and chat!
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ml#post4926930
TOD
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Heart of Dixie
Posts: 391
My Husband really has the chickens. We have two dogs and several cats-They all get along fine. Our newest pup likes to chase the oldest cat, but after a swipe to the nose she gets the message-occasionally one of the hens might get in the way of that and loose a feather...but no harm has ever been done.
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: mountain states, Montana and Wyoming
Posts: 246
We have had them off and on for about 14 years. If you are new to them I would suggest not getting a rooster, or if you have one either give it away or soup pot.
They need protection from drafts when very young, and also a heat lamp depending on your area, mostly keep the lamp where they don't huddle underneath it, and as they get feathers raise it an inch or two per week.
Personally, we love Auracanas and Americanas, Rhode Island red, Red Stars, and Buff Orphingtons. Takes about 21 weeks until they lay eggs.
We have 5 up at our ranch right now who started laying a month ago, and have 16 three week old chicks in a small run in our garage, at 10 weeks they will join the other girls.
IRT predators: Make your run predator proof, bury chicken wire 12 to 18 inches in the ground and make the run as high as you can afford. If you have rocky soil then bend down 18 inches of the wire and place heavy objects, rock, metal on the wire. Don't use heavy metal rock though it bothers their ears.
Make sure you protect from raptors as well if you have them. Another option is to make them a secure chicken house and keep them inside except for when you are around. They come right out, feed all day and put themselves to bed when it get late.
Lots of good clean water, a balanced feed and give them scraps from the kitchen, lawn grass, virtually anything.
Some are friendlier than others, if you get them as chicks hold them and socialize them. My Golden retriever leaves them alone, and they follow me around like dogs.
They are so underrated as pets in my opinion. Two of our pullets come sit on our laps. then baby chicks are doing well and a blast to just watch eat and skittle around.
If you have a lot of chickens then sell the extra eggs to pay for the feed. If you like orange yolks kick up or supplement the feed with cracked corn. One benefit is they eat all the bugs around your place. I mean all the bugs, spiders, and creepy crawlers. They will also eat mice and mine killed a small snake, but I did not let them eat it.
They are awesome pets and have personalities. We keep ours until they die a natural death, even if they stop producing eggs. We look at the eggs as a by product of having the pets, not the reason for them, but oh are they tasty.
They need protection from drafts when very young, and also a heat lamp depending on your area, mostly keep the lamp where they don't huddle underneath it, and as they get feathers raise it an inch or two per week.
Personally, we love Auracanas and Americanas, Rhode Island red, Red Stars, and Buff Orphingtons. Takes about 21 weeks until they lay eggs.
We have 5 up at our ranch right now who started laying a month ago, and have 16 three week old chicks in a small run in our garage, at 10 weeks they will join the other girls.
IRT predators: Make your run predator proof, bury chicken wire 12 to 18 inches in the ground and make the run as high as you can afford. If you have rocky soil then bend down 18 inches of the wire and place heavy objects, rock, metal on the wire. Don't use heavy metal rock though it bothers their ears.
Make sure you protect from raptors as well if you have them. Another option is to make them a secure chicken house and keep them inside except for when you are around. They come right out, feed all day and put themselves to bed when it get late.
Lots of good clean water, a balanced feed and give them scraps from the kitchen, lawn grass, virtually anything.
Some are friendlier than others, if you get them as chicks hold them and socialize them. My Golden retriever leaves them alone, and they follow me around like dogs.
They are so underrated as pets in my opinion. Two of our pullets come sit on our laps. then baby chicks are doing well and a blast to just watch eat and skittle around.
If you have a lot of chickens then sell the extra eggs to pay for the feed. If you like orange yolks kick up or supplement the feed with cracked corn. One benefit is they eat all the bugs around your place. I mean all the bugs, spiders, and creepy crawlers. They will also eat mice and mine killed a small snake, but I did not let them eat it.
They are awesome pets and have personalities. We keep ours until they die a natural death, even if they stop producing eggs. We look at the eggs as a by product of having the pets, not the reason for them, but oh are they tasty.
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I have in the past, but city code where I live now doesn't allow it -- mostly because they don't want to lure rabid coyotes into town.
There's such a difference between fresh eggs and the store bought ones though -- I really miss that!
There's such a difference between fresh eggs and the store bought ones though -- I really miss that!
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