How many of you have chickens?

sceleste54 wrote:I try hard not to give in to envy.. I really do.... I would SO love to live out from town and be able to have a few chickens !! The town where I live recently had an incident. A lady and her children had apparently had 4 hens as pets for quite some time. They were so unobtrusive most of her neighbors didn't even know they were there. Then a sewer leak occured and OF COURSE IT HAD TO BE THE CHICKENS !! She petitioned the city to allow "City Chickens" did her homework and presented an excellent case. But in the end the opposition had more sigs on their petition and the chickens had to go.. I was so disappointed !! You guys are so fortunate to have your own.. you know what they eat, know how they are housed and that they are healthy. I contrast that with fear of egg recalls and contamination....

That is the most ridiculous things I have ever heard! I'm pretty sure we can have hens in town. I've checked the laws online and didn't see anything saying I COULDN'T. It says no goats, but nothing about chickens. I guess if I get them and anyone says anything I will have to send them to live on a farm.

I felt so bad for this lady. These were her childrens pets. There's always somebody that wants to ruin things.. just because they can !

We also can't have bees flying at large!

We are in the suburbs (not country) and we are allowed to have up to 25 chickens as long as they are 35 feet from any neighbor's dwelling and the smell doesn't reach their property. Seems reasonable to me. Even San Diego city allows 10 chickens. But then that's California right? Animals have almost as many rights as people? haha (I can say that cause I'm a native)

We have 14 chickens and we ordered them on-line from MacMurray Hatchery. They have a great reputation and super good breeding stock. We received them the day after they hatched. Never knew the post office shipped newly hatched chicks! They were just peeping up a storm when we picked up the box. We had to order 25 and I sold the remainder. They all survived and are as healthy as can be. They're spending their second night up on the upper roost tonight. We're so proud!

Bec wrote: I'll have to figure out the answer to that question before I decide anything - and who would take care of them whenever we're gone.

I still have no answer for that What-if. As for the other, well, we went from "Maybe we can see Niagara Falls this summer" to "Our son goes back to school in 3 days, but nobody volunteered to watch the chickies so we could go away." Maybe next year we'll have it figured out.

Someone here is full of questions! I'm stiil trying to answer some of those myself, since it's my first year keeping chickens. We learn by teaching, so here goes:

Aub wrote:[1] How many chickens does a family need? Do they do better in big groups or would just a few be ok? We have cold winters, what do you do with them in the winter?
[2] Do you all have big coops or the chicken tractors? I think I would like a nice little A-Frame chicken tractor, with a fenced run...
[3] Where do you get your chickens? Do you wait until Farm & Fleet or TSC has them in the spring or do you order them online?

1. How many eggs can your family eat in a week? I understand a chicken will lay one egg every day or two, so maybe start with a chicken for each family member, plus one in case laying slows (which it will, I'm finding). I know we'll be reinforcing our coop, come winter. It has too many spaces for cold air/snow to get in. But I think we have cold-hardy breeds. That's something you'll want to research.
2. Our coop&run setup looks like a chicken tractor, but my other half seems to like it in one spot, way in the back of the yard, since we let them out to play in the yard. (Wonder how that'll change, as the seasons do.) This is Square Foot Gardening, I can't imagine people here having Big Farm Coops, either. (But I don't know)
3. We got our chicks from a local feed store, in the rural suburb just south of our city. We would've ordered them from a hatchery, but even 25 was way more than we wanted to start with; we didn't have anyone to split an order with. You could also check Craigslist; we've seen postings there. Yes, it might be a good idea to wait 'til Spring now, to research.

When I was a young girl, I had a flock of 26 chickens. They were Golden Comets. We were a family of 6, and had plenty of eggs left over to barter / sell each week. The biggest problem there was getting enough egg cartons! I think they were returned to us as the eggs were used up.

The birds lived in a coop which was, in fact, converted from a playhouse in years gone by. (Never mine, it was part of the property when we got it.) It was quite sturdily built and did fine through winters where temperatures often reached 40 below zero.

I don't remember exactly how we got the chicks but I do remember going to the post office with my father to pick them up. How exciting is that for a seven-year-old?!

We have about 30 chickens, we started with 48, then Gustav came for a visit and their shelter wasnt enough for them and they all huddled together and we lost 6 to that hurricane. They now have a log house. We have 12 or so aracauna, some black australorps in there as well as some red leg horns. We should selling eggs but arent, why I dont know!!! They get all the greens from the garden, the ones they can have. The wet garbage from the house, this consists of things like trimmings from veggies and left over food that we can still eat, or that isnt mildewed. Mildew and chickens dont go together so well.
We plan for more but we will see.
Ha-v-v

LOVE my spoiled pet chickens! I now have 3.
2 Golden Comets I got from Tractor supply. A Malaysian Serama
smallest chickens in the world. Also, a designer mixed chicken w/ a little top hat that lays the mint green eggs. These 2 I got from a breeder.

I got into birds years ago. I used to be afraid of them, so I challenged myself w/ parakeets and other larger tropical birds to overcome the fear.
Some hens can be aggressive, you must show them who is the boss, then they will be friendly. The pecking order thing is very real.
I find chickens the easiest to maintain, and the eggs are an extra benefit.
I would say go for it!
My best tip is... get the coop first, they do require shelter.
I have a playhouse coop for 1 chicken(she bullies the smaller ones), and
a small coop I built for the other 2.
They roam the yard when I'm home, and are in the coop and runs when I'm at work.
The dogs do not bother them, as I have them trained this way.
That being said, I don't leave them alone w/ the hens.

This place has a minimum of 3 chicks, and many folks like to buy from them.
http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks-c36.aspx


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3X0b8F9hBI&feature=related

This is a cute coop for just 3 chickens, but I would only build a run I could stand in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=842wA0mZY-M&feature=related

My pets

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1chichi/sets/72157623312697774/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1chichi/sets/72157623188246161/

You guys are all so helpful!!! I think next spring I might just have a few chickens show up. I learned that trick when I was a kid. Mom wouldn't make me get rid of a pet, but she sure would tell me no quite a bit!

I'm a grown up I should be able to buy whatever pet I want!

Aub wrote:You guys are all so helpful!!! I think next spring I might just have a few chickens show up. I learned that trick when I was a kid. Mom wouldn't make me get rid of a pet, but she sure would tell me no quite a bit!
I'm a grown up I should be able to buy whatever pet I want!

You go, girl! I think you've got a plan ready to [wait for it] hatch, next spring!
(Sorry, it's late, I'm way overtired and punchy. Or is that PUNchy? )

Actually waiting till spring is not nesaccary,, shoot buy them now, plenty on craigs list as well as mcmurry and Ideal, they need a light for the first several weeks no matter when you get them, I like the weather to be cooler so the chicks can self regulate temps, in NE Texas when its 100+ deg its hard for them to find a cooler spot.
Also most states now have free PT tests for your flock (Typhoid) the state guy will be at my house today to test my girls! Just call your local extension agent for information.

How many do you need ??? well I have around 150 birds total, chickens Guineas and bantams, my wife and I are suffering from empty nest syndrome ,, The hens are well thru their first molt so out of 30 laying hens we average 18 eggs a day 7 days a week, they slow down as they age, also the 105 deg days slowed them down as well,,

What do we do with all those eggs??? We sell them << >> the chicken and egg operation has paid for its self over a two year period and added some $ back into the house budget.. We buy the egg cartons online from egg boxes dot com ,, I dont like to reuse cartons because you dont rellay know where they have been,, I do save the ones people give back to me for possible emergency use, but I prefer new cartons they are 23 cents each. And a dozen eggs are 2.00 $1.77 left for feed per dozen do the math it does work out and it allows us to have all the free farm fresh free range eggs we want!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/34814337/Egg-Production-Chart-cwk-DR#
it is a downloadable tracking chart

Hatched out 8 Americauna cross chicks under a Banty hen last one hatched this morning, have another two banty hens sitting 6 and 7 eggs ,, the 25 chicks we traded for are almost feathered out , lost one for reasons undetermined ,, Guinea hens have started laying their spring hatch, I wonder how many we will get this year? I dont plan on collecting the eggs will let nature take its course let the guinea hns set their own and see how many baby Keets show up.

I cannot remember their forum name but someone here has I blog I follow and their Mother's Day post was about chickens. I am headed to Netflix to watch the whole movie, the clip they shared on the post was PRECIOUS. It reminded me of the story of how after the fire at Yellow Stone Park they were checking for hot spots and found the chared remains of a bird, they touched it and it discentegrated, several baby birds came crawling out from under the ashes, the mother had gathered her babies under her wings to protect them. It also brings to mind the verse about gathering us under His wings. This video has a happier ending than the Yellow Stone Park story, and we are going to make some popcorn and watch the whole thing right now.

The clip and the blog.
http://backyardfarming.blogspot.com/2011/05/happy-mothers-day-2011.html

This thread is a little old, but hey, I am new here sooo...
Anyways, we raise chickens. Lots of chickens! LOL
We raise pure bred, heritage breeds. Mostly large fowl. We have a much sought after line of Rhode Island Reds, and some really great quality Silver Laced Wyandottes. Both are nice large birds. My kids are a big part of the endeavor, and they take part in the breeding, hatching and raising of the birds. The birds care is also a large part of their daily chores. Yes, some kids still do chores! Mine do LOTS. Some might call that abuse these days lol Anyway, here are some photos!










Some may cringe, but chickens do come from someplace. We take very good care of our birds and in return they put food on our table.










We no longer do turkey. They are a handful and eat tons! They are magnificent creatures though.
We do also raise Silkies and Old English Game Bantams!
Living on a farm is a blessing.
I could go on, but I won't bore you anymore.

NICE! Congrats on the ribbons! I had a chuckle about the "much sought after" Rhode Island Reds. There is no problem finding them here. Also quite popular are NH Reds and Icelandics are taking off in our area as well, for their hardiness. I haven't raised chickens in many years. My other chicken connection was I did work for some years for the then elderly Hubbard brothers who developed the Hubbard Broiler chicken.

camprn wrote:NICE! Congrats on the ribbons! I had a chuckle about the "much sought after" Rhode Island Reds. There is no problem finding them here. Also quite popular are NH Reds and Icelandics are taking off in our area as well, for their hardiness. I haven't raised chickens in many years. My other chicken connection was I did work for some years for the then elderly Hubbard brothers who developed the Hubbard Broiler chicken.

Thanks for the kinds words. I should clarify just a bit. Our birds are sought after by "heritage breed" enthusiasts. Those looking for pure bloodlines that date way back. Most birds these days that come from hatcheries are results of lots of crossings to develop them for certain things. Usually eggs lol and meat. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that and in fact we keep a flock of birds just for the eggs
Our "heritage" birds date way back to the original strains of the early 1900's. Its like heirloom seeds. Once lost, they are gone. Some of us have chosen to search these strains out, and continue the bloodlines and keep producing these birds in their original forms. Lol. I guess I am a chicken geek. But yeah, there is a Big difference in the way a hatchery type Rhode Island Red (which is very plentiful and common) compares to the original strain Nothing wrong with hatchery birds, and like I said, we have them for eggs too. Our Rhode Island Reds and Silver Laced Wyandottes are really extra cool creatures and we feel like we are carrying on something special and forgotten.

Love your pictures! Heartwarming post. Sounds like you're raising heritage kids too! lol (what with chores and all). Keep up the good work!

Fellow chicken lover and chore taskmaster,

Ellen

We have the pleasure of owning 4 hens. All are Heritage breeds. 3 Delawares - Pru, Rosie and Cindy and 1 Buff Chantecler - Clare. They have been most fun and entertaining. They all have their own little personalities. We've had them just over a year now. 2 of the Delawares - Pru and Rosie - are in my avatar.

We let them free range around the yard when we are home, otherwise they are in their house and outdoor pen while we are at work. There were a few times over the summer where little Clare was found in the back yard wanting back in the pen, as she had fluttered out...Thank goodness our entire yard is fenced in!

I LOVE my chickens!!