Whats involved with having chickens?

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merec03

Guest
I'm renting a farmette that has a large chicken coup. There was a rooster running around when I first got here but I never could catch it and eventually it got eaten or something.

I've heard that chickens are good to have around horses because they help spread out the poo and obviously lay eggs. However, like with the rooster, I'd feel horrible if they got eaten!

I'd only want egg layers.. what type of chickens would I get? How do you get them to lay? Is this a bad idea? :lmao:
 

Bonehead

Well-Known Member
Lots of simple books in the library about the subject, breeds etc for egg production. Just don't try to raise too many unless you really like eggs.
 
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Mousebaby

Guest
Lots of simple books in the library about the subject, breeds etc for egg production. Just don't try to raise too many unless you really like eggs.

He forgot to mention, tons and tons and tons of chicken shiat! NO LIE!

Have fun! :huggy:
 

morningbell

hmmmmmm
I'm renting a farmette that has a large chicken coup. There was a rooster running around when I first got here but I never could catch it and eventually it got eaten or something.

I've heard that chickens are good to have around horses because they help spread out the poo and obviously lay eggs. However, like with the rooster, I'd feel horrible if they got eaten!

I'd only want egg layers.. what type of chickens would I get? How do you get them to lay? Is this a bad idea? :lmao:

Keep only hens, make sure they get to run during the day accress to fresh grass, they like kitchen scraps of fresh vegetable matter but make sure they get grain too. Go to Stauffer's Feed Mill in Loveville, they may have some hens they'd sell or tell you where to get some hens. Its butchering time right now so you'll have to wait until the spring. I'm going to learn how to slatughter and dress a bird completely here soon if you're interested in knowing that.
 

Chain729

CageKicker Extraordinaire
Keep only hens, make sure they get to run during the day accress to fresh grass, they like kitchen scraps of fresh vegetable matter but make sure they get grain too. Go to Stauffer's Feed Mill in Loveville, they may have some hens they'd sell or tell you where to get some hens. Its butchering time right now so you'll have to wait until the spring. I'm going to learn how to slatughter and dress a bird completely here soon if you're interested in knowing that.

After the first time you pluck a chicken, you won't want to do it again.
 

Cowgirl

Well-Known Member
Keeping chickens is fairly easy. If you don't want them to get eaten, make sure you have a pretty secure coop for them and close them in at night. They're GREAT for spreading horse manure and keeping down bugs. If you could get some young pullets now, you'll have eggs in the spring. I wouldn't bother with chicks now though, you'd be spending so much time and energy keeping them warm. You can always wait until spring for chicks, but then it'll be a while before you get eggs.

If you're looking for good eggs, some breeds to consider are Sex Links, Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks. Bantams are great, they're smaller and eat less, but they lay slightly smaller eggs. Cochin (Bantam) breeds are nice (I think Partridge Cochins are pretty). If you're interested in the chickens hatching their own eggs, you'll want bantams. They'll set their own eggs and any other egg they come across. :lmao: If you're not interested in hatching chicks, then like Morningbell said, it's best not to get any roosters. If you make sure to collect the eggs every day or every other day, then having a rooster is no big deal. I like them, because they're pretty and I like hearing them crow. Plus, they kinda keep the "ladies" in check. :lol:

I really like McMurray Hatchery. Their website has a ton of info, even if you don't want to buy chicks from them. Good luck!

Oh, I forgot to add: Chickens will lay anywhere, but it's best to provide some nesting boxes for them. Does your coop already have them? If not, they're very easy to build. If you keep fresh bedding in the boxes, the eggs will be easy to collect and cleaner than if you let the hens lay anywhere.
 

SdWild1ne

You can keep your change
Keeping chickens is fairly easy. If you don't want them to get eaten, make sure you have a pretty secure coop for them and close them in at night. They're GREAT for spreading horse manure and keeping down bugs. If you could get some young pullets now, you'll have eggs in the spring. I wouldn't bother with chicks now though, you'd be spending so much time and energy keeping them warm. You can always wait until spring for chicks, but then it'll be a while before you get eggs.

If you're looking for good eggs, some breeds to consider are Sex Links, Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks. Bantams are great, they're smaller and eat less, but they lay slightly smaller eggs. Cochin (Bantam) breeds are nice (I think Partridge Cochins are pretty). If you're interested in the chickens hatching their own eggs, you'll want bantams. They'll set their own eggs and any other egg they come across. :lmao: If you're not interested in hatching chicks, then like Morningbell said, it's best not to get any roosters. If you make sure to collect the eggs every day or every other day, then having a rooster is no big deal. I like them, because they're pretty and I like hearing them crow. Plus, they kinda keep the "ladies" in check. :lol:

I really like McMurray Hatchery. Their website has a ton of info, even if you don't want to buy chicks from them. Good luck!

Oh, I forgot to add: Chickens will lay anywhere, but it's best to provide some nesting boxes for them. Does your coop already have them? If not, they're very easy to build. If you keep fresh bedding in the boxes, the eggs will be easy to collect and cleaner than if you let the hens lay anywhere.

:dye:Also, you have to really watch certain chickens. Rhode Island Reds like to pick on other chickens. And don't have more than one rooster. Bad news. My sister has lots of chickens. Some of them pick(or peck, haha) on the other ones and pretty soon you have a naked chicken.
 
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merec03

Guest
First you have to find a rooster who is willing to :gossip: you.

wait.. this is a dumb question but I thought other posters said I could have eggs (that wouldn't hatch) with out a rooster?
 
M

merec03

Guest
Besides that..

I think I can handle it! I'm going to wait til spring so I don't have to worry about the cold.. knowing me i'd put little blankets on all of them!

This will also give me time to improve the coup and make sure nothing can break into it! I think i'm going to go with the White Cochins cause my roomate likes those the best
 

ArkRescue

Adopt me please !
I have about 10 different breeds of chickens at my place - full sized and bantams. I'd say stay away from the Rhode island Reds also - I just pkaced 2 with my neighbor after they beat up some of my special polish girls. They are fighting girls apparently and chickens have no mercy once the pecking starts by one, they all seem to jump in.

And yes roosters can be bad news - have 2 of those bad ones, but the other 2 are just fine .. so not all of them are bad.

I have learned how to separate injured chickens while not removing them from the group, that way there's no fighting when the injured one is re-intruduced to the group. I have also learned how to train chickens where I want them to sleep LOL. Took me a few nights but I got them to understand where their "bed" was once I moved IT :killingme .

I've got lots of helpful information for you as I was new to them a couple years ago myself. There are lots of good books too, but the best thing is to visit people who have chickens/coops and ask questions. You're welcome to come by and check out mine anytime.

Look into the horse/chicken combination as some horse people say horses need a vaccine to not get sick from a germ they have that starts with a "C" - memory fails me at the moment. The germ usually only affects stressed animals but even still it's important you know all the risks since you can buy a chicken for $2 and a horse .. well you know.

Have fun with them - the ones I have love hugs and will stand at my feet waiting for their turn to get hugged. Well MOST of them.

I think I can handle it! I'm going to wait til spring so I don't have to worry about the cold.. knowing me i'd put little blankets on all of them!

This will also give me time to improve the coup and make sure nothing can break into it! I think i'm going to go with the White Cochins cause my roomate likes those the best
 

BrookValley

New Member
wait.. this is a dumb question but I thought other posters said I could have eggs (that wouldn't hatch) with out a rooster?

Yes, you can have eggs without a rooster. They just won't be fertile.

If you want good egg layers, don't go with the Cochins or any of the fancy breeds (or maybe get a few good layers and just a couple of fancy chickens for "fun"). Trust me, I know; I have about 70 chickens and I right now I get maybe one or two eggs per day. Sometimes none. Damn diva chickens!! :killingme But I have mostly breeds kept for show/pets, and it is getting to be that time of year when they slow down or stop laying anyway.

BackYardChickens.com - Raise Chickens, Build Chicken Coops, Hatch Eggs is a good place to start getting the answers to your questions.

To the person who asked about chicken manure for your garden...yes, you can use it for gardening, but it's really "hot," meaning it has to be well-composted before you use it.

The amount of information out there is overwhelming, but chickens really are easy! Just remember to lock them in their coop at night...it doesn't take very long for a sneaky fox or raccoon to figure out how to make an easy meal out of your chickens!

Morningbell, slaughtering chickens??!! When did you go all survivor-man on me?? :lol:
 

morningbell

hmmmmmm
Morningbell, slaughtering chickens??!! When did you go all survivor-man on me?? :lol:

Yep, Mrs. Allen and I are getting together this weekend..... I'd like to keep chickens next year, not for me though.... at least I know where they're coming from and that they lived la vida loca :dye: When it came down to it I may not be able to go through with it :frown:
 

dn0121

New Member
make your own mcnuggets!
 

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