[Pesqueeb]

Anyone raise their own chickens? Specifically in their back yards? The wife and I have discussed this for a while and I think were gonna dive in. Wifey just wants laying chickens but I figure if were going to do this I want a couple of broiler chickens in the herd too. We eat very little meat because were pretty picky about it (read: only organic and its fvcking expensive) but if I know where its coming from and what they’ve been eating, I could eat a lot of chicken. We have a pretty small yard (.4 acre) but based on what I’ve read we don’t need a huge amount anyway. Looked a little into building a coop, probably wait until it starts to thaw, and also checked into city ordinances, 10 are allowed within city limits, no roosters. Tips, hints, suggestions?

Discuss.

 

[sanjuro]

What are you, Puerto Rican?

 

[was?]

I think you´re better off building a pumptrack, but since you asked....
Chickens are pretty hard on the vegetation, I´m from a rural area and the chicken dens/yards I´ve seen were pure soil with little to no vegetation, depending on the population. If you are about to build a volery you have to consider that chickens are ground dwelling creatures.
How many chickens per sq. feet? I don´t know...

 

[jonKranked]

buddy of mine who lives in long island has some. he says its worth it. he always brings fresh eggs to DH races and they are the bomb.

 

[freakrock]

 

[insanitylevel9]

chickens are really easy, they will eat anything (left overs and table scraps). i also suggest you get a few guinea fowl they lay very good eggs to. they also don't take much space so theres no need to build a full blow coop, a large dog house should do. lastly even thought they say not to have a rooster i would get one really mean one, that way if they neighbor hood rat dog thing gets in the rooster will kick the crap out of it. or if a fox or something gets in the rooster will go at it and you will loose something of no importance. lastly the meat chickens do not lay very good eggs so i would avoid them if you mostly after eggs.
i worked at a farm for like 3 years
sorry about my grammar i'm absolutely terrible at writing.

 

[insanitylevel9]

that episode was wicked messed up i'm sorry, and i saw the banned episodes.

 

[Pesqueeb]

What are you, Puerto Rican?

No, I'm cracker white. My wife is mexican though, don't tell Bizutch.

 

[jonKranked]

No, I'm cracker white. My wife is mexican though, don't tell Bizutch.

is she one of the hot ones that looks asian?

 

[Pesqueeb]

is she one of the hot ones that looks asian?

No

 

[jonKranked]

No

that always gets me on pr0n sites. i look at the thumbnails, not the titles.

 

[Bushwhacker]

I've had a flock of five since last June, four hens and a rooster. I get four eggs a day, insect control, fertilizer and garbage disposal all wrapped up on one.Mine are free range and scratch and forage in the woods, yard, compost pile and gardens. I keep some 16% layer feed on hand, but they rarely eat it. Today, I turned a big heap of compost and watched them get a protein boost by chowing down on the red worms I turned up.
They are a ton of fun to watch, I can sit on the deck, drink a beer and let the chooks entertain me.
I started mine in a chicken tractor and used them to keep my yard mowed. I would move the tractor once a day and the birds would eat the grass then move it again. I eventually just let them free...they just hang out and never go any where.

Chickens with their "tractor" in the background

Birds, bamboo and mushroom logs.

My rooster having his way with my killer pit bull.

If ya have any question...feel free.

 

[stevew]

i see this playing out like "angel heart".

cats are going to love your yard.

 

[Ciaran]

My old neighboors had chickens. Noisy, dirty creatures. Make good targets for the BB gun, though.

 

[blackohio]

wait until you find your first flattened chicken

 

[IH8Rice]

you know youre a redneck when......


srsly tho, i feel sorry for your neighbors.

 

[Pesqueeb]

you know youre a redneck when......


srsly tho, i feel sorry for your neighbors.

My neighbors can go fvck themselves.

 

[IH8Rice]

My neighbors can go fvck themselves.

hmm. then anything less then this will be unacceptable

 

[insanitylevel9]

My neighbors can go fvck themselves.

definitely get guinea hen, if one goes off they all go off, were i worked had 100 and if you spooked on they all went nuts.

you could also retaliate by making your entire front yard a north shore ladder land.

 

[jasride]

Keep it real, wrap a glowstick around um all.

 

[JRogers]

Chickens are very easy. We have about a dozen and get about an egg a day when at peak production. We have a small wooden coop and a larger fenced in area (too many other animals around; and we have a dog that would probably kill them all at some point if he got close). We use a combination of mostly standard feed and vegetables. The vegetables are all different stuff. We get them for free- the stuff a small local grocery store is throwing out and the stuff another health food grocery store either is throwing out or has used for juicing (meaning, we use the pulp and they seem to really like it). We don't have a rooster and they are fairly quiet. So, in all, not a bad deal- they cost us almost nothing and give us eggs...and some entertainment. They are the dumbest animals I have ever seen. Chickens seem to have two mental states: nothing and abject terror. I also found out they think the broom is an animal or something and will go nuts if they see it.

 

[Pesqueeb]

definitely get guinea hen, if one goes off they all go off, were i worked had 100 and if you spooked on they all went nuts.

you could also retaliate by making your entire front yard a north shore ladder land.

Wow, 10 seconds of that and I wanted to kill myself, never mind the neighbor. If I was going for noise alone I'd get a peacock or a Macaw. I like the ladder idea but my front yard isn't that big.

 

[insanitylevel9]

Wow, 10 seconds of that and I wanted to kill myself, never mind the neighbor. If I was going for noise alone I'd get a peacock or a Macaw. I like the ladder idea but my front yard isn't that big.

ya there wicked annoying(but lay really good eggs), now imagine 100 of them 5 days a week lol, and just have the ladders cover your entire property over your roof and what not .

 

[SkaredShtles]

Cats and coyotes are going to be a BIG problem unless you get a rooster.

 

[Pesqueeb]

Cats and coyotes are going to be a BIG problem unless you get a rooster.

Think I have that covered.

+

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

My neighbor has chickens and goats. I occasionally find the goats in my yard.


Hope that helped.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Looks like you might have dog problems.

 

[Pesqueeb]

Looks like you might have dog problems.

Nah, he's a good dog. The other one however.......

 

[TN]

you are on the path to eating the best damn eggs you have ever tried.

 

[Polandspring88]

My neighbor has chickens and goats. I occasionally fondle the goats in my yard.


Hope that helped.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Hey, if they're on my property I can do as I wish with them.

 

[mandown]

Emu45

 

[insanitylevel9]

you are on the path to eating the best damn eggs you have ever tried.

 

[kazlx]

Do chickens just continue to lay eggs for the fun of it?

 

[SkaredShtles]

Do chickens just continue to lay eggs for the fun of it?

They lay eggs until they have enough to justify nesting. If you take their egg away every day they'll just keep laying eggs.

That's the simplistic answer. There's actually a bit more to it.

 

[kazlx]

They lay eggs until they have enough to justify nesting. If you take their egg away every day they'll just keep laying eggs.

That's the simplistic answer. There's actually a bit more to it.

Interesting. So basically you just feed the little feathered rats and they just keep producing eggs. I take it they aren't even fertilized?

 

[SkaredShtles]

Interesting. So basically you just feed the little feathered rats and they just keep producing eggs. I take it they aren't even fertilized?

Correct. Unfertilized eggs reduce the chance that you'll crack a baby chicken into your frying pan.

 

[insanitylevel9]

they also only lay eggs a particular parts of the year if the coop does not have light 24/7.

 

[jdcamb]

you are on the path to eating the best damn eggs you have ever tried.

Since eggs are like a $1 a carton at my Public Market. I will gladly eat inferior eggs to not have to deal with the mess and inconvenience of owning chickens. Livestock is typically more work then worth in my lazy opinion. The chinese guy at the Public market sells fresh chickens for $4, for a $1 more his kid will dress it for you.... No need for me to have to do anything other then prepare and consume it. Worth $5 for me....

 

[Bushwhacker]

Cats and coyotes are going to be a BIG problem unless you get a rooster.

Hasn't been a problem here. We have complete dog, kitty, chicken, bunny solidarity here and they actually all play/chill together very well. I find it amazing how well four separate species that would normally be predator/prey in their world can coexist so peacefully in mine.

I'm eating a couple over easy right now that I grabbed out of the nest box on my way in the house this evening ..they can get no fresher than that.