Do you have chickens?

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Permalink Reply by Penelope on January 31, 2009 at 2:48pm

I'm reminded of USDA bulletins advocating chicken houses on wheels that can be moved around a farm to help with pest control and cut back on feed costs. The chickens return to the coop at night and can then be moved to the next place. The photos didn't show fencing, however, so they had to be closely watched to avoid predators, probably a good job for kids back in the olden days before everyone owned a car, cell phone, computer, tv, etc., etc. when kids actually spent time outdoors using their imaginations. Now back in my day . . . .grump grump.

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Permalink Reply by Linda Wilk on February 3, 2009 at 9:46am

I'm an old lady with chickens, and they are the best...love the eggs, but especially love the quirky personalities of my various chickens and my pesky polish crested rooster "Elvis" who crows right at my back door every morning if I haven't fed him on time. Chickens are the easiest source of protein, the eggs I mean, and they are inexpensive to keep. Don't believe anyone who says they are smelly and dirty...no more than a dog. The worst thing I have to do is sweep the back porch when they hang out there during a storm.

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Permalink Reply by Rob on February 3, 2009 at 11:31pm

Does anyone have chickens in a city? Is it even possible? I would love to have just six or so. Has any one done this?

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Permalink Reply by Penelope on February 4, 2009 at 12:25am

Some cities allow a limited number without roosters. I have a friend here in town who has them. Check with your city offices and see what the regulations are.

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Permalink Reply by Joy Williams on February 4, 2009 at 6:09am

You need to check your local zoning laws. I know that in New York, you can (or could) raise pigeons in a coop.

Here's a page on this: http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Chickens-in-a-City

Good luck, it would be fun to see how it works out for you if you decide to try!

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Permalink Reply by Rob on February 4, 2009 at 12:01pm

Thanks for the link. Very helpful. I am going to research this and give it a try in the spring as I have about 2 feet of snow on the ground right now. I will keep you posted as to this goes

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Permalink Reply by suki on February 9, 2009 at 12:42pm

we have 6 chickens that are so fun, when we eat outside in the summer, my children love making the chickens do tricks for food. If you hold food a little above there heads they will jump to get it and we laugh our selves silly. My son will hold food in his lips and one of our girls (joyce) will take it as gently as she can out of his mouth. We also get lots of eggs and manure for the compost pile, one tip from me would be that if you have outdoor cats dont let the chickens find their food,, the cats will go hungry, and in our case we cant get the chickens out of the mudroom (chicken poop is sooooo stinky) so we are gonna start feeding the cats in a new location, anyway..... chickens are fun and useful pets to.

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Permalink Reply by Laura on February 17, 2009 at 8:01am

Hi!

http://healthydining.org/news/HDC_2009_Q1.pdf

I publish a community newsletter and in our current issue we have an article called Raise the Roost. Above is a link to it. It's on pages 6 and 7.

Laura Bruzas
www.HealthyDining.org

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Permalink Reply by janis wakefield on March 7, 2009 at 4:10am

HI I HAVE 6 CHICKENS 5 OUTSIDE 1 INSDE AS SHE HAD TO HAVE HER LEG OFF AS SHE HAD INFECTION WHICH WOULD NOT HEAL AND SHE COPES VERY WELL ON ONE LEG. HAVING CHICKENS [RESCUED BATT] WAS THE BEST THING I EVER DID GO AHEAD HAVE 3 TO START THEN INCREASE LATER [ I DID THAT] THEY ARE SO FREINDLY AND FUNNY BUT YOU WONT HAVE A GARDEN LEFT UNLESS YOU FENCE THEM OFF SO GO AHEAD AND ENJOY THERE LITTLE WAYS JANIS. [WEST MIDLANDS ENGLAND]

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Permalink Reply by Diana on March 7, 2009 at 8:20am

Thanks everyone! We did decide - the fire ant info was the final bit. Last Monday, the day after the Atlanta snowstorm, we picked up 5 chicks (2 buffs, 2 barred rocks, 1 rhode island red) and put them in the prepared storage bin with shop work light & 100w bulb. They'd been pretty stressed, the electricity got knocked out all night at the feed store; but settled down within 20 minutes. Aside from a little pasty butt on 2 that has now cleared up, they're doing fine. Sent my son at college photos, he said they were so cute - untill he noticed they were in his room!
Any suggestions on teaching our hunting cat to leave the chicks alone? I never turn my back on the cat when he's in the room, keep the door shut. Cat just gets too excited and intent looking. I tap cat's nose when he starts more than looking - after that for a while, he sulks and ignores. But goes right back if I let him.
We live in one of those suburbs backing up to small hobby farms, our backyard looks out over a horse pasture. DH is building an ark type tractor, so he says... better be soon, they're growing FAST. I expect we have every predator except bears. Luckily, we're outside city limits, the subdivision's association never made it past the first year some fifteen years ago, so we should be good. Total strangers stop to ask questions about my garden, the only in the neighborhood, as pitiful as it seems to me. My other teenage son has shown suprising interest in the chicks, visiting with his favorite every day.
I really enjoy this whole site, have hopefully learned alot for this year in the garden.Good luck everyone!

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Permalink Reply by Penelope on March 7, 2009 at 9:52am

About the cat: chicks are merely dinner in his eyes; when the chickens full grown, domestic cats usually won't bother them. Chicken predators include but are not limited to: coyotes, weasels, skunks, raccoons, foxes, dogs, hawks . . . I've had encounters with all them. I butchered a duck late at night when it was -20F and I was 8 months pregnant after a raccoon had gotten into the cage and stripped the skin off her neck. Whenever the chickens carry on with lots of squawking, you should check things out. Raccoons can carry a full grown chicken in its mouth up and over a 6 foot wire fence. And sometimes chickens will pile up and smother themselves when startled or threatened.

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Permalink Reply by needles on March 11, 2009 at 1:55pm

I'd prefer to have ducks, they seem a bit easier than chickens, and they eat slugs, of which I have lots, but my town doesn't allow you to have a "small household poultry flock" (4 or less) if you own less than 4 1/3 acres. Ridiculous, huh?

KS

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