Time for Chickens!

[Aaron]

I just finished reading an article that says my city just approved the use of up to 6 chickens in residential areas. Woo-Hoo.... Time to raise some food and fertilizer! I'm just now starting to read up on keeping chickens and I basically know nothing yet. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Boboro]

Get some eggs and hach them an rase like dogs.

 

[DonH]

Chickens are easy. Get a breed that lays well and isn't aggressive and you'll be fine. They're great to have.

 

[SmokesAhoy]

Oh and chicken fencing is just for chickens...whoops

 

[BarG]

Be sure to raise more than you can eat!

 

[SmokesAhoy]

Only 6 sounds like your benevolent rulers only want you raising for eggs, not meat.

 

[BarG]

Only 6 sounds like your benevolent rulers only want you raising for eggs, not meat.

Add a few turkeys and a covey of quail to the overall menu.

I'm halfway considering the quail.Wednesday can be Quail day

 

[indianjoe]

Aaron, does it exclude roosters? Some cities exclude them due to crowing.

 

[Chicken]

i'd go with some RHODE ISLAND RED'S

but roosters are the perfect weapon if your pissed at your neighbour,

just pen him up right near his bedroom window,

 

[Boboro]

Raise one the way they raise pet birds. To be very tame I had one that would ride on the lawnwmorrer with me. It was one of them fuzzy rosters.

 

[Aaron]

Joe, I didn't see anything about excluding roosters. I was reading some of the minutes from one of their meetings and at one point someone voiced an argument against roosters for noise reasons and then someone else pointed out that the noise from traffic in town and barking dogs was far worse than the roosters would be... so I think they dismissed that idea.

Chicken, Those Rhode Island Red's are some good looking critters. Thank's for the tip!

The more I read about theses birds the more excited I get about them. The only time I've ever been around live chickens was when I was a child. My Grandpa kept a dozen or so for eggs and liked to try to get me to go collect them in the morning for breakfast. I was probably only around 7 or 8 years old at the time but they sure scared the crap out of me back then.

 

[Chicken]

rhode island reds,,,,, are about the most popular birds chicken raisers at home have,,

for meatthey get big, and they lay brown eggs great for baking, and for scrambling,

and they are constant layers,

feed them some layer pellets, and crushed oyster shells, and you'll have many eggs,,, i'd get one rooster, and 5 hens if all you can have is 6,,,

but who's gonna come count your chickens,

the BIRD COPS,????

get 10. or more,

be defiant, leave me chickens alone, or face, me bulldog, [ you got a bulldog ?]

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I've raised probably 15 different breeds and have never really noticed a difference in their egg output. I say get whatever breed is available. If you plan to incubate your own eggs next year then get a rooster, otherwise forget it. Why pay money to feed a bird that ain't gonna put out? And as far as a Rooster goes, there's nothing more annoying than a rooster that starts crowing every morning at 3:00 am. Most people have a misconception about roosters, that they only crow at sunrise. Most roosters will crow all day long!... mine is getting ready to meet Mr. Hatchet!

I also keep mine in a chicken tractor which is a pen on wheels. I move them everyday so they get fresh grass and bugs and they don't live in their own poop. It is also great protection against foxes, possums and such.

 

[Chicken]

i let mine roam free in the yard,

the trick is finding where, they lay thier eggs at,

>

 

[Knucklehead]

My grandmother used a white ceramic doorknob to get the hens to lay where she wanted them to. As long as she left the door knob there they would come back. If the nest is empty they will look for a new nest.
You don't need a rooster for eggs and my grandmother wouldn't eat the fertilized eggs. If you are raising meat you will need a rooster. Rabbits are also great white meat.
The worst thing about a rooster is when the time changes in the spring and fall. The rooster never gets the memo.

 

[johnlee1933]

My Grand parents lived on a rocky stream. Grandma would give us a nickel for egg shaped/sized smooth stones from the stream bed. You'd be surprised how many "good ones" a determined kid can find. It didn't take lone for her to show me what what right and wrong. I suspect she had a special place she put the stones. However, she did leave a stone in each nest for the same reason.

 

[Knucklehead]

Chickens can't count. As long as there's one egg looking thing in the nest they think everything is ok. I had some Rhode Island Reds that I let roam the yard and my German Shepherd would always find the nest and eat the eggs. The hen would relocate. That dog (I swear this is true) finally figured out the one egg deal and would leave one egg in the nest. The hen stayed put and every day Loafer would get his one egg. That is one smart dog.

 

[Chicken]

some people just dont like the sound of a rooster, that crows at 3 a.m.

mine does, and sometimes i wanna ring his neck,,,, but i like my bird, he comes in the house, if the door is left open,

...he eats the dog food,,,,, you can take your lighter, and tap his bowl like a chicken pecking, and he will come running thinking that damn chicken is eating his food,,,,lol

 

[Boboro]

A good rooster will protect his hens. So you do need one the meaner the better. As for the crowin sleep wiyh a fan blowin .

 

[Chicken]

my rooster loves me,,,, he's like a damn housecat,,,,

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