Has Anyone Got Any Chickens...?

Question

.....not the frozen type..!
We, me an' the mrs, were thinking of getting some chickens. Possibly three or four. Just for the eggs really.
What we want to know is, how difficult are they to keep....how much room do they need...do they make much noise(!)....we also have a dog, soft as a brush though(!)... and any other info that you may think is helpful.
Thanks in anticipation.
Would rather hear it from you, as opposed to plowing through shed loads of books, or sifting through websites.
So no links please.

Answer 1

Hello I am Waine, GEneral poultryman of the largest breeding farm in the coulty. Chickens are great for both eggs and meat, and if intrested can turn quite a profit too.To properly care you need to know aloght of the things you asked. first off, Chickens are typically easy to keep if you are willing to take the time to care for them properly. You will have to be sure they have feed and water daily, and keep thhe coop in livable condition. If you live on acerage, you can let them free range, hence making them considerably healthier, but make sure they know to go to the coop to lay.

In a coop each chicken needs to have at least 2 sq. ft. per bird. over crowding can result in canabilisim, the act odf the least dominant being pecked at, often if left untreated to a point of death. over crowding also increases the chances of disease and the spread of disease.

Chickens, like any other animal, WILL make noise. the hens will cackle just quietly, bu if they feel that they are threatened they will emit a scream warning others of a preadator. Rosters wil crow, not only at the morning sun but at the light in the kitchen indow. Sence we are co owners and are housed on a section of the farm, i have a roster that crows every day when i turn on a light.

dogs may or ay not be an issue, we have 4 yard dogs all of witch get a royal a--woping with the bird they kill when they are puppies, they never do it again.

Other things you might want to know is what you might get. The Rode Island Red is a great egg and meat bird, so is the Dominique. The White leghorn lays eccelent white eggs, and the brown leghorn lays eccelent red eggs. any of these birds will lay one egg a day, while healthy and in their prime, the first 1 to 2 years of their adult life. I know that you said no links, but this is a wonderful sight where you can order chicks, its wher i get all new installments. http://www.strombergschickens.com/
Best of luck in your egg production,
sincerely,
waine -YRPF general poultryman

P.S. sorry for any mistakes it just so happens hat i have an orphan chick running across my fingers and keyboard

Answer 2

Hi. We used to have chickens quite some years back and they were easy to look after - and i`ll tell you one thing nobody else has mentioned, and i swear to you it is the truth - THEY LOVE BOILED UP POTATO PEELINGS ! That is a fact - honestly i`m not joking. Not every day obviously, but if you`re having potatoes for dinner, keep the peelings, boil em up, and when they`re cool, give em to the chickens. Also chickens do tend to be very greedy and will rush at any food they see - so don`t eat around em - they`ll have it out your hand if they can. They are great fun, but can be a bit noisy in the mornings - so i would check with the neighbours that they won`t get too angry if they`re woken early - especially at weekends ! They really don`t need a lot of room - keep the dog away - make sure they`re safe at night - and as for eggs - well you know what they say - don`t count your chickens..... ( Whenever we got an egg it was like whoooaaaa christmas has come early ! )

Answer 3

Most people kept chickens at one time in small towns in the U.S. just because it was the way they were raised up and what their parents did.

In town, you'd need a large enough space to build a house or chicken coop for them and if you don't want them roaming all over your yard and stepping in poop, chicken wire to make a pen. In town, the roosters crow sometimes in morning and sometimes all the time.

My mother has a pet rooster that sleeps in a parot cage in the house at night. It's better than a guard dog and just as mean to outsiders.

Chickens need chicken feed. There's different types and sometimes they can be finicky. Or you can suppliment their diet with srcaps. You'll need to build nests for the hens and a bale of straw or hay to line it with. For just a few hens, one bale should last you a lifetime.

They make a mess and need looking after. You won't be able to go off for the weekend without having someone to feed and water them.

Sometimes hawks or owls will try to take one or more of your birds, and if you ever go to gather the eggs to find a snake in the nest that will probably be the last time you decide to gather eggs.

Unless you purchase grown hens, the hatchery may sell you a straight run of chicks, which means, what you get is what you get, hens or roosters.

With just a few hens, they will probably become big pets. it's been said that some chickens have the inteligence of chimps.

Also, there may be periods in which some or all of your chickens will stop laying for a time. To make eggs, it takes feed. With today's prices, if you count up the costs, it'll probably be cheaper to buy the eggs.

Answer 4

If your looking to keep chickens for the purpose of eggs then you need to estimate how many eggs per week you need.This will determine just how many chickens you will want to get.An adult chicken will lay on average 2 eggs per every three days.After 2 years of age a chickens egg production drops.Chickens molt in late summer and while they are molting they lay few if no eggs.Once past 12 weeks old chickens are rather easy to keep.A coup is recommended to keep them in,it helps prevent domestic and wild animals from killing them.A 6'(foot)x8'(foot)shed style house and a 12'(foot)x12'(foot)fenced attached pen is ample for up to 10 chickens.Once acclimated to the coup you can then turn them loose during the day and allow them to free range if possible.Each evening they will return to roost.There are many great laying breeds any of the rhode island breeds are good as well as barred rocks or either of the sex links.The color of the eggs you desire will determine a breed being chickens are either brown egg layers or white egg layers.With the exception of the araucanas which can lay green blue and a reddish colored egg.The color of the shell has nothing to do with the contents of the egg though some will argue a taste difference.Chickens aren't noisy at all though a rooster can be.You don't have to have a rooster for hens to lay eggs but he does help keep them in line.With all the styles of chickens you can get a breed which is considered ornamental as well as purposeful.If you are looking at getting day old chicks bare in mind most hatcheries have a minimum order number.Chick care is fairly simple keep them warm dry and well fed and watered.If at all possible feed them none medicated starter grower.

Answer 5

I have kept chickens for many years. They are typically tough birds. And can be real characters. Start with one of the hardier breeds. Silkys are great. They are quiet, docile, and amusing. But, they aren't the best egg layers as they go broody regularly. It's hard to be more specific without knowing where you are located or what's available in your area. Chickens that fall into the category of production hens are good egg layers and tough. I recommend that you allow your girls to be free range during the day. It's better for them, and the eggs they lay are better for you! Night time protection is essential. A pen that prevents access to predators, and protection from the elements is a must! Dogs can get along well with chickens, but go slow. Make the introduction gradual. Feel free to contact me if I can offer you any further advice.

Answer 6

Chicken can be a tricky thing.. first off if they are starting as chicks then you need a full crate box and a heat lamp if you go to a feed store like a farm supply type place you can geet the water and feed trays .. once grown you will need a decent amount of area we house abour 15 chickens 4 turkeys and a few ducks in an area abour 30 by 30 ,.... better to have a raised feeding area so not to get maggots and fresh water daily also you will need roosting areas for the hens and dont be afraid to readh righ under them for the eggs it dosent hurt if they peck you ... any more questions just e-mail me

Answer 7

CHICKEN ARE A LOT LIKE DOGS THEY WILL FOLLOW YOU AROUND THE YARD IF YOU LET THEM .YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A ROOSTER FOR EGGS.YOU CAN BUY LAYER MASH WICH WILL PRODUCE EGGS.IF YOU WANT CHICKS IT WILL BE ABOUT 6-8 MONTHS BEFORE THEY START LAYING SO YOU MAY WANT TO PURCHASE ADULT HENS.CHICKENS ARE EASY TO CARE FOR THEY NEED A PLACE TO ROOST AND CLEAN FOOD AND WATER AND A HOUSE THEY CAN GET INTO OFF THE GOUND FOR PROTECTION.AS FOR NOISE THEY DO NOT MAKE THAT MUCH UNLESS THEY ARE LAYING EGGS THEN THEY SING OR CAKLE.AS FOR A PEN THEY NEED A GOOD SIZE AREA BECAUSE THEY FORAGE AROUND THE GROUND SCRATCHING AND PICKING.PROBABLE A 10 BY10 FOOT PEN WOULD DO FOR 4 OR 5 CHICKENS .YOU WOULD WANT IT TO HAVE A ROOF ON IT PROBABLY 7 FEET HIGH.IF YOU NEED ANY MORE INFO YOU CAN EMAIL ME JUST PUT THE SUBJECT CHICKENS SO I KNOW ITS YOU.HOPE THIS HELPS.ALSO YOU CAN GO TO A FEED STORE FOR ANIMALS AND ASK QUESTIONS AND THEY WILL HAVE THE SUPPLYS TO BUILD A CHICKEN COOP.

BUGGIE

Answer 8

I raised chickens a few years back. I had a small shed 8ft8ft. Put in a shelf with a few boxes of hay for them to lay in. used sawdust on the floor to make it easy to clean up. Put in an electric light ( just seemed nice) a small heater for the winter months. They Need fresh water every day and of course food. Some cracked corn is a treat. They got MASH every day. and i put some medicine in their water. i don't remember what it was. got it at the grain store. it was yellow. just to prevent diseases. The girls only made noise while laying. They were a good way to dispose of table scraps. they eat almost anything.You should have a fenced yard to keep them in at night. Helps keep fox and others out.

Answer 9

From an exagenical analyis of a Homogeneious Egoeseism obbliverateing all Homogeneious Egoeseism until your gastrnomic apperatus reaches a state of Dieaclusion chickens do get the pox

Answer 10

I have three hens. They are beautiful, outspoken, nosy, bossy girls who bully the other critters in my yard. ;) I have coup that I built that is 2' x 3' x 2.5' and it raised off the ground by posts to a height of 4.5'. The coup is enclosed by a completely caged and roofed off pen that is 10' x 10'. They are allowed to free range in the yard during fair weather (unless they misbehave and then they have to stay in their pen).

I originally got them just for the eggs but now I love them for their personalities. They have also provided my garden with wonderful compost so I can't complain their.

They are very noisy though so if you have fussy neighbors, you may want to consult with them. My neighbors and I have an arrangement where they receive eggs a couple of times a month whenever the girls are laying well. All three of my girls are laying now that they are through with molting for the season and they are averaging about a dozen eggs a week. (One of my hens is a VERY good layer when she is not molting).

Good luck and enjoy them if you get them. They have been a lot of fun for me and I love the organic, free-range eggs that I receive as a bonus! Plus, they help to keep the bug problem down in the yard (they absolutely love bugs and the bigger the better in their book!).