Chickens

[starsevol]

Well, it has happened! My town that previously did not let you keep anything considered "livestock", (including rabbits) changed the law as of July 12th of last year. I just found out. Hens only and no more than 12. I have always wanted chickens.

The plan is to research, research, research and get the coop ready in the summer. I plan to start with 2-4, and maybe add one or 2 when eggs start to diminish. The fair is the same time as Daytona, and I really wanted to get down there and check out the breeds first hand, but it is a week long and maybe I can do both. Right now I am considering Buff Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, or Plymouth Rocks or maybe Easter Eggers....and I do have a really soft spot for Serama bantams.

Who keeps chickens here? And what kinds do you have and how do you like them? Any tips for a first timer? Thanks!

 

[Nanci]

I prefer banty chickens to big chickens. You just use more eggs! They are so cute and friendly. I've had good luck ordering chicks from here:

 

[starsevol]

I prefer banty chickens to big chickens. You just use more eggs! They are so cute and friendly. I've had good luck ordering chicks from here:

Well.....I was considering sneaking one serama banty in the flock as a mascot, and Buff orpingtons are supposed to be really sweet with other breeds of chickens. The major reason Rick isn't being a poop about it is that we should be able to get plenty of eggs for the 2 of us with few birds. I was also hoping to get established pullets instead of chicks, so that I won't be stuck with any roos by accident, and so that they can go outside right away.

 

[Nanci]

Yeah, when I've ordered chicks I've always had a banty hen to adopt them.

 

[starsevol]

Yeah, when I've ordered chicks I've always had a banty hen to adopt them.

I fell in love with Seramas at the fair last year. They are kept as housepets in Malaysia and are soooooooo calm and sweet. And they don't take up much space, so I think I can sneak one in!

 

[kshannon]

I am hoping to get some chickens also. I can't wait!

 

[AliCat37]

I've had all those types of chickens! I got a serama when they first started importing them, she was SO SWEET! She was blind so she was a house pet, she would go outside only if my one cat went out with her and the cat would walk her around the yard. I miss that so much. My favorite chickens are the Americanas that lay the blue green eggs. I also second getting adults. Just be careful when adding more chickens, you'll want to do that at night when they are all asleep. That way new chickens just magically appear, making it less likely that the established ones will kill the new ones. I had quite a few birds get pecked down to their spines by established birds.

Large breed chickens can be just as sweet as bantams, I had one that would come when I called her name. She would also fly up into my arms if I was ever gone for a few days. I also had some that lived in a coop in my garage, but had to be Carried to the yard in the morning, when they needed to lay an egg they would tap on the door with their beaks!

 

[crackerhead]

Beth, you are in for such a fun time!
I've been doing ducks and chickens for years. I love starting them from eggs. You can order chicks from places like McMurray Hatchery that are all one sex or mixed. I get the catalog every season. Along with the seed catalogs they are some of my favorite late winter reading. lol I agree with Nanci with regard to the Bantam varieties. I have some Silkies that act a lot like dogs. And they produce eggs all year long (heated coop with lights for winter production).
Yesterday I was out feeding them the leftover earthworms that the Axolotls didn't finish. You would think I was handing out gold! They are great at weeding and debugging my garden too. I had three little Button Quail hatch out on Christmas Eve. I handed them over to the hens and the Silkie females have been fussing over those teenie tiny guys. It's very sweet until they peck you hand when you get too close for their comfort.
Terri

 

[kathylove]

Amazing that a city gov't would actually change a regulation to something logical and useful! I am not used to that behavior from gov't, lol! Kudos to them!

IMO, one of the cheapest and best ways that local gov't could promote "green" behavior would be to ACTIVELY ENCOURAGE residents to keep a few hens. For anyone who has the space and inclination to keep a dog, a few hens (instead of, or in addition to a dog) would alleviate some of the garbage sent to the landfill, would provide yard insect control, would provide smaller and quicker to compost droppings than a dog, would be quieter than a dog, and would not bite the mailman - or anyone else! Kids could see recycling and ecology first hand, instead of just reading about it. What's not to like?

I used to keep quite a few chickens years ago. Unfortunately, there are too many predators where I live now, and I don't want them in a coop all the time.

I ordered a hundred from McMurray hatcheries back when I was in my chicken raising days - all different kinds, especially those with cool feathers on the head or feet. We had a gold Polish rooster that was so vicious that he became dinner. And we had a silkie hen that became so tame that she was my special pet. Of all of the kinds we had, I would say that the silkies were my favorite. If I decide to get chickens again, that is what I would get. However, if your primary purpose is to get both good egg producers and fairly good meat producers, you can't go wrong with Rhode Island reds.

 

[gsdbecca]

Oh I had the sweetest banty hen, named her PeeWee, when I was growing up. She loved to be petted. We also had silkies that were pretty cool looking and small. I don't know what the "plain" ones were.....just knew they were for eating eventually, so I didn't bond with them.

 

[starsevol]

Amazing that a city gov't would actually change a regulation to something logical and useful! I am not used to that behavior from gov't, lol! Kudos to them!

IMO, one of the cheapest and best ways that local gov't could promote "green" behavior would be to ACTIVELY ENCOURAGE residents to keep a few hens. For anyone who has the space and inclination to keep a dog, a few hens (instead of, or in addition to a dog) would alleviate some of the garbage sent to the landfill, would provide yard insect control, would provide smaller and quicker to compost droppings than a dog, would be quieter than a dog, and would not bite the mailman - or anyone else! Kids could see recycling and ecology first hand, instead of just reading about it. What's not to like?

I used to keep quite a few chickens years ago. Unfortunately, there are too many predators where I live now, and I don't want them in a coop all the time.

I ordered a hundred from McMurray hatcheries back when I was in my chicken raising days - all different kinds, especially those with cool feathers on the head or feet. We had a gold Polish rooster that was so vicious that he became dinner. And we had a silkie hen that became so tame that she was my special pet. Of all of the kinds we had, I would say that the silkies were my favorite. If I decide to get chickens again, that is what I would get. However, if your primary purpose is to get both good egg producers and fairly good meat producers, you can't go wrong with Rhode Island reds.

Kathy, it is especially shocking that this law was reversed in Rhode Island, which is one of the highest taxed, most business unfriendly and most repressive regimes in the country!
The law does state that they must be pets, plus you know I am a soft hearted weenie, so no meat birds here!
Rick is a little reluctant, so if he thinks a coop for larger birds take up too much space, we can go with banties. He has already volunteered to build it, even though I have no problem with the idea of buying one. I think I want one off the ground, with a ramp and the pen attached and will only allow them to free roam when I am outside with them. (But I plan on giving them tons of weeds and treats in their pen).

 

[beautifullywild77]

Bob and Tara have experience with Chickens.


It has been too long for me to remember what kind of chickens we raised growing up. I know I had a lot of fun keeping them tho and going and gathering the eggs. We even showed our chickens, ducks and geese with 4H.

 

[susang]

This will e so much fun. I would suggest reading on line Murray McMurray website and or request a catalogue. I've ordered from them before. There information and knowledge it great.
A few things to consider most banties are good setters but poor layers most large breeds the reverse. They take a long time from chick to laying around 4-5 months. Most feed stores start selling chicks in January so the hens will be ready by early summer for laying. Your hen house needs a heat source in winter even just a light. Hens don't like extreme summer heat (we used an overhead mister). Oh! and the best breed I've had for laying is Black Australorpe (sp) they lay 364 out of 365 days average. They have a good temperment and tolerate weather change.

 

[starsevol]

This will e so much fun. I would suggest reading on line Murray McMurray website and or request a catalogue. I've ordered from them before. There information and knowledge it great.
A few things to consider most banties are good setters but poor layers most large breeds the reverse. They take a long time from chick to laying around 4-5 months. Most feed stores start selling chicks in January so the hens will be ready by early summer for laying. Your hen house needs a heat source in winter even just a light. Hens don't like extreme summer heat (we used an overhead mister). Oh! and the best breed I've had for laying is Black Australorpe (sp) they lay 364 out of 365 days average. They have a good temperment and tolerate weather change.

I prefer LFs but if Rick thinks they will take up too much room I will go with banties. Even if I don't get egg production with the banties, I will get weed and insect removal and great compost. I know about the light in the coop, we used to have a rabbit and needed a light for her so her water wouldn't freeze. Black Australorpes look interesting too, they appear to be another form of the Buff Orpington.
I like that website, it looks like I can choose any number of whatever I want. And I know I don't want to mess with chicks. Some nice big pullets look good to me.

 

[Sterling1101147]

If you get a banty you should get an old english they are a bit jumpy but if you hold them enough they are really nice birds,I have a few of my own.

 

[Nanci]

You'll get egg production, trust me! After a while, normal chicken eggs look huge and weird.

 

[starsevol]

You'll get egg production, trust me! After a while, normal chicken eggs look huge and weird.

I am reading everything I can find!
Both types have pros and cons but I know I will love whatever I get.
I am now reading about which bantam is better for eggs so I can cover that!
Summer can't come fast enough......

 

[crotalis40741]

I loves chickens, but not a fan of the big stock stuff. Best of luck with the chickies Beth.

 

[starsevol]

I loves chickens, but not a fan of the big stock stuff. Best of luck with the chickies Beth.

Thanks Bob! Please tell me why you are not a fan of the big stuff, I want to take everything into consideration. I know they do more damage to gardens and plants when you free range them, and take up more space.

 

[morgan.mac814]

Oh so fun, a thread about chickens! I absolutely love keeping chickens! We got our chickens from Murray McMurray also and started out with all different breeds (Buffs, Barred Rock, Americana, Rhode Island Red, Black Australorpe, etc.) We got 15 chicks. Raising up the chicks really isn't that bad, but it might just be because I'm a kid without many responsibilites The 5 months flies by pretty quick, and it is just soo exciting when your little babies lay their first eggs!

My life with chickens though, until now, has been pretty tragic. Our first 15 were free-range and were all killed in a single day by coyotes (The only survivor was a rooster we got from a neighbor). Coincidentally, a couple weeks before the massacre, I had placed 10 eggs in an incubator which later yielded me 9 beautiful babies. 4 of these were roosters, so they were auctioned off. 1 of the hens was killed by my own dog. After this we decided against free-range. But then 3 more hens were killed later by a mink in the pen attatched to their coop. The last hen, Elbie, now lives with 12 hens we bought from a neighbor. Before my hatchling hens got murdered, we had 8 pullets growing up in an old coop. All 8 were killed by the mink the night he killed the other hens.

The point of my story is PREDATORS!!! There are so many and each one kills/preys differently. When the hens free-range they are safe from minks (they only kill in a confined space) and hawks (the chickens had cover in the forest), but are in danger of dogs, coyotes, and cats! But when they are locked up away from those dangers, it just switches around... UNLESS... you build a fortress! Haha my mom treats our chickens like her babies and was devastated each time one was killed; she just couldn't take it any more! This summer my dad, brother, and I built a huge chicken yard (I don't know the dimensions off the top of my head) with a 6.5 foot fence that extends 2.5 more feet into the ground. The squares in the fence are 1 square centimeter. Now we get all the benefits of free-ranging, with none of the hassle from any predators!

Phew, sorry for the long read, but I just love sharing stories about pets!