Anybody else have chickens?
- Thread starter alp75
- Start date
I just finished my coop and run for the chickens and pigeons. Tuesday I got 5, year old hens from my dad and a rooster. The pigeons are for training my dogs. My boys love going and getting the eggs and yelling back at the rooster when he crows.
Hopefully 5 eggs a day will keep up with my kids? We have always just went and stole eggs from my dad when we needed them, not exactly sure how many we use a day.
Hopefully 5 eggs a day will keep up with my kids? We have always just went and stole eggs from my dad when we needed them, not exactly sure how many we use a day.
W
whatalife
Guest
We have a few chickens hanging out around here, even though the city doesn't allow them. We have 4-5 neighbors with them and the wife has been wanting some for years. Finally I gave in one day and told her I'd build a coop. We went around to the different neighbors to see want kind of set ups they have.
We got back home and I asked her how many chickens she was thinking of having. She told me four. I started on the coop and she started researching what kind of chickens she wanted. She decided they had to be chickens that looked good, had colored eggs, and were relatively nice and not be after the kids.
A bit later she came out to the coop and says four won't be enough, I'll need at least twelve to be able to get the different kinds I want. So I expanded the coop.
Her and a neighbor get to ordering chicks, next thing I know I have 25 of them on the way,,,,, but I'm told 10 of them were straight runs, so we'll have a few roosters to get rid of.
We'll a week before the chicks arrived, were over at IFA getting stuff for the soon to arrive chicks...
IFA has some chicks that she wasn't able to order, so after having her mope around half the day about it, I told her to go get a couple.. So she brightens up and heads to the store.. a couple turned into six... (IFA minimum.. or so she says) with two of those being of even another breed she wanted but hadn't ordered.
So we have 6 "chicks" in the living room in a cheap walmart pool with a red heat lamp over them... (yea my neighbors gave me crap over that, kept threating to put a sign in the window, something about chicks and peep show)....
So then the 25 chicks show up at the post office and wouldn't you know it they sent two extra ones... so then we had 33 chicks in the living room.
I walk in later that day and the wife had been back to IFA and couldn't resist getting one more.. different breed... had to have.. not sure what happened with the six minimum rule from before...
So anyway 8 of the 34 ended up being roosters... so we've have 26 for the past year..
About a month ago I picked up 12 of the cornish-crosses, they are ready for the butcher in 8 weeks or so, and we'll try them out.
And the wife has decided 26 is to many and wants to get rid of a few...
Would I do it again...
Yea..
And if we want to leave town, it's easy to find someone to feed and water them... They all want the eggs they get from it...
We got back home and I asked her how many chickens she was thinking of having. She told me four. I started on the coop and she started researching what kind of chickens she wanted. She decided they had to be chickens that looked good, had colored eggs, and were relatively nice and not be after the kids.
A bit later she came out to the coop and says four won't be enough, I'll need at least twelve to be able to get the different kinds I want. So I expanded the coop.
Her and a neighbor get to ordering chicks, next thing I know I have 25 of them on the way,,,,, but I'm told 10 of them were straight runs, so we'll have a few roosters to get rid of.
We'll a week before the chicks arrived, were over at IFA getting stuff for the soon to arrive chicks...
IFA has some chicks that she wasn't able to order, so after having her mope around half the day about it, I told her to go get a couple.. So she brightens up and heads to the store.. a couple turned into six... (IFA minimum.. or so she says) with two of those being of even another breed she wanted but hadn't ordered.
So we have 6 "chicks" in the living room in a cheap walmart pool with a red heat lamp over them... (yea my neighbors gave me crap over that, kept threating to put a sign in the window, something about chicks and peep show)....
So then the 25 chicks show up at the post office and wouldn't you know it they sent two extra ones... so then we had 33 chicks in the living room.
I walk in later that day and the wife had been back to IFA and couldn't resist getting one more.. different breed... had to have.. not sure what happened with the six minimum rule from before...
So anyway 8 of the 34 ended up being roosters... so we've have 26 for the past year..
About a month ago I picked up 12 of the cornish-crosses, they are ready for the butcher in 8 weeks or so, and we'll try them out.
And the wife has decided 26 is to many and wants to get rid of a few...
Would I do it again...
Yea..
And if we want to leave town, it's easy to find someone to feed and water them... They all want the eggs they get from it...
HunterHarry
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I've got 4 hens and one meaner than chitt rooster.
foundation
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LAST EDITED ON May-13-11 AT 04:38PM (MST)[p]http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos/3179coop.jpg
I made the mistake of being in IFA this spring when all the chicks where there an cute . Or I made the mistake of takin the little women with me to IFA . LOL . Next thing I know I'm talked in to chickens . We all ready had a bunch of the neighbors chickens that roost in the hay barn and scratch for bugs , but she wanted her own . I questioned if we where goin to eat them , but I was quickly set straight that they where for eggs and pets ?
Now we have 8 of them things .
Of course it made more work for me since she saw a coop design that she just had to have .
I made the mistake of being in IFA this spring when all the chicks where there an cute . Or I made the mistake of takin the little women with me to IFA . LOL . Next thing I know I'm talked in to chickens . We all ready had a bunch of the neighbors chickens that roost in the hay barn and scratch for bugs , but she wanted her own . I questioned if we where goin to eat them , but I was quickly set straight that they where for eggs and pets ?
Now we have 8 of them things .
Of course it made more work for me since she saw a coop design that she just had to have .
Tomichi
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LAST EDITED ON May-13-11 AT 05:55PM (MST)[p]Over the last several years I have got my wife down to ?10? head of replacement chicks
a year. I ?retire? the tough old hens at about 20 months. Sell enough eggs to pay the feed bill
for the rest. And yes ?we? pick out the chicks for egg color only??.. I have got to get this year?s two weaner pigs bought SOON according to the boss. The only thing better then green eggs and ham is
Home raised green eggs and ham.
The chickens are involved but the pig is committed!
a year. I ?retire? the tough old hens at about 20 months. Sell enough eggs to pay the feed bill
for the rest. And yes ?we? pick out the chicks for egg color only??.. I have got to get this year?s two weaner pigs bought SOON according to the boss. The only thing better then green eggs and ham is
Home raised green eggs and ham.
The chickens are involved but the pig is committed!
3
300wbymann
Guest
my mom and dad are out of town so me and my kids are feeding their chickens for them. i hate those dam bird!
we get the eggs, and the kids love that, but how many eggs can a guy eat? at 2 bucks a dozen from the store it sure seem like alot of hassle?
what color eggs do you guys preferr? were getting mostly brown eggs. and i cant figure out which one is doing it, but one of those suckers pecks the eggs open, usually at least 1 a day. if i could catch the culprit, i'd make KFC for dinner.
we get the eggs, and the kids love that, but how many eggs can a guy eat? at 2 bucks a dozen from the store it sure seem like alot of hassle?
what color eggs do you guys preferr? were getting mostly brown eggs. and i cant figure out which one is doing it, but one of those suckers pecks the eggs open, usually at least 1 a day. if i could catch the culprit, i'd make KFC for dinner.
D
D13er
Guest
I have chickens...but I'm a d!ck so I'm not going to contribute...
JB
JB
foundation
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Ah come on , ewe have to say how many you have . Its like some kind of chicken clan rule .
grizzlyplumber
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what he said.
W
whatalife
Guest
alp75.. We're in the south end of salt lake valley. I'll talk with the boss and see which ones she is thinking of getting rid of... She has one that lays a blue egg and she's trying to figure out which one that is and wants to keep it.. She would like to keep them all, but is thinking the coop is to small for the amount of birds she has so she figures she needs to get rid of a few.
I'll let you know what she says.
T
I'll let you know what she says.
T
arrowone4me
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300wbymann - If your dad hasn't already, put some oyster shell in a feeder pan for the girls. That should stop the egg pecking. Good source of calcium and makes harder shells.
foundation
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Rug the turkens are lookin big enough to eat , but if that doesnt make us full we could allways eat the dang noisy peacock from the neighbors . Maybe some deep fried peacock ?
I hate that stupid bird .
I hate that stupid bird .
huntindad4
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JB quit being a C@CK!
Bill
Look out Forkie, FTW is watching us!
Bill
Look out Forkie, FTW is watching us!
feddoc
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LAST EDITED ON May-14-11 AT 11:19AM (MST)[p]I had some trained chickens once, but they got mean and I had to get rid of them.
Wifey and I are gonna build a coop this summer. Maybe get some geese too. And some miniature goats to take care of the weeds. Six foot fence first; we have too many coyotes as it is now.
Compromise, hell! ... If freedom is right and tyranny is wrong, why should those who believe in freedom treat it as if it were a roll of bologna to be bartered a slice at a time?
Wifey and I are gonna build a coop this summer. Maybe get some geese too. And some miniature goats to take care of the weeds. Six foot fence first; we have too many coyotes as it is now.
Compromise, hell! ... If freedom is right and tyranny is wrong, why should those who believe in freedom treat it as if it were a roll of bologna to be bartered a slice at a time?
Gator
Long Time Member
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a 6 ft fence would n't even slow the coyote down.
My buddy raises quail and they jump his 6 ft chainlink fence all the time trying to get to his birds, he had to put a live wire on it to stop them from coming over the top.
"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
My buddy raises quail and they jump his 6 ft chainlink fence all the time trying to get to his birds, he had to put a live wire on it to stop them from coming over the top.
"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
J
joefowl
Guest
white butchers are in my pens gamechickens rule to bad bill richardson put a stop to our sport
sageadvice
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While growing up on the ranch, Chickens were always about the place and a good source of entertainment for us kids. First thing every day, i'd scamper outa my bunk and go look see if the critters had killed any of our birds during the night. Some of our Chickens would nest in the hen house but many didn't as they had the run of the ranch and could nest where they pleased. Them hens would find all kinds of sheltered nesting places, under lumber piles or in out of the way hidden places a guy might not think to look. Every day was like another Easter Egg hunt, you never knew where you'd find the nests and if or not the eggs were still "good", that was a whole nother story.
Foxes and raccoons were the usual culprit and prime murder suspects though we'd have possum, skunks, bobcats, red tailed hawks, and the great horned owls come in from time to time and they too would take the occasional hen. My job was to find out who/what did the deed to ending one of our chickens, then set out traps to catch the critter. At Times, my Grandpa would offer me a small bounty to catch the particularly successful repeat offenders.
So once seeing what i could see in the yard, i'd head off with my old Rem pump 22lr and check on my traps. It was just like Forest Gump's box of Chocolates, you never knew what you were going to get. As much as i didn't care to catch skunks, they were the most abundant of those i had in my traps. Nasty stuff there, no fun at all getting them out the trap and the trap back in usable condition. Coons were cool, foxes were better. I guess my trapping skills weren't up to the chicken's liking cause many of them eventually got to spending the night up top of a big ol Pepper tree we had out in the yard. As many critter animals that i trapped, as long as we had Chickens, there were always more critters coming in to try and get them. Perfect job for a young kid with a few traps and a straight shooting pump 22lr.
Home made egg custard pudding?? Yummy!!
Joey
Foxes and raccoons were the usual culprit and prime murder suspects though we'd have possum, skunks, bobcats, red tailed hawks, and the great horned owls come in from time to time and they too would take the occasional hen. My job was to find out who/what did the deed to ending one of our chickens, then set out traps to catch the critter. At Times, my Grandpa would offer me a small bounty to catch the particularly successful repeat offenders.
So once seeing what i could see in the yard, i'd head off with my old Rem pump 22lr and check on my traps. It was just like Forest Gump's box of Chocolates, you never knew what you were going to get. As much as i didn't care to catch skunks, they were the most abundant of those i had in my traps. Nasty stuff there, no fun at all getting them out the trap and the trap back in usable condition. Coons were cool, foxes were better. I guess my trapping skills weren't up to the chicken's liking cause many of them eventually got to spending the night up top of a big ol Pepper tree we had out in the yard. As many critter animals that i trapped, as long as we had Chickens, there were always more critters coming in to try and get them. Perfect job for a young kid with a few traps and a straight shooting pump 22lr.
Home made egg custard pudding?? Yummy!!
Joey
I had 10 to 15 chickens for a few years. About two years ago they started disappearing one by one. I suspected coyotes as we have a couple packs running around our area. One of them looks to be mixed with a mutt of some sort. The thing is huge and very brazen too, Cuts across my front yard on some early mornings. As Gator stated a 6 foot block wall won't stop them. Turns out it wasn?t Coyotes though. It was a huge Bobcat with a big ole belly on him that was nearly dragging the ground. I tried to catch him, trap him, and had no luck. After he killed off all my chickens and my ducks he moved on to some neighbors down the street. I want to raise Bob white quail and some more chickens but not to feed a darn Bobcat or coyotes. I think that's a great idea with the hot wire Gator had mentioned. I may just do that.
GBA
GBA
Mom had chickens and every morning she would send me out to get the eggs. I was about 6 and the rooster was an attack rooster that near looked me in the eye. Well one day I am headed to the coop to fetch the eggs. I hated that rooster so I would always take extra caution to spy through the knot holes and the cracks in the coop to see if he was in or out in the run. Well he was in the coop so I waited and he went out to the run. I hurry in and I am grabbing eggs as fast as I can! Well I can't see the chicken door and all of a sudden that damn rooster is attacking me from behind. That damn thing pecked my head 10 times before I got out of the coop. I could run faster but he was right on my arse. Well Dad and Grandpa were standing in the garden leaning on shovels. I could hear the rooster gaining on me I didn't dare look back. I am running headed toward Grandpa and Dad with rooster on my tail. I went past grandpa in leaps and bounds I heard Dad holler and I look back to see the head of the rooster flying through the air. Grandpa wacked that rooster with the shovel as it ran past. Way to go Grandpa. We were best friends that day. Had Chicken and Dumplins that day.
Rutnbuck
Rutnbuck
