Aug. 13th, 2010
I am kind of new at raising chickens I started April 23, 2009. I have read allot of other peoples views on what to do what not to do and what they like and don't like. I have found that it's trial and error as to what works. Chickens will let you know if they like something or don't. At first before I got my chickens I decided to do research and once I felt like I had enough information I went out and bought my baby chicks. I thought it would be great for my kids to learn about them and they had their own baby chicks it would be great family bonding which it is. So much that my husband went and got a chicken for himself too. I am so glad that I got them. My oldest kids have Graduated and moved out and now I only have my youngest at home. The kids still ask about their chickens. Which is awesome. We Started out with 5 chicks and then I decided to buy some more and wound up with a total of 59 and I sold a few. Down to 37 now. I have learned allot and I am still learning. It was really cool when I went to see if they laid and egg and on Oct. 15th, 2009 I got my first two eggs. Then, later on that day got another egg. At this time I only had 7 chickens at that time. Which one turned out to be a rooster He is the coolest guy. He is a Cochin. Some people say that they roosters are mean but, it not only depends on the type of breed but, also how much time you spend with them. Then again not always so true as I found out that Silkies roosters are suppose to be very nice at least that's what I read. My white roosters are all mean and will attack. But, my blue roosters is very calm. I spent allot of time with all my them no less than 5 hours a day. I had a RIR rooster and he was very gentle and never gave me a problem. I could pick him up and hold him he loved attention. Which I have read that they are mean. I have learned that you can't always go by what other people say. Not that I don't take it into consideration. Especially about quarantining your new chickens for no less than a month. Also about making sure not to contaminate the other pens if you have any. I have read horror stories that people have been through and about the perches being put up safe. Sometimes you just need to read about the stuff that can go wrong so that it don't happen to your flock. It's still sad to read all the horror stories. If it wasn't for people telling us what happened to them we would have to learn the hard way. By reading their stories that's how I have learned to be a little bit safer. I really would like to thank the people for sharing their stories with us. One thing I didn't pay attention to is the fact that you need a cover over your flock too. I almost lost my rooster to a hawk he was only 6 or 8 months old and he was making a noise that I never heard before one day and I went out to check on him and that's when I seen the hawk and my rooster was fighting the hawk boy he was at least 3 x's bigger than my rooster. Needles to say we put a cover on that afternoon. I have also learned that the feed store that I go to don't always have the types of chicks correctly labeled either. Or, they forget to tell you that some of them are the extra's that they just put them all together. That's how I got my Cochin's. Plus, they are labeled pullets and sometimes they are not all pullets. Which you can take them back. I kept my Cochin rooster that was suppose to be a pullet and my EEG rooster, that we got and instead of taking him back we are keeping them I am now breeding Cochin's and I going to breed EEG. The Cochin's were extra's labeled as BO. That was interesting to know. Had three feather footed and one clean leg. The clean leg is a BO. I wouldn't trade any of them. I have 1 PBR, 1 BO, 1 Dominique, 2 RIR's , 5 EEG's, 7 Black Sexlinks, 5 Cochin's. 11 Silkies and 3 Cochin mixed breeds. Plus 4 Guinea's that I just got this year in July 2010. Some of my Baby's are about to start laying between now and Oct. I can't wait especially for my EEG's to start laying. My daughter wants a pink egg with purple dot's and I told her that was not possible. Well, the other day went out to collect eggs (which I do at least three times a day) I found a pink egg with purple dot's. No Joke. Still waiting for the other 3 to lay. I really want a blue egg. So, here's hoping. So far only 10 of my girls are laying and have 20 that I know are girls and still waiting on the baby Silkies which I know 2 are roosters. They do their call every morning and it's cute. The other 7 we will find out in Oct. or when they decide to do their calls. It's a good idea to have your own garden too. I find it to be nice to spoil my chickens with fresh veggies and fruit. I also feed my chickens scratch, laying pellets, sunflower seeds and game bird feed. I mix them all together in a bin and feed them that. Early mornings I also soak dry dog food (pedigree) in a large pot and feed them that. My older girls (7) are molting and still laying eggs and I am not for sure if it's because I am feeding them all of that but, I am not complaining either. I get no less than 4 eggs a day. That's only when I can't feed them early in the morning. Lately I have got 7 eggs every other day sometimes two days in a row. I am happy that I have happy chickens. The saying happy chickens lay eggs is so true. They love plain yogurt and it's good for them. I give them that once or twice a week. Thank You for reading. If you want to you can email me if you have any questions. Don't know if I can help but, I will try to or can point you the way to getting your questions answered. Michele
I am kind of new at raising chickens I started April 23, 2009. I have read allot of other peoples views on what to do what not to do and what they like and don't like. I have found that it's trial and error as to what works. Chickens will let you know if they like something or don't. At first before I got my chickens I decided to do research and once I felt like I had enough information I went out and bought my baby chicks. I thought it would be great for my kids to learn about them and they had their own baby chicks it would be great family bonding which it is. So much that my husband went and got a chicken for himself too. I am so glad that I got them. My oldest kids have Graduated and moved out and now I only have my youngest at home. The kids still ask about their chickens. Which is awesome. We Started out with 5 chicks and then I decided to buy some more and wound up with a total of 59 and I sold a few. Down to 37 now. I have learned allot and I am still learning. It was really cool when I went to see if they laid and egg and on Oct. 15th, 2009 I got my first two eggs. Then, later on that day got another egg. At this time I only had 7 chickens at that time. Which one turned out to be a rooster He is the coolest guy. He is a Cochin. Some people say that they roosters are mean but, it not only depends on the type of breed but, also how much time you spend with them. Then again not always so true as I found out that Silkies roosters are suppose to be very nice at least that's what I read. My white roosters are all mean and will attack. But, my blue roosters is very calm. I spent allot of time with all my them no less than 5 hours a day. I had a RIR rooster and he was very gentle and never gave me a problem. I could pick him up and hold him he loved attention. Which I have read that they are mean. I have learned that you can't always go by what other people say. Not that I don't take it into consideration. Especially about quarantining your new chickens for no less than a month. Also about making sure not to contaminate the other pens if you have any. I have read horror stories that people have been through and about the perches being put up safe. Sometimes you just need to read about the stuff that can go wrong so that it don't happen to your flock. It's still sad to read all the horror stories. If it wasn't for people telling us what happened to them we would have to learn the hard way. By reading their stories that's how I have learned to be a little bit safer. I really would like to thank the people for sharing their stories with us. One thing I didn't pay attention to is the fact that you need a cover over your flock too. I almost lost my rooster to a hawk he was only 6 or 8 months old and he was making a noise that I never heard before one day and I went out to check on him and that's when I seen the hawk and my rooster was fighting the hawk boy he was at least 3 x's bigger than my rooster. Needles to say we put a cover on that afternoon. I have also learned that the feed store that I go to don't always have the types of chicks correctly labeled either. Or, they forget to tell you that some of them are the extra's that they just put them all together. That's how I got my Cochin's. Plus, they are labeled pullets and sometimes they are not all pullets. Which you can take them back. I kept my Cochin rooster that was suppose to be a pullet and my EEG rooster, that we got and instead of taking him back we are keeping them I am now breeding Cochin's and I going to breed EEG. The Cochin's were extra's labeled as BO. That was interesting to know. Had three feather footed and one clean leg. The clean leg is a BO. I wouldn't trade any of them. I have 1 PBR, 1 BO, 1 Dominique, 2 RIR's , 5 EEG's, 7 Black Sexlinks, 5 Cochin's. 11 Silkies and 3 Cochin mixed breeds. Plus 4 Guinea's that I just got this year in July 2010. Some of my Baby's are about to start laying between now and Oct. I can't wait especially for my EEG's to start laying. My daughter wants a pink egg with purple dot's and I told her that was not possible. Well, the other day went out to collect eggs (which I do at least three times a day) I found a pink egg with purple dot's. No Joke. Still waiting for the other 3 to lay. I really want a blue egg. So, here's hoping. So far only 10 of my girls are laying and have 20 that I know are girls and still waiting on the baby Silkies which I know 2 are roosters. They do their call every morning and it's cute. The other 7 we will find out in Oct. or when they decide to do their calls. It's a good idea to have your own garden too. I find it to be nice to spoil my chickens with fresh veggies and fruit. I also feed my chickens scratch, laying pellets, sunflower seeds and game bird feed. I mix them all together in a bin and feed them that. Early mornings I also soak dry dog food (pedigree) in a large pot and feed them that. My older girls (7) are molting and still laying eggs and I am not for sure if it's because I am feeding them all of that but, I am not complaining either. I get no less than 4 eggs a day. That's only when I can't feed them early in the morning. Lately I have got 7 eggs every other day sometimes two days in a row. I am happy that I have happy chickens. The saying happy chickens lay eggs is so true. They love plain yogurt and it's good for them. I give them that once or twice a week. Thank You for reading. If you want to you can email me if you have any questions. Don't know if I can help but, I will try to or can point you the way to getting your questions answered. Michele
