2018 Newbie Chat!

[Anna Ranieri]

I’m so sorry this happened to you!
I will pray that it gets cleared up quickly and in your favor.
This is why when DH and I were looking to buy a house last year we refused HOAs and any property with CC&Rs.
I don’t like anyone telling me how I’m supposed to live.
I hope it’s expired and unenforceable!
Yes I agree, dogs make a lot more noise but I’ve learned that my hens can be very noisy!
Especially when they sing the egg song or see something strange or that they think might be a predator.
The man came out today to survey our property and tell us where the power lines, etc. are so DH can start digging post holes for the fence on the side yard.
Those chickens made the biggest noise about the man being in their yard!

Thank you, your prayers are very much appreciated and very very much needed. We haven't had any egg songs yet as none are laying - Lilah made a bit of a noise earlier today as I was cleaning out the ducks pools, the noise of the water spouting from the hose scared her. Obviously I hate that this is happening and I am very scared too - drakes aren't very much wanted around here and often hens are only wanted while they are laying - there are a couple of people I could ask to take them - my friend for one - but neither of these will give them the life they are used to and I can't bare the thought of them holed up in a cage for the rest of their lives. The chickens maybe not so bad, the farm we got Pedro and Jellybean from told us they'd take them back and never cull their animals but I just don't trust anyone to take care of them to the standard we do and the amount of freedom we give them - Pedro and Jellybean like to snuggle up and nap on my bed, for goodness sake I don't know anyone who'd allow that. I know there are those who will think I am making a fuss about nothing - "they are only animals after all" but it is breaking my heart and I can't sleep through worry and keep crying because I'm so sad. No one but me knows what it is like to have these two beautiful goofy drakes come running up to me so happy I've come home from being out all day and how Pedro and Jellybean, fall asleep snuggled on my lap, even the new duck hens run up to me now and Lilah who we still have sleep indoors with us, their cage the other side of my bedroom wall, trilling as she's settled down with her wing wrapped around Roo.
There is a police headquarters not to far from me, and earlier a police car sped off with the siren wailing, it spooked the ducks, I could hear them thumping around in their hutch and quacking, not loads and for no more than a few seconds but it is still noise and I'm scared witless the person who complained heard it and will make out it happens all the time when it doesn't.
I checked with my dad at the beginning he told me there is nothing in the deeds about livestock, I don't know if he didn't know about the rule in the covenant or forgot it was in there but there is another guy on this estate who has chickens and has had them for eight years, no one has ever told him he can't have them - this has only come about because someone complained - but in all honesty, anyone who knows me will tell you that I make more noise than my whole flock put together, they make noises but not constantly and they are not horrible noises either, they are different to the norm around here and that is all. I am so angry and frustrated and feel I just want to hit out at someone but I can't - its horrible.

 

[Llamacorn]

also, besides chick feed is there anything else we should be giving them?

 

[Geranium]

Thank you, your prayers are very much appreciated and very very much needed. We haven't had any egg songs yet as none are laying - Lilah made a bit of a noise earlier today as I was cleaning out the ducks pools, the noise of the water spouting from the hose scared her. Obviously I hate that this is happening and I am very scared too - drakes aren't very much wanted around here and often hens are only wanted while they are laying - there are a couple of people I could ask to take them - my friend for one - but neither of these will give them the life they are used to and I can't bare the thought of them holed up in a cage for the rest of their lives. The chickens maybe not so bad, the farm we got Pedro and Jellybean from told us they'd take them back and never cull their animals but I just don't trust anyone to take care of them to the standard we do and the amount of freedom we give them - Pedro and Jellybean like to snuggle up and nap on my bed, for goodness sake I don't know anyone who'd allow that. I know there are those who will think I am making a fuss about nothing - "they are only animals after all" but it is breaking my heart and I can't sleep through worry and keep crying because I'm so sad. No one but me knows what it is like to have these two beautiful goofy drakes come running up to me so happy I've come home from being out all day and how Pedro and Jellybean, fall asleep snuggled on my lap, even the new duck hens run up to me now and Lilah who we still have sleep indoors with us, their cage the other side of my bedroom wall, trilling as she's settled down with her wing wrapped around Roo.
There is a police headquarters not to far from me, and earlier a police car sped off with the siren wailing, it spooked the ducks, I could hear them thumping around in their hutch and quacking, not loads and for no more than a few seconds but it is still noise and I'm scared witless the person who complained heard it and will make out it happens all the time when it doesn't.
I checked with my dad at the beginning he told me there is nothing in the deeds about livestock, I don't know if he didn't know about the rule in the covenant or forgot it was in there but there is another guy on this estate who has chickens and has had them for eight years, no one has ever told him he can't have them - this has only come about because someone complained - but in all honesty, anyone who knows me will tell you that I make more noise than my whole flock put together, they make noises but not constantly and they are not horrible noises either, they are different to the norm around here and that is all. I am so angry and frustrated and feel I just want to hit out at someone but I can't - its horrible.

I'm so sorry. I hope you're able to keep them. You must be heartbroken.

 

[Cbarr00]

we got them from the only female bin out of 4. so hopefully two are not males. by city law we can only have females.

I think your odds are good if they're sexed. We got 5 SS from the pullet bin and only one was a cockerel. We got 5 from the straight run bin and got 3 cockerels. Lol!

 

[Cbarr00]

I am here with a very heavy heart tonight, earlier today while I was out visiting my dad who is gravely ill in hospital, a member of the council came to our home and told my daughter they have received a complaint about our birds and has said we are not permitted to keep them. When these properties were built 40 years ago there was a covenant which had to be signed on purchase containing rules and regulations of which includes no livestock are to be kept on or in the property, only domesticated animals such as cats, dogs, caged birds (parrots, budgies etc) it also states that no buildings other than ornamental can be built. My parents own our home and I rent it from them, my dad is adamant that there is nothing in the deeds that livestock can not be kept, however he is too sick to be able to contact the solicitor who holds his deeds to double check this is correct, and he is too sick for me to talk too much to him about it. The doctors have told us he won't get better but don't expect him to get worse and that if they can stabilize him (and it is looking hopeful that they can) there is no reason for him not to go home soon. He has told me that when he gets out of hospital he will check the deeds plus has offered that he will pay for a solicitor to fight our case, but we can only do that if the deeds do not stipulate that livestock can't be kept. If indeed it isn't in the deeds then we might stand a chance because the covenant was made 41 years ago and there is a law here that after so many years (I think 25 or 30 years) covenants are no longer binding, but I don't yet know if this includes the bit about livestock or about buildings (the coup/run). We had this with television aerials, for the most years I've lived here we weren't allowed aerials but as of about 10 or so years ago I found out we could have them, which is how I know about covenants only valid for an amount of years. This aside we also have a law they call noise pollution and if the authorities deem that our birds exceed the accepted level of noise we will lose the case even if we were to win on the other points. I am devastated, our birds are pets, and I am so attached to them, it will break my heart if we have to give them up. My daughter and I have discussed that in the worst case scenario, either of us could move out and rent somewhere else finding a property which permits livestock but I don't want this to happen either - I know my daughter and grandson will leave eventually but her plan is to move when she can buy a home and is looking to stay here for at least another five years. My dad also suggested he have them at his and I go everyday to tend to them but he lives right next to the woods where the foxes live and they frequent his garden regularly almost every night. I am praying my heart out that Jesus won't let them order us to get rid of our birds but for now it is a very painstaking wait.
I am unable to know for sure who complained but the council rep said it is someone who can see into our garden, and have complained about our coup and run as well as the noise. We are surrounded by a six foot fence and we are on a corner so we only have one neighbour directly beside us and one behind us, the one behind us cannot see into our garden and live in a bungalow, the one next to us, lives in a house so cannot see into our garden on ground level but can do from her upstairs windows. A couple of weeks ago she claimed to me that she gets awoken at 4:30am by pigeons and then again at 6am by our birds, I disputed this claim because we lock our birds up at night and they rarely make any noise during the night (except for the time our drake fell out of the hutch through my not locking the door properly) and we don't hear a peep out of them until after 7am when they hear my alarm clock go off (they know I'm coming to let them out) The chickens may cluck now and then during the day and often trill when they are sand bathing or basking in the sunshine but they aren't loud. The noisiest are the female ducks and on a lessor level the drakes when they rasp but they are not constantly quacking, its usually when it is treat time, feeding time, when I come home from being out for a long time they great me happy to see me or when my grandson chases them, which he is not permitted to do but typical two year old does so on occasions. I spent two weeks getting up at 5:30am and not ever have they made a sound at 6am nor before 7am, however what I did hear around 6am a few of the morning was a puppy a few doors away up the round whining. Maybe I am being biased but to me they make far less noise than the dogs barking who live in our area, far less noise than the seagulls, crows and magpies which there are many of around here and no more noise than the pigeons. For example, they usually have a treat around 5pm, I was at the hospital and my daughter hadn't realised the time and she told me at about 5:10pm they came to the window quacking and rasping, she gave them their treat and they quieted, I got home around 6:30pm the chickens were foraging the ducks were in their pools and not one made a sound, they had their usual treat shut in their run at 7pm, and put themselves to bed when it got dark like they always do, not a sound was made until I went in to lock their doors but as soon as I had done so they quieted and haven't made a sound since and won't until the morning, so how on earth can that be noise pollution!!!

Hoping things work out in your favor!

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I'm so sorry. I hope you're able to keep them. You must be heartbroken.

I thank you dearly for you kind words and understanding. Yes I am heartbroken, where I live I have two set of neighbours who are very noisy, I can't be sure who complained but if it is the one I think it is then I will tape her and take her to court, she is a drunk and often in her drunken stupor she shouts, wails and moans often until 2 or 3 in the morning - the report says it is someone who can see in my garden, she is the only one who can see in my garden but has to go upstairs and look out of an open window. It is very frustrating not knowing who it is and I can't help being suspicious - whoever it is not only complained about the noise but also complained about the coup and run - my garden is surrounded by a 6 foot fence, my coup and run is behind my garage, it is not possible to see into my garden or to see the coup from the sidewalk, there is one house which is about five houses away from our bungalow at the back of us, they have an attic, they would be able to see a little into our garden but cannot hear the birds because they are too far away, so by deduction we can only think it is this one neighbour but without proof it isn't possible for me to know for sure. I just keep praying Jesus won't let them win and will allow me to keep my beautiful birds.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Hoping things work out in your favor!

Thank you so much. I am praying with all my heart that I won't have to give up my birds, they are a massive part of my life and I just don't want to be without them, even just the thought of having to give them up is terrifying me, its so sad.

 

[CannedMonster]

also, besides chick feed is there anything else we should be giving them?

Do you have them in a brooder with a heat lamp?
They need about 95 degree heat for the first week and 90 the next week, 85 the next, etc. until you reach ambient temp during the day.
You can lower the temp by raising the lamp higher.
A thermometer at on the floor of the brooder under the lamp is a good idea.
They sell them at TSC. Don’t worry about them pooping on it. It washes lol.
Make absolutely sure that there’s a cool spot so they can get away from the heat and cool down if they need to.
Angle the heat lamp in such a way that it only heats part of the brooder.
Keep the food and water in the cool side of the brooder.
In the summer they’ll need heat for less time than chicks raised in winter.
If you feed them anything other than chick feed you’ll need to get chick grit for them to help them digest it.
You can get chick grit at TSC.
I like giving mine grit because it helps kick start their digestion.
Enjoy them!
They’re so fun and you’ll be amazed at how fast they grow.
In fact, you better get going on the coop now.

 

[Llamacorn]

Do you have them in a brooder with a heat lamp?
They need about 95 degree heat for the first week and 90 the next week, 85 the next, etc. until you reach ambient temp during the day.
You can lower the temp by raising the lamp higher.
A thermometer at on the floor of the brooder under the lamp is a good idea.
They sell them at TSC. Don’t worry about them pooping on it. It washes lol.
Make absolutely sure that there’s a cool spot so they can get away from the heat and cool down if they need to.
Angle the heat lamp in such a way that it only heats part of the brooder.
Keep the food and water in the cool side of the brooder.
In the summer they’ll need heat for less time than chicks raised in winter.
If you feed them anything other than chick feed you’ll need to get chick grit for them to help them digest it.
You can get chick grit at TSC.
I like giving mine grit because it helps kick start their digestion.
Enjoy them!
They’re so fun and you’ll be amazed at how fast they grow.
In fact, you better get going on the coop now.

they are in a brooder. heat lamp only heats part of it. it has a thermometer on the ground. they love sleeping on it XD. I have the lamp on a dimmer because I cant adjust the height. but it's at 95. thank you for all the info. I feel pretty reassured now I was planning on getting older hens when we got chickens so I was not as thoroughly read on raising day olds haha

 

[BBZZZZTT]

they are in a brooder. heat lamp only heats part of it. it has a thermometer on the ground. they love sleeping on it XD. I have the lamp on a dimmer because I cant adjust the height. but it's at 95. thank you for all the info. I feel pretty reassured now I was planning on getting older hens when we got chickens so I was not as thoroughly read on raising day olds haha

If using a heat lamp make sure to check their butts! The dry heat (among other things) can cause poop to get stuck on the feathers around the vent, eventually building up and blocking the vent so they can't poop. This is called pasty butt. If that happens, just use a warm damp towel or some olive oil to clean it off.