ALABAMA!!

[chickensval]

Bad news. I went from 12 chickens to 4. Was going to say goodbye to all of them them but couldn't do it. They're my pets and I feel terrible for giving up on them. My only comfort is constantly thinking about the concern their new owner showed for them realizing they were gonna be in the sun the entire ride home which was only 10 minutes away. I know they went to a wonderful home, but I'm still in tears because I feel like I just lost my children.

I'm so sorry.. Why did you rehome them? :'( It must really suck, but at least you know they're somewhere where they will be loved and enjoyed.

 

[Hennyhandler]

Awww. Sorry Tiffany!

I have a lav trio for sale and a blue partridge silkie roo! He looks awesome! Let me know if you're interested.

 

[RedneckGurl]

A question for my experienced chicken keeping friends.....do you use deep litter method in coop or sand? Moving first batch of girls very soon & not sure what to use. Thought I was sold on sand but have been reading about deep litter method & wanted everyone's opinions. Still contemplating poop boards

I am using sand inside the coop and loving it. SO very easy to clean. I plan to use sand in the run also but I'm allowing the chickens to eat up all the grass first. Once they get it down to almost bare earth, I'll bring in about 14 tons of sand and that will be that.

 

[tiffanyboothe]

We were obviously doing something wrong. They were 100% free range and 9 of the 12 decided to roost on my porch every night. Tried very hard to get them to roost in other places but it wasn't working. I thought I lost 2 last week, but it was only one. It still sucked though. Nobody in my house was a fan of the chickens except me and I was tired of listening to everyone complain about the smell. I hosed the porch every morning, but it didn't change anything. They are in a home where they will be taken care of better than I could have done. An actual farm. They keep them even after they stop laying eggs and they never kill them unless they get hurt or sick and nothing else can be done. It's a good place and they are sort of family so I can go see them whenever I want.

 

[RedneckGurl]

We were obviously doing something wrong. They were 100% free range and 9 of the 12 decided to roost on my porch every night. Tried very hard to get them to roost in other places but it wasn't working. I thought I lost 2 last week, but it was only one. It still sucked though. Nobody in my house was a fan of the chickens except me and I was tired of listening to everyone complain about the smell. I hosed the porch every morning, but it didn't change anything. They are in a home where they will be taken care of better than I could have done. An actual farm. They keep them even after they stop laying eggs and they never kill them unless they get hurt or sick and nothing else can be done. It's a good place and they are sort of family so I can go see them whenever I want.

Sorry to hear you had to get rid of your little flock. I don't necessarily think you were doing anything "wrong". Chickens naturally roost where they feel safe and your porch appealed to them for that reason. It had overhead cover and probably had banisters or railings that were natural choices for roosts. It may have also been elevated off the ground which is even further protection from predators. Chickens are creatures of habit so once they started roosting there, unless you had a building or pen where you could enclose and keep them for a period of time to 'break" the habit, they would have continued to roost on your porch. That is why when you build a new coop or put chickens into a coop from some other location, say a brooder box, it is suggested you keep them inside for a few days so they learn that it is home and that way they will come back to roost there from then on. I'm sorry your family wasn't supportive of your chicken keeping. That to me is very sad. My husband wasn't totally on the bandwagon about owning chickens but he built my coop for me anyway, because he knew it would make me happy. Now that we have the chickens, he has become quite fond of a couple and I've even caught him giving out treats. He got his favorite, Helen, to eat scratch out of his hand yesterday. It sounds like you made an excellent choice in re-homing your birds though. Perhaps down the road you can revisit the possibility of chickens but, to keep peace in the family, perhaps a coop with a run or tractor might be a better option so the porch will remain a poop free zone and any smell will be away from the house. If you use sand like I do, there is no smell if you rake and scoop the poop on a daily basis. Takes me about 10 minutes tops.

 

[old farmer]

Red, did you see what he called us? Well, at least he doesn't have commitment issues.......

No the hens are talking like 2old ladys

 

[RedneckGurl]

Quote:
I figured that is what you meant. I'm finally getting eggs from the bantams...not sure who is laying what since they are all white. I have a friend who is purchasing them by the dozen for her 4 year old granddaughter....she calls them "Natalie eggs" and nobody else is allowed to eat them but her.

 

[Wisher1000]

Quote:
I figured that is what you meant. I'm finally getting eggs from the bantams...not sure who is laying what since they are all white. I have a friend who is purchasing them by the dozen for her 4 year old granddaughter....she calls them "Natalie eggs" and nobody else is allowed to eat them but her.
<snicker>

 

[Rolltidern]

How loud are y'all's hens? I have a friend who's been telling me they are going to be louder than I think. We live on small in town lot & coop will be near property line. I know they can make a fair amount of noise when laying, but is it going to bother the neighbors?

 

[chickadoodles]

<snicker>