Aloha from the Big Island of Hawai'i

[k2panman]

Aloha, we live on the Big Island and will soon be moving down by South Point (Waiohinu area). I've been around chickens for many years (neighbors had chickens but all I did was gather eggs, also lived with chickens in our garage (don't ask) for 7.5 years in Key Largo), but I've never had my own chickens, so I'm a newbie. My girlfriend and I want to get a few chickens to run around in the yard and eat the centipedes (they get as big as 14.5" long here) and slugs (hopefully - do chickens eat slugs?). So this forum looks like a great place to learn everything chicken.

We have mongoose here (no Martha, them ain't prairie dogs!) and I think I'm first going to have to thin the population of these invasive non-native critters to keep from having baby chicks gobbled up.

Love to hear from anyone with words of wisdom, especially anyone out here on this volcanically active little rock we call home out here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. We'd like to find someone we can get some chicks or fertile eggs from to start our flock also.

Not sure what breeds we'd like, but I think we'll need some Easter eggs, so Araucana or Ameraucana. We mostly want the chickens to eat bugs but we love fresh eggs too. Of course we like to eat youknowwhaten too.

I have tools and can build people houses, so I'll be building my chickens a house too. Really want them to run around and eat bugs, but I'm thinking they'd be happier if they have a safe house to stay at night?

Ok, I'll go lurking around the forum post now! Mahalo for everyones help!
Keith

 

[Kiki]

Welcome! We are glad you joined our flock!
Jump right in and make yourself at home.
Slugs can carry gapeworm that can't infect your birds.
This video will help you learn how to navigate this site:

Coop Ideas:
Chicken Coops

BYC has an APP!

 

[Pork Pie]

Hello and welcome to BYC- thanks for joining us.

On this link you'll find lots of information on almost every aspect of keeping chickens - from coop building ideas, to incubating eggs - https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/


There’s a link on the page above to the Learning Centre - it’s a great resource. If you have a specific topic in mind, just type it in the search box - there's a wealth of information on past and present threads.


Each week, various topics are discussed, which can also be a great resource - https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive


You can use this link to contact members in your area - Find Your State Thread

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi &

Glad you could join us all here! Enjoy your time here on BYC

 

[N F C]

and aloha!

It will be handy to be a builder with chickens, seems there is always some project that needs to be done (at least, my husband thinks so)

Good luck with your poultry adventure!

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us
Best of luck on your new adventure... If you free range, then electric netting is a good ally and get lots to cover losses.

 

[Joeschooks]

Welcome to BYC! There’s so many helpful, knowledgeable folks here and I’m sure you’ll find this site a very useful resource. I hope you enjoy it as much as we all do.

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to Backyard chickens. I don't know what chickens think of centipedes - maybe guineas would prefer to eat them.

 

[k2panman]

I understand from what I've heard here that centipedes are like chicken candy, they gobble them up. I hope that's true!

 

[TheYLWFlock]

Welcome to BYC! I love Hawaii! You should just grab a few of those chickens that run around wild!!