BYC newbie in San Diego

[adrieliii]

We are Brian and Sharon and are planning to begin producing our own eggs in South San Diego. Hope to learn a lot here from other experience, and love the ideas I have read sofar. Looking for starter coop ideas, something to keep hens and eggs safe from our dogs (small ones, a chiwahwah and mini wiener) and the local critters (opossums, skunks, gophers, and such) and because we are within city limits we unfortunately can not have a rooster (sad because I love to hear them in the morning, country boy at heart lol) I would like to know if hens quit laying in a short time with out one and what if anything I can do to avoid it. Thanks and can't wait to start my education!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

Glad you joined!

You should start by checking out our coop area and learning center.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/advice-for-first-time-chicken-owners
https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/2/Coops
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-predators-pests-how-to-protect-treat-your-flock

Good luck and don't hesitate to ask any questions.

 

[gander007]

Alright

great to have you joining the BYC flock

BYC has a very useful learning center

Wow I have a bunch of roosters who just enjoy crowing all night long and day as well so I feel for the both of ya but stay around and you could learn so much and the learning center is just packed with information .....

If you have questions all you need to do is ask and you will receive an answer ....

California has some great Trends for you to check out local people ....

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC, Brian and Sharon! Glad you decided to join our flock. Mountain Peeps has provided you with some very good links. Actually hens will frequently lay longer and better without a rooster as roosters can tend to be hard on them physically; over-breeding the hens, injuring them with their beaks and spurs, and battering them. I currently have 25 hens, no roosters, and I get loads of eggs without feeding any non-egg laying mouths, without the aggression, fights, crowing in the middle of the night, injuries, and over-bred and battered hens that frequently goes along with having roosters (especially too many of them; the recommended ratio is 1 rooster for every 10 hens). As far as protecting the flock, there may be some value in that with the more aggressive game roosters, but among the docile egg layers I have raised over the past 50 years, I haven't seen one rooster that was any good at it. Not only have I lost as many hens free ranging with a rooster as without, but sometimes it was the rooster himself that fell victim to the predator. Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. What kind of chickens are you planning to use for egg production?

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC. Your hens will lay eggs normally with or without a rooster, no problem.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! You've gotten some good suggestions and links above, there are several threads that talk about training dogs to be around chickens, you might find some useful tips to help with yours iehttp://www.backyardchickens.com/t/829562/training-teaching-a-dog-about-chickens

 

[drumstick diva]

Michael gave you the straight story - believe him.

It's a shame so many roosters end up in the stew pot(tho many deserve it) or tossed out to fend for themselves because of zoning or HOA restrictions. Many are marked for death at birth if a hatchery sexer discovers them.

I think the only thing that could save them is gender reassignment that allows them to lay eggs. Or at very least a hormone transplant so they would just get broody and hatch eggs - no special gender required for that.

 

[ronmauldin]

Welcome from the Ocean State!

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

You have gotten some great advice here so I will just welcome you to our flock!

 

[sumi]

Welcome to BYC

Glad you joined us!