Chickens 101

[polishtom]

I will never ever EVER have little pullets in my house again. Good grief, the dust and stank! I will just purchase some older pullets from a trusted hatchery from now on.

 

[Threedog]

1- With free range chickens, every day is Easter. You will find nearly half of your eggs in odd places (not the nice nest boxes you gave your birds).

2- Free range eggs are so worth the trouble!

3- The first time your skeptical spouse sees your new chickens fighting over and destroying a big nasty bug, she/he will become an instant chicken addict, too!

4- A bed of straw in the floor of your coop is a dusty, moldy, poopy mess. Pine shavings are a better choice. Pine chips are even better.

5- Pine shavings in a nest box doesn't usually work out so good. They will scratch it all out onto the floor. For nest boxes, straw is a better choice.

6- Chickens will annihilate any pest they encounter in your yard. Roaches, grasshoppers, grubs, spiders, scorpions, FULL GROWN MICE! I was in total awe when four of my girls went to town on a big hairy tarantula. It never stood a chance.

7- There is no need to bag or rake your grass clippings as you mow: Your entire flock will follow you as you mow and gobble up all the bugs you stir up, then they will scratch through the clippings and spread them all over the place so they never get a chance to clump up and make a mess of your lawn.

8- Skunks kill chickens!

9- Your neighbor's dog is the biggest predator threat your chickens face. Remember what they say about good fences...

10- You need a bigger brooder. Chicks grow very fast and will outgrow that cardboard box waaay before they are ready to go outside.

 

[Itchen4Chickens]

Happily sucscribing!!! I have just fallen in love with this post already!!

 

[annagarret]

I didn't realize I would love them so much and name them.
They are so sweet and want to follow you around.
They are very easy to keep, much easier than a cat or dog!!!
There are so many breeds to choose from!!

 

[Cluckincanadian]

I am new at chickens. They are amusing. I like when I come home at least 2 hens come to see me. I go to the bush they follow me there, I must be doing something interesting

 

[MyPaperMoon512]

Great thread

 

[Sirracha]

Chickens snore.
Throw a cherry or plum into the run and kick back as they play rugby.
They like their feet massaged.
They love looking at themselves in mirrors.
Just adding water to your feed greatly reduces waste and the poop doesn't stink as bad.
Make a compost bin big enough for your chickens and you'll never have to work it yourself.

 

[DufferChick]

10 things I learned about chickens that I hadn't read in books:

1. Having a rooster for a small flock of hens is better than I thought. One of my female chicks ended up being a rooster. i had originally wanted only hens, But roosters are good protectors and leaders for the flock. Looking forward to getting new chicks.

2. I need to be the alpha rooster to keep things pleasant for both humans and flock. I am fortunate to have a balanced relationship with my rooster.

3. Need to keep part of the chicken run covered, to keep it dry during rain and snow. Wire top is good for a run, but the flock needs a protected area that is not too confining.

4. Fermenting the feed works great! The chickens love it and they are thriving. It is less wasteful and more nutritional at the same time.

5. When the birds cannot be let out of the coop or run to free-range, I need to provide entertainment for them in the form of interesting scraps, garden vegetables, and leftover meat. Keeps them occupied and congenial.

6. Chickens LOVE leftover pot roast with the cooked potatoes and carrots!

7. The BYC community site is a terrific source of practical information. I read BYC threads frequently, which gives me more confidence and enjoyment in raising chickens.

8. People that do not raise chickens do not get it. They cannot understand why raising chickens can be rewarding and interesting. When I mention my flock at my office, I get raised eyebrows and comments like "you can't be serious". Also,there are lots of misconceptions out there. Many people think that you cannot get eggs without a rooster.

9. I do not dare mention the acts of culling or eating our chickens to anyone but my husband.

10. I wish I had a larger coop!

 

[Stock Family]

I have 10 chickens for 2 years now, and hope to add another 10 this spring. Our chickens are always healthy ...

I have a small fan blowing into the coop connected with flexible tubing taking air straight from our home. The coop is always a steady 70*F through winter and summer. Always ventilated. Very minimal cost as well.
I also treat the chickens to cut greens and peels, sprouted grains, black pepper, garlic and used teabag contents during the winter. We had full daily egg production the whole winter. On very cold days, rub crisco on their feet and wattles. When it snows, I lay down a tarp in front of their door. I lift the tarp and shake off the snow instead of shoveling and they get a snow free patch to walk on.
I use leaves from our trees to line the bottom of the coop. There is almost no odor for 3 weeks, and then I replace them with new ones. The leaves obviously go straight to the garden. Under the leaves I use cardboard boxes to make removal less than 10 min. In the summer when there are no leaves, I use just the card boards and change them weekly. I roll/fold them up as they are removed and I lay them directly on my garden and plant through them making a hole for the plant. Or my neighbors take them.
We love our chickens, well cared for chickens don't need as much medical care.

 

[SunnySkies]

Chickens don't need coddling, but it is fun to give them treats

Be ready to humanely dispatch one. You never know if one will be hurt or sick and thus might need you to do this. If you can't, line up a friend or veterinarian to dispatch the bird for you.

Quarantine ALL new birds for at least 30 days.

Be ready to be overrun with eggs

Don't play with rooster chicks. They grow up to be nasty roosters in most cases (not all, but you don't know how yours will go, so don't risk it)

There are alternatives to heat lamps for chicks, like the EcoGlow, which are safer and save you money

Feed everyone chick starter/grower or an all flock feed, offer calcium, and you don't have a crazy feed system going

Your life will revolve around opening and closing the coop door. If you get an auto door, that helps, but you still have to check their water twice a day. Somehow, it always gets dirty (and we free range, so they aren't kicking litter up, but it still gets dirty)

Hatching eggs is an addiction

Half of what you will read is someone's opinion. Try it. If it works for you, great. If it doesn't, leave it and move on. Does not mean it is wrong, just it doesn't apply to your situation.