Chickens? WANT!... Questions? HAVE!

[Charis]

Hello everyone!

So... I'm new. I had chickens as a small child, but only remember that I really loved the chickens. Having remembered that I love chickens (ok... so it took 25 years... I'm blond, what can I say?), I really want to have chickens again. So I've been scouring the internet, and I've discovered BYC.com. Goodness how I adore you guys! I no longer feel as if I've lost my mind, though my family all seems to be of that exact opinion.

Some important facts - I have dogs, I have cats, I have small children that visit me at least twice a year, and usually more as my house is *the* place to be for holidays and celebrations... I cook. LOL. My property is about 3/4s of an acre in Talbott Tn. I'd like to start with maybe 4 or 6 chickens, and I'm really interested in some of the colored leghorns, hens only.

I realize that I can not free range the chickens, as I'm dead positive that at least one dog and one cat would think I had brought them dinner on the hoof, so to speak (and the cat would expect me to cook it), but I would like to be able to utilize the chickens for bug control in the yard, thus the chicken tractor idea has really gotten a hold of me. I've been researching the dickens out of it, and I just like the whole idea, it just seems like me AND the chickens win, and being a rescuer down to my very soul, I like it when the animals win!

So I've decided to go the tractor route, which of course leads me to a million and one questions which I could really use an opinion on for anyone that wants to share!

1. The chickens will have to be in the tractor year round, so I know that I have to build accommodation for them that will protect them from wind, cold, and rain... but I was considering having the nesting boxes be the kind that are outside the coop area, so I could get to them without having to enter the tractor. Will these types of boxes be warm enough in the winter or will the hens avoid them for the warmer coop area?

2. I do not even want to admit the number of chicken tractors I've looked at, but lets say its enough to have a favorite category. That favorite would be the type that has the "convertable top", where the pen area can be covered and uncovered according to weather conditions, allowing for warmth air and sunshine while still protecting from rain snow and wind. I've seen this done with tarps, but I have YARDS and YARDS of boating canvas (a lovely dark purple boating canvas at that), is there any reason that anyone is aware of that I could not use this instead of tarps?

3. Our yard was seriously neglected before we moved in, and I have slowly but surely been trying to bring it back to something that one might want to look at and maybe even walk on, and I know that chickens can help in this venture, so I would like to leave the chickens in place long enough to really work the soil, but not so long that the chickens health is being sacrificed to the lawn. What should I look for in deciding when both the lawn and the chickens are getting the most out of the arrangement?

I'm going to stop here, though I could go on for hours I think, and just say an early thank you! to anyone that responds.... Thank you!

Char

 

[Jim from Cincinnati]

May I ask, what do you need from the chickens...eggs, just pets, meat?

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

Welcome to BYC! I started with chickens over the summer and the people of BYC have been great. Please visit my BYC Page for my blog links that you may find informative or amusing.

Chickens are better at making holes in your yard than they are at smoothing things out. You might consider a Fort Knox Coop/Run with a lighter portable tractor (with electric protection) if you want to mess around with herding them in to and out of said tractor every day. I have reservations about a tractor as a place to keep chickens all the time, but I am new at this, so maybe that is just my fear talking.

Suggest you consider how many eggs you can handle before you get chickens. Six pullets can crank out six eggs a day for an extended time. (I am isolated from coworkers, neighbors, and family so I have to eat all my eggs).

 

[elmo]

I am also a big proponent of day tractors with a secure, permanent coop (and run attached to that for convenience when you need to be away, etc.). That's exactly the setup I have myself, and I'm very pleased with the way it's worked.

It's actually quite easy to move chickens from one housing to another once they catch on to the routine, which the do quickly. Chickens are very fast learners. I herd my flock with two long handled tools, one in each hand (the pooper scooper I use, and a small rake, usually). The long tools help me keep them sorta together and guide them in the right direction. As long as I can get a critical mass of 3 or 4 chickens heading into a pen, the stragglers will typically follow ...except for one chicken, Wrong Way Scooter. She's a special case. What I did to train them is put scratch down in their destination area so they came to learn that if they went where I was herding them, goodies ensued.

Yesterday was the only day in almost two years that I had any herding problems. We've had very cold, snowy weather here (unusual for us) and I've confined the chickens in their permanent run and coop constantly for more than a month, so they're out of the habit of being herded. Yesterday was a beautiful springlike day, so I had them back in their tractor. But when I went to move them back into their permanent coop and run, everybody had spring fever. Nine chickens all scattered in nine separate directions and steadfastly resisted going back into the coop. I'd get two or three in, and then when I went out to gather more, the first three would pop back out. It would have been comical if I had not been on the way inside to go to the bathroom when I decided to move the chickens out of the tractor first. It usually only takes a minute or two. So yesterday I ended up having to pick up 6 chickens individually and carry them into the coop.

Usually, a full grown standard size chicken has too much size and attitude to be seen by a cat as prey. Dogs generally are a risk to chickens, but again it depends on individuals. Our tiny bantams are certainly small enough to be vulnerable to neighbors' cats roaming around, so we don't free range without being right there to supervise. But we have an elderly Boston terrier who shares the yard with the chickens when we have them out, and he studiously ignores the chickens.

 

[Charis]

Quote:
Honestly, I don't *need* chickens, I just like chickens. I also happen to love eggs and egg dishes, so thats a part of it. And they will be beneficial to the yard I've been spending huge amounts of time to rehabilitate, so thats a part of it as well. No meat birds for me though, at least not that will be used for the purpose they were bred for. I do eat chicken, but the plain truth is that anything in my yard will get a name, will be part of the family, and I just don't eat family. LOL.

So I guess the answer to your question is that I like them and they happen to also help out with a couple of other things I like.

 

[Crabella]

As you are discovering this is a great site for the chicken "Newbie" . I would also do a permanent coop and a very secure run along with a portable 'tractor' type pen Chickens, you will find, are generally detrimental to lawn and landscaping. My mulch is everywhere BUT the flower beds... and the flowers, well, let's just say the girls had a lovely 'tea' party one day last summer, and the petunias (burp) were the first to go. The girls may 'work the soil', but everything there is pretty much gonna be gone... just sayin', so you are prepared.

While you are researching coops, research varieties also. There are types that do not lay as frequently as leghorns and some of the sexlink varieties, so that eggs are more of a side benefit. They are good with bug patrol, but mine will not eat 'stink bugs', or bees, wasps, hornets etc. They DO like mice...eeewwww.

and actually catch more than the cat, and do not 'gift' them to me on my back step.

Plan ahead for "chicken math". I didn't, now am thinking of a bigger better coop. I don't Need more chickens, I just WANT more chickens.. Or you need to develop very very good control...hard to do when you see those cuties in the spring and start thinking I'd like a couple/three of that variety,....oh and some of those and maybe one or two of... you see where I am going.

 

[Charis]

Chicken.Lytle :

Welcome to BYC! I started with chickens over the summer and the people of BYC have been great. Please visit my BYC Page for my blog links that you may find informative or amusing.

Chickens are better at making holes in your yard than they are at smoothing things out. You might consider a Fort Knox Coop/Run with a lighter portable tractor (with electric protection) if you want to mess around with herding them in to and out of said tractor every day. I have reservations about a tractor as a place to keep chickens all the time, but I am new at this, so maybe that is just my fear talking.

Suggest you consider how many eggs you can handle before you get chickens. Six pullets can crank out six eggs a day for an extended time. (I am isolated from coworkers, neighbors, and family so I have to eat all my eggs).

Ok... first... Mr. Big is SO cute! lol. Love the blog, its now in my favs to be checked on regularly.

I'm not worried about too many eggs. I compost, and I have pets, all of which I have no issues cooking for. We just lost our 16 year old collie, and for the last year of his life I cooked him chicken, eggs, and rice every single day. Not much goes to waste here. Eggs I'm unsure of for humans go to dogs and cats, scrambled, occasionally with cheese. Eggs that I'm unsure of even for the animals, get cracked, stirred into the coffee grounds, and buried in the compost pile.

I'm also not too worried about holes in the yard vs. smoothing it out. I have dogs, one of which thinks it is her duty to ensure that the yard is never level, it is to be un-level at ALL times, or she has failed as a dog. I own a rake, and have the ability to sign in resignation as I head out to try and return the dirt to yet another shallow pit, usually after I've just fallen over it. I meant more that they would move the dirt around and that they would poo, thus adding some much needed nutrition without chemicals and nasty stuff that threatens my critters. I really dislike chemicals around my critters, most of them are rescues, elderly (all but two of our animals are over 10, and a few have skin conditions or other health issues that I just don't want to.​

 

[Charis]

Quote:
Standard full size chickens are definitely what I want. I've also considered Guinea hens, as I do love them as well. As to the cats, for most of mine (we have five), I would agree, despite the fact that they are rather large cats, the three boys are all over a foot all and about two feet long, plus another foot of tail, 15 pounds each, and not an ounce of fat on them. But one of my boys, the elderly gentleman Buddy, would have to go after the chickens just to prove you wrong, lol. Hes stubborn that way. You would think he would be more mellow at 14ish years old, but noooooo. He has to go out and prove the hunter he is, while the others are content to capture spiders and milk rings in the house.

One of my dogs is definitely a concern. Shes maybe four, a lab husky mix, and was taught by the collie we just lost due to age that she must defend the yard from all things.... leaves... squirrels... birds... everything. And she took her lessons deep to heart, and has on more than one occasion brought me things that have invaded the yard and didn't realize just how fast a dog with a purpose can be. A few of these have in fact been birds. So the chickens will have to be protected, and the dog will have to be watched. Hopefully she will understand quickly that THOSE birds are mine, and shes supposed to be protecting them, but as a non herding breed and worse a bird hunting breed, I'm not sure thats going to make sense to her.

My old Aussie on the other hand will probably just be upset that something changed... she doesn't like change at all... and then completely ignore the whole thing, birds and all, hoping it will go away until she gets used to it.

 

[ChooksChick]

I would say don't start with leghorns, as they are not the most docile of breeds.

I have to run and will return, but you can check out lots of info on my BYC page, and I'll be back with more, later!

 

[brounii]

First let me say, "Howdy neighbor & welcome to BYC". Talbott is only about an hour and 20 minutes from us. We live in Jonesborough, TN and we love having chickens. It's still new for us, as we started last Fall, but we thoroughly enjoy it. We have 8 Plymouth Barred Rock hens that we bought through 'mypetchicken.com'. Our set up isn't a tractor, but I'm sure you'll find the right design that fits your needs. The folks here on BYC are awesome and full of helpful information.

Maybe you could build a permanent coop for your chickens and then a portable foraging run for them during the daytime which could be moved around the yard. That's what we're planning on doing as of right now, lol. We've got the permanent coop w/run taken care of:

Now we just need to figure out the portable foraging run. I'm thinking maybe an 8' deep x 12' wide x 2' high pen made with light materials so it's easy to move around the yard. We'll even put a wheel in each corner. Only time will tell whether or not it gets built, lol.

Once again, welcome and just have fun looking around BYC! I'm sure you'll do great!