Considering chickens-any advice?

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HorsebackBrony

HorsebackBrony

In the Brooder
5 Years
Jul 15, 2014
37
2
36
I would really love to have a few backyard chickens, and I've been talking to my mom about it. We've done or research, we did check that they are legal, we do have room and have a coop in mind, we would get 3 or 4 barred rock hens from chicks. We talked about the noise and the smell, discussed the fact that they don't lay eggs their whole life, we've looked into how to keep them warm in winter/cool in summer, although we are still a little bit shady on that so advice is appreciated.

My mom is considering it, which is good because I expected an automatic NO. She likes the idea of it, but she wants to talk to some people with expiereience.

Some of her main concerns are

-Vet Bills
-Overall Cost
-Just how long do they actually lay? (We've seen different answers ranging 2-5...)
-Is there anything that we are missing that we need to consider?
-What do you do with your chickens when they stop laying eggs?
-Thoughts on this coop for 3, possibly 4 hens if we can't let them free range?


Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.
 
HorsebackBrony said:
I would really love to have a few backyard chickens, and I've been talking to my mom about it. We've done or research, we did check that they are legal, we do have room and have a coop in mind, we would get 3 or 4 barred rock hens from chicks. We talked about the noise and the smell, discussed the fact that they don't lay eggs their whole life, we've looked into how to keep them warm in winter/cool in summer, although we are still a little bit shady on that so advice is appreciated.

My mom is considering it, which is good because I expected an automatic NO. She likes the idea of it, but she wants to talk to some people with expiereience.

Some of her main concerns are

-Vet Bills
-Overall Cost
-Just how long do they actually lay? (We've seen different answers ranging 2-5...)
-Is there anything that we are missing that we need to consider?
-What do you do with your chickens when they stop laying eggs?
-Thoughts on this coop for 3, possibly 4 hens if we can't let them free range?


Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.
Click to expand...

You will love it!!
Vet Bills: There arent many vets that have any experience with chickens so most chicken owners come on here BYC for advice when they have a sick or injured chicken for advice.
Overall cost: After the initial set up costs, its not much- food, oyster shell are about the only requirements. Food is about 14 for a 50 lb bag.
Size of coop: aprox 4 sq ft inside space per chicken and 10 sq ft in outside run space is min requirements. You will need feeders and waterers, nest boxes.
Hot/cold: most people worry more about the cold than heat with their chickens which is kind of backwards. I have a flock in WI and the weather stayed in the negative temps for a month and my chickens were just fine. However, in the hot weather, they suffer more due to higher internal temperatures.
Older hens: For me, the chickens are for the fun factor and are more pets. So they have a place to stay for as long as they live.

Good luck!
 
Angiebubs said:
You will love it!!
Vet Bills: There arent many vets that have any experience with chickens so most chicken owners come on here BYC for advice when they have a sick or injured chicken for advice.
Overall cost: After the initial set up costs, its not much- food, oyster shell are about the only requirements. Food is about 14 for a 50 lb bag.
Size of coop: aprox 4 sq ft inside space per chicken and 10 sq ft in outside run space is min requirements. You will need feeders and waterers, nest boxes.
Hot/cold: most people worry more about the cold than heat with their chickens which is kind of backwards. I have a flock in WI and the weather stayed in the negative temps for a month and my chickens were just fine. However, in the hot weather, they suffer more due to higher internal temperatures.
Older hens: For me, the chickens are for the fun factor and are more pets. So they have a place to stay for as long as they live.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

X2 -- especially on the issue of the keeping them warm/cool and how most folks come into the idea of keeping birds looking at it from a backwards point of view. Healthy, adult chickens are very well insulated - provided a place that keeps them dry and sheltered they will keep themselves plenty warm. In fact, overheating in the winter can be a problem if you overbuild/insulate the coop as the chickens will generate moisture in the air (their waste is wet, their breath is moist, etc) and that can lead to issues like frostbite, etc- ventilation, ventilation, ventilation is key - both for summer and winter!

I can't think of a single downside to getting chickens, lol.

I will say, build bigger than you think you need - because there is no such thing as having too much room for your birds and the chances are if you start with x amount, you will soon find yourself "needing" to add "just a few more" -- so much easier to do if you already have the space to accommodate them and it's cheaper to build once big than to build once small and then add on again and again. Being able to expand can help when the time comes to keep the flock fresh by adding a new layer or two to pick up the slack as older hens start to head into retirement.
Really, the initial startup is going to be your biggest cost - the day-to-day maintenance stuff is not a big expense at all.
 
Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

-Vet Bills:Most chicken illness and injuries can be treated well at home and now that you are a part of BYC, we can help you.

-Overall Cost:Chickens do cost money, everything does. You need to buy food, bedding, materials for the coop, treats and medicines.

-Just how long do they actually lay? (We've seen different answers ranging 2-5...):It depends on the breed; some lay only until they are 2 years old. Others continue past 4 years. Look into laying breeds if you are wanting a long and steady supply of eggs.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/category/chicken-breeds
http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/which-breed-is-right-for-me.aspx

-Is there anything that we are missing that we need to consider?:One of the biggest concerns is predators. You'll have to build a sturdy coop built to withstand the worst of your area's predators. Cold and heat are another factor too. Keep the coop insulated, dry, and make sure it has plenty of ventilation.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center
https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/2/Coops
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/advice-for-first-time-chicken-owners

-What do you do with your chickens when they stop laying eggs?:You have many options here; you can eat them, sell them or keep them. Their meat will be tougher the longer they live so if you eat them you'll have to add it to something such as a soup. Keeping them can be helpful. They are wonderful pets and they encourage other pullets to lay.

-Thoughts on this coop for 3, possibly 4 hens if we can't let them free range?:These coops are great. Just remember to accommodate them and make sure they are predator proof.

Good luck with your planning, feel free to ask any other questions and check out the links attached.
 
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Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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X3 on all this advice. You will learn to doctor them at home over time through the help of BYC. Most pullets and hens, depending on the breed, will lay 4 to 5 eggs a week for their first few years, then start to taper off. Most people keep their birds well past laying as pets, but they can be eaten, if you have the heart. And defintely build the coop as big as you can. Chickens argue and fight when kept in tight quarters. So at least 5 square foot per bird in the coop, 10 square foot per bird in the run. You will definitely want to stop by our learning center for all kinds of articles and tips on raising and keeping your flock. Mountain Peeps has left you with the link.

Enjoy this new adventure and welcome to our flock!
 
Welcome to BYC. Great advice provided by the previous posters. Go to the Learning Center at the top of the page, search the forums, and question away - you will be set to start your flock. Good luck.
 
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from Washington! In our flock we have great people and it is always great to have a new member:) In our flock, we have no pecking order!

frow.gif
You do not need any advice from me, the experts have you covered:)
 
I am new too and I will go ahead and give you some advice from a newcomers perspective.

1. Definitely build bigger. I started off saying, "I will only get 4 chickens ever." Five weeks later and we already have 8. They are so sweet and for me, seeing them all crowded in a box at a feed store was sad so I wanted to rescue more of them. Now I am having to figure out a way to add on to my already built chicken coop that I really love.

2. Understand that most of the quotes people give you on pricing are based on the absolute minimum. For food, I don't spend $15 a month. I probably spend closer to $30 because I buy normal chick feed ($8) from the supply store, and then I also buy some bird feed that has less corn and more natural seeds ($13), and I buy a bag of sunflower seeds ($10).. Then I mix all of that together. I buy that once a month. I am an avid gardener, so I just give them some lettuce, melons, cucumber, and fresh corn from there to save on the cost of treats.

Good job for doing your research before making this investment! It is definitely a big one, but I am already in love with all of our chicks.
 

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