Convincing for Chickens!

[goreju]

I would really like to own and raise some chickens. I have a few questions
1. How much veterinary care to chickens averagely require?
2. What is the best age to buy Chickens as a beginning?
3. What are some good beginner chickens that meet the following requirements
- Heat and Cold hardy
- Kid-friendly (Toddlers to Teens)
- Inexpensive
- Require only an average amount of space

There will probably more questions in the future! I have checked out a few *9* books at the library but sometimes experience beats what comes out of the book.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

I would really like to own and raise some chickens. I have a few questions
1. How much veterinary care to chickens averagely require?
2. What is the best age to buy Chickens as a beginning?
3. What are some good beginner chickens that meet the following requirements
- Heat and Cold hardy
- Kid-friendly (Toddlers to Teens)
- Inexpensive
- Require only an average amount of space

There will probably more questions in the future! I have checked out a few *9* books at the library but sometimes experience beats what comes out of the book.

1) most veterinary care comes from home as most vets don’t treat poultry.
2) Buy chicks as it teaches you the responsibility of chicken care (cleaning the brooder, keeping the right temperature, feeding, etc)
3) no chicken is kid friendly in my opinion. They can be complete buttmunchers. I suggest Rhode Island Reds as that is all I raise for eggs and meat.

Remember that chickens aren’t a fun pet you can ditch. They are creatures that require time, effort, and dedication. They are easy to care for but you must take the responsibility yourself.

 

[Shadowfire]

Welcome to the forum- glad to see young people taking interest in the world of poultry!
Hopefully these can answer some of your questions:

1. Not much, if you care for them properly; you may need to buy a mite medication or supplements every once and a while, but that's pretty much it, except for emergency care and checkups. If you keep them in good overall health, they won't need much vet care unless there's a natural disaster or something.
2. For a first-timer, I would get chicks to enjoy them and watch them grow.
3. No chicken is perfect, but I find Salmon Faverolles to be a nice fit, as they are usually really nice and calm, they are super cute, and they are good layers.

As @A_Fowl_Guy said, chickens are NOT just the average "Easter basket" accessory; you will need to feed and water them at least once a day, pick up and handle the birds to keep them sociable, protect them in bad weather, and check for illnesses at least twice a week.

Best of luck!

 

[diamondsilkies]

1. I agree with the answers above; most care is at home. Any medicines you may need to buy should be under $20.
2. I would get chicks. They aren't as hard to take care of as one might think. If you handle them lots as babies, they will be much more friendly, both towards kids and adults.
3. Silkies are one of my favorite breeds, they are very friendly and don't take up very much room. I'm not so sure about cold, as it only gets down to about 30 F (at the coldest) where I live, but heat wise they do very well. It regularly gets up to 110-115 F here in the summers, and if given plenty of water and cold treats, they take it very well.

It can be difficult to get chickens that are both heat and cold hardy. I would pick the more extreme in your climate, and then go from there. Chickens that have large combs and a lighter build will do much better in the heat (andalusians, leghorns, etc.). Chickens with small combs, thick plumage, and lots of meat will do well in the cold (orpingtons, australorps, etc.).

Most breeds are inexpensive if you get them from hatcheries (about $5 a chick). If you get them from high end breeders, it will end up costing you a lot more.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Good info from A_Fowl_Guy.

I will add that each chicken is an individual so personalities vary widely.

I like Buff Orpingtons.

For large breed birds you will need at least 4 square foot per bird in the coop and 10 square feet each in the run.
So for 4 birds you need at least 16 square feet in the coop and 40 square foot of run space. Something to remember is that feed dishes and water dishes and nest boxes reduce the usable space so what they take up needs subtracted from the space your coop has if they are inside the coop.

A 4x8 coop is a really good size for 4 to 6 birds especially if you get much bad weather.

There is a TON to learn before getting birds.

 

[ldrchickens]

You cannot go wrong with silkies! OR If you like super unique get some showgirls!

 

[ldrchickens]

Oh and BTW Welcome to the flock!

 

[Cryss]

1. Be ready to be the vet for your chickens. Not many vets take on chickens. If you are down for that you are in a great place here for learning. Hang out a lot and learn before the emergencies begin.
2. I agree chicks are best for all the reasons stated. If you have some serious reason you can't handle caring for chicks find a good breeder that will raise them till they are acclimated to outdoors, no older.
3. Buff Orpingtons are always a good choice to start. Friendly, docile, easy to handle especially if you raise them from chicks and handle them often, decent layers, decent meat birds, heat/cold tolerant as long as they have adequate shade in summer and good draft free ventilation, no need for heated coop, and they're so pretty.

 

[itspebbl]

I would really like to own and raise some chickens. I have a few questions
1. How much veterinary care to chickens averagely require?
2. What is the best age to buy Chickens as a beginning?
3. What are some good beginner chickens that meet the following requirements
- Heat and Cold hardy
- Kid-friendly (Toddlers to Teens)
- Inexpensive
- Require only an average amount of space

There will probably more questions in the future! I have checked out a few *9* books at the library but sometimes experience beats what comes out of the book.

First of all,
I applaud you for doing your research, asking the right questions, and checking out books on the subject of raising chickens. You are starting off on the right foot!

Second
1. I have never needed to take mine to the vet, they are very hardy animals. Neosporin and hydrogen peroxide has taken care of any cuts, and you can pick up something chicken-safe to get rid of any parasites at your local feed store, if needed. Also, you can use these forums to get help on any chicken health problems you may have.
2. If you need them to be comfortable around people, it would be best to get them as chicks (a few days to a few weeks old) and handle them often. However, if you get them as pullets or cockerels (under a year, usually 8-20 weeks old), they can still be tame and friendly as long as you handle them often.
3. Red Sex Links are my first recommendation. They are easy to find, friendly, very hardy and great producers. Buff Orpingtons, Easter Eggers, Australorps, and Brahmas are also great (Easter Eggers may vary depending on where you get them though).

I hope this helps!

 

[TheBeardie]

1. Most vets won't treat chickens. The majority of the people on this site treat their own flock. I personally have a first aid kit specifically for my flock. This thread talks about someone's duck first aid kit and includes a good portion of what you might need.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-it-anything-like-this.1295284/#post-21068247

Vet wrap, gauze, antibiotic ointment and wound wash are a good start for wounds.

2. Chicks are fun and are a wonderful learning experience for young minds. Getting chicks are cheaper than getting started pullets and are actually pretty easy once you get a handle on caring for them.

You can start out with feed store chicks. TSC has chick days during spring as do most feed stores. The employees can and often do mix up breeds, so watch out for that. Ordering from a hatchery will give you more of a chance to choose what breed(s) you want.


3. Buff Orpingtons will always come up on a question like this. I've never had them, but have heard they are a good starting breed. Not every chicken will adhere to how a certain breed is supposed to act. Treats are your friend! Spending some time giving the flock a treat of vegetables a few times a week can quickly gain trust.


Fans and frozen treats are great for hot days. Plenty of shade also helps.
I'm from Florida, so I'm no help with tips for the cold.

Children can be monsters to animals! One of my cousins ripped my poor roosters tail feathers out once. Rodney, the roo, has since passed. He happens to be my profile picture. Kids should always be supervised when around chickens. Children can also be injured by cockerels, male chickens under a year old, and roosters as they can see small children as an easy target and attack them.

I would avoid any roosters as a start, they are not needed for anything really other than fertilizing eggs. My girls watch out for predators and run when they see a threat. Young cockerels can easily become aggressive and overzealous with the pullets.

I love bearded chickens myself.

Here's a few of my girls.

Chickens aren't just something you can just throw away, so many people get chickens and abandon them because they can't or don't want to care for them. Chickens can live 9+ years! It's not just something anyone should just do on a whim. It's years of love and hard work.

Proper housing can cost a lot too, so talk to whoever you're trying to convince and try to get them excited about chickens too!

Be prepared with a ton of information so they know you will care for a flock correctly. Do more research on what it really takes to have a happy and healthy flock. It will help you in the long run.

Here's a great place to start learning about chicken care.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/

Please keep us updated on your chicken journey! @KLIL has a great thread for everyone’s life/flock journey. You can be one of the non chicken owners that live though us who do have chickens.