Convincing for Chickens!

[drumstick diva]

I totally approve.

 

[Bp10244]

I agree with everything above!! In regards to breed, I would suggest naked necks becuase they handle heat very well (we live in GA and it can get quite warm), and my girl can easily be out in the cold without any difficulties. They’re also funny little things to see running around in the yard so that’s a plus. I know that I regretted not having a bit more variety in my girls when I first bought them, so maybe consider a few “funny looking” breeds like naked necks and Faverolles to build your flock (it may also help convince your parents) )

 

[solidsnake]

All advice here is good but first.... make sure you know your local ordinances! And remember chickens can be noisy so if you have neighbors make sure they're okay with them. I remember trying to convince my mom to get chickens when I was a teen.... then became an adult and I got my own job. She can't stop what I do with my own money, so I got chickens! If you want to convince them to get chickens really show how committed you are by showing all your research and efforts. Parents don't like getting pets for their kids because they don't want to be the ones who take care of them when their kids get bored. Especially give them a thorough price breakdown, of everything, show them you did your homework.
Chicks: $5-8 at feed store
Coop: $200-3000 (prefab or home built)
Infared heat lamp+bulb: $10-20
25lb bag of feed: ~$12
Pine Shavings 15lb: $10
This is roughly how much it may cost, obviously prices will vary wherever you are.

 

[KLIL]

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.
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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.

Thank you darling,

We would love to have you join us and follow each others journey's.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/flock-life-journeys-2019.1286370/

Lovely to meet you and hope to speak more soon

 

[Cryss]

All advice here is good but first.... make sure you know your local ordinances! And remember chickens can be noisy so if you have neighbors make sure they're okay with them. I remember trying to convince my mom to get chickens when I was a teen.... then became an adult and I got my own job. She can't stop what I do with my own money, so I got chickens! If you want to convince them to get chickens really show how committed you are by showing all your research and efforts. Parents don't like getting pets for their kids because they don't want to be the ones who take care of them when their kids get bored. Especially give them a thorough price breakdown, of everything, show them you did your homework.
Chicks: $5-8 at feed store
Coop: $200-3000 (prefab or home built)
Infared heat lamp+bulb: $10-20
25lb bag of feed: ~$12
Pine Shavings 15lb: $10
This is roughly how much it may cost, obviously prices will vary wherever you are.

Excellent point about ordinances! And yes chickens are noisy, roosters more so. You don't need a rooster and often ordinances don't allow them. For that reason you may not want to take advantage of feed store/tractor supply chicks unless you have a plan for getting rid of roosters. These places are notorious for mixing up breeds and genders. That's another reason I found a good local breeder that guarantees I get only females. He will take back any males and replace with a female.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you need to have a plan for what will happen when you are an adult and decide to find a place of your own, or you go to college. Will your parents be prepared to take over care for the flock?
Doing your homework on startup and maintenance costs is a very smart move. As this comment stated prices will vary. Also the age of the bird will effect the price. Chicks are usually somewhere around $6 give or take. Now you need not only a chicken coop but a brooder with a way to keep them warm, a feeder and chick safe waterer, and a safe location for the brooder. Research the costs of these. I didn't have a safe location for a brooder and opted to let my breeder raise my Buff Orpingtons until they could survive outdoors in my unheated coop. So my 5 week old BOs were $10 apiece plus a $25 raising fee for a flock of, I think it was, 4 or 6 birds.
Coop. Please do not consider a prefab coop. They give serious misinformation about how many birds could live in them. I made this mistake. The price was good, it said it held 8 chickens. I was naive. Reality is it is big enough for 1, maybe 2 chickens. Build your coop. Lots n lots n lots of information here on how-to. You can spend lots of money building a perfect and beautiful coop. You can buy a shed from home depot and convert it. You can build using pallets and scrap wood. Find what fits your budget and abilities. Then add the run. Again, tons of information here on how-to. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Good luck, and take pictures!

 

[chickens really]

I love Speckled Sussex and Silkies too..Very Docile Birds.

 

[Cryss]

BTW it would be very helpful to know where you are located. Not your address! Just area...example, I am in Northwest NJ. Knowing this gives everyone an idea of weather and other environmental concerns. This could impact the breed of chickens best for your location.