First time post from Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin

[fanke19]

First time post from a chicken enthusiast in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. As of August 1st, we have six(6) hens...three of which are pictured at the bottom of this post. It all started in April, when the Easter bunny dropped off six mixed pullet chicks...all very pretty mixed colors.




Unfortunately, the heat lamp burned out one night and only one of the chicks made it through...which I have named "Blackie". Here is a recent picture of her grown up below.



A week later ( late April - early May ) I went to Tractor Supply Company in Burlington, Wisconsin and picked up six(6) more straight run chicks. I thought, well, maybe half of them will turn out to be roosters, and the other half will turn out to be hens. I had planned to take the males out to my Dad's house in the county as they started to crow. One by one, a week or so apart from each other, every single one of the straight run chicks turned out to be a loud male. LOL. Once again, Blackie was by herself.

My wife contacted an egg farmer in the county, and the nice lady gifted us three(3) of her older "spent hens". I was told they were about 18 months old, and they still layed eggs, just not as quickly as the younger hens.
At that time ( June, about a month ago ) we were getting approximately 8 - 10 eggs a week from the three spent hens. I named them Whitey, Baldy, and Ugly. Ugly had apparently been pecked quite a bit where she came from...I'm certain she has enjoyed her time with us much more.



Then, a few days ago, one of my cousins forwarded me a post on Facebook from another farm in Burlington. They had pullet chicks for $4 each or 4 month old hens for $10 each. They were a pretty brown color and I decided to pick up two(2) of the 4 month old hens. So now we are back to a total of six(6) hens in the family.



I can't wait to see all the eggs we receive once Blackie and her two new sisters start laying in the fall.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Welcome to the forum. I'm sorry about the initial loss of chicks, but I am glad you still wanted to keep chickens. It is lovely that you adopted some spent hens; they will have a good life with you.

 

[fanke19]

Thanks! It really is a good feeling knowing that the girls might live a better life. I think Ugly must be healing up, because I used to be able to spot her from across the yard...now I have to look really close She roosts on the handrail on our back porch at night instead of in the hen house with the others...it's really cute

 

[Greenfin]

Welcome to the forum. I'm sorry about the initial loss of chicks, but I am glad you still wanted to keep chickens. It is lovely that you adopted some spent hens; they will have a good life with you.

Thanks! It really is a good feeling knowing that the girls might live a better life. I think Ugly must be healing up, because I used to be able to spot her from across the yard...now I have to look really close She roosts on the handrail on our back porch at night instead of in the hen house with the others...it's really cute

Living in Pleasant Prairie, I was told I could not have chickens unless I was on a Farm with 10 acres of land. I want to change the ruling or law that yards with 3/4 acres or more can own 6 hens. I have regular farms all around me and neighbors have no issues since the lots are big and would not interfere. There is already noise pollution and stench issues in the village already. If there is a smell issue, it would be masked by the inconsistent and rotten smell of the compost pile the village does not take care of along with the heavy equipment noise all night and day with backup beepers. This Law has to change and I need help to change this in my neighborhood. Any help in changing the laws in Pleasant Prairie also to include bees?

 

[N F C]

Living in Pleasant Prairie, I was told I could not have chickens unless I was on a Farm with 10 acres of land. I want to change the ruling or law that yards with 3/4 acres or more can own 6 hens. I have regular farms all around me and neighbors have no issues since the lots are big and would not interfere. There is already noise pollution and stench issues in the village already. If there is a smell issue, it would be masked by the inconsistent and rotten smell of the compost pile the village does not take care of along with the heavy equipment noise all night and day with backup beepers. This Law has to change and I need help to change this in my neighborhood. Any help in changing the laws in Pleasant Prairie also to include bees?

The member who started this thread hasn't been online here since 2016. You might be able to get some help from active members on your state thread: Wisconsin

Best wishes!