FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[Goosegrrl]

Sorry about your predicament BakeryBunch.

First it might help to post pics here, and in the What Breed/Gender is this thread, just so that you can advertise your chicks appropriately to potential new homes. It really is easier for someone to agree to take in birds if they know what they are/are going to be size wise.
Second there is a Animals in need of Free Rehoming page the fourth from the bottom of the main forums selection page. That would be a good place to advertise their need. Pics always help.

I live just north or Orlando, so that's a bit far out for me to add your littles to my small group of littles. I have a small group of Spangled OEG bantams that I adore.

Good luck. Get some pics up around here so that we can try to help.

 

[cmom]

Hi, I'm new to the forum so I'm not sure where to post this to. I live in Cape Coral, Florida and I've run into a bit of a problem. Code enforcement is very strict up down here, but I was told multiple times by many people that you could keep chickens in Cape Coral as long as a child in the family is in 4-H. I have gotten myself into a bit of a tight spot as I rescued two chickens and now am finding out that it was all rumor and that chickens are not allowed in any way. I've already started to join 4-H so I have that, but I'm not allowed to keep my babies.

I'm going to keep them for as long as I can before I get turned in/caught, but I need some help finding a place for my chickens in case I can't keep them with me anymore. I've been looking at some chicken ranches but they all seem to just kill/eat the roosters if there are any, and one even told me that they use them for bobcat traps. I could never leave my babies in a place like that.

I have what we think is one rooster and one mystery, but they are the sweetest little chickens ever. They follow me around the yard and cuddle with me. They sleep on me and like to have their necks scratched. I love them so much and I don't want them to get eaten or killed, especially not by being ripped apart by a bobcat.

I'm willing to pay for all of their expenses, and will provide all the food/toys/treats for them. I will even get a coop for them to keep them separate from the other chickens. They grew up together so they are quite happy to just be off by themselves.

I'm not sure if it will even be needed, but I am so terrified of my chickens being killed. If anyone has any recommendations for places they could stay if worse comes to worse that would be wonderful.

Thank you so much for your help in advance.

I have some friends that are not allowed to have birds where they live either but they have talked with their neighbors and everything is good. I actually show my birds at poultry shows. I sell some of my culls and some go into my freezer, but my situation is much different as I raise a few hundred birds. Good luck and have fun.

 

[HenKeepers]

I have some friends that are not allowed to have birds where they live either but they have talked with their neighbors and everything is good. I actually show my birds at poultry shows. I sell some of my culls and some go into my freezer, but my situation is much different as I raise a few hundred birds. Good luck and have fun.

Like Cmom says, there are plenty of us lawbreakers here in Florida. Make nice with the neighbors and you should be fine. There are worse things in the world than a couple of happy chickens hanging out in a backyard.

 

[TravelingWillow]

Got my first egg today! For thirty minutes leading up to the Big Event, Aesa (BR) made such an awful racket with her "egg song" that she scared the younger two pullets. They panicked and hid in corners. Once Aesa finally settled into a nest box (lots of back and forth while singing) her bff, Saga (EE), stood at the opening to the nest box with her head inside and pecked the bedding about. No boundaries. The other girls came and peeked in, too, but from a respectful distance.
Now it's Saga's turn!! She and Aesa are brooder mates and 21 weeks today. She's squatting and doing her island dance so hopefully it won't be long.

 

[Goosegrrl]

Hooray for eggs!

 

[cmom]

Got my first egg today! For thirty minutes leading up to the Big Event, Aesa (BR) made such an awful racket with her "egg song" that she scared the younger two pullets. They panicked and hid in corners. Once Aesa finally settled into a nest box (lots of back and forth while singing) her bff, Saga (EE), stood at the opening to the nest box with her head inside and pecked the bedding about. No boundaries. The other girls came and peeked in, too, but from a respectful distance.
Now it's Saga's turn!! She and Aesa are brooder mates and 21 weeks today. She's squatting and doing her island dance so hopefully it won't be long.

Shouldn't be long if she is squatting.

 

[BakeryBunch]

Like Cmom says, there are plenty of us lawbreakers here in Florida. Make nice with the neighbors and you should be fine. There are worse things in the world than a couple of happy chickens hanging out in a backyard.

I luckily have no neighbors on either side of me, a canal in the back and the one across doesn't care.

My biggest concern is the crowing, but Cupcake seems to only do that in the morning when he wants me to let him out. When I open the door for him he stops. I built an extension onto the coop today so now they have a Florida room and a patio. I figured the extra room would make them happy, as they now have a covered outside area and a not covered outside area.

I've just been freaking out all today as I'm terrified that code enforcement is going to come knocking. I figure that I could just make them some diapers and keep them inside if they threaten me. They like the outside, but I would have to take them on walks.

Sorry for the long diary post, I'm just glad I have other people out there who understand my struggle.

@cmom Thank you for the advice. I'm glad other people are out there having chickens as well. I don't think I am strong enough emotionally to kill a chicken, just having them look up at me with that cute little face would make me crumble. I'm weak

 

[chickrunfun]

@cmom Thank you for the advice. I'm glad other people are out there having chickens as well. I don't think I am strong enough emotionally to kill a chicken, just having them look up at me with that cute little face would make me crumble. I'm weak

Jeanette and I have it planed for when we get a bigger place, 2 separate bunch of chickens, the pets in one coop and far off a look sees away a 2nd bunch for eating. She says once she names it she can't eat it.

 

[LeenyMarie47]

I'm kn east Gainesville near Newnan's Lake

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[AlHawk]

@AlHawk Calcium deficiency, maybe, but I imagine that would be accompanied by soft shell eggs. I think its more likely that you have someone who has learned to like eating egg and just ate the shell as an extra treat. Collect your eggs sooner if you can. Chicken Chick has a great article to help stop egg eaters. I mix and offer in free bin. Keep us posted. Good luck and happy 4th!

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/10/egg-eating-chickens-how-to-break-habit.html?m=1

@SAINTSCHICKS
@cmom


Thanks for the advice. We did a few things. Added some hay in the nesting boxes. The broken egg was coming from the same box we added to all three for good measure. Put wooden eggs back in (had taken them out when the girls started laying consistently in the box (not on the floor or under a bush). Added oyster shell to feed (left free-available box on the wall). Finally, checked for eggs more often for 3 days.

I can't tell you that a single thing fixed the issue. What I can say is Sat we got 3 eggs, Sun 4 eggs & Mon & Tue 5 eggs (from 6 hens of laying age). All shells hard and unbroken. Sat, Sun & Mon wife was home all day but today we all had to go back to work so the eggs stayed in the box between 8am-4pm. So things appear to be better.