Hi all!
I've been thinking for awhile about getting hens for eggs, and I'm just not sure where to start, what the best kinds of chickens are, how to set up a coop for them, etc. I've browsed the forums and read the FAQ's, but I still have a few questions.
I live in Phoenix, where the temps can easily get over 110 in the summer (and we usually have at least a few days above 115). Plus, our humidity goes up oh, right about now, so it gets really hot and somewhat muggy. Is this a safe environment for chickens? I don't want to condemn them to heat stroke right off the bat. My house has no A/C, so keeping them indoors wouldn't be much better.
I also have 5 dogs, two of them large and three of them small. What's the best way to build a coop they won't be able to get into (they've never seen a chicken in their lives)? Should I fence off a portion of my yard so the chickens can have free range, or is it best to keep them in an enclosed coop? If they have free range, should I keep their wings clipped (and how do I do that) so they can't fly over the fence? How much free range space do they need? My yard is not really big, and we have very little grass right now.
We have a family of five, and some days we'll go through a half dozen eggs in one day, other times we won't eat eggs for days. How many chickens should I have if I want to keep an average one dozen eggs on hand each week (we'd probably eat more if we didn't have to buy them)?
Where is the best place to get hens in my area? Should I start off with babies, or is it better to get one that is already laying age? How much can I expect to pay for a chicken?
I'm sure I'll have more questions, but if anyone can answer these to start, I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks!
I live in Phoenix, where the temps can easily get over 110 in the summer (and we usually have at least a few days above 115). Plus, our humidity goes up oh, right about now, so it gets really hot and somewhat muggy. Is this a safe environment for chickens? I don't want to condemn them to heat stroke right off the bat. My house has no A/C, so keeping them indoors wouldn't be much better.
I also have 5 dogs, two of them large and three of them small. What's the best way to build a coop they won't be able to get into (they've never seen a chicken in their lives)? Should I fence off a portion of my yard so the chickens can have free range, or is it best to keep them in an enclosed coop? If they have free range, should I keep their wings clipped (and how do I do that) so they can't fly over the fence? How much free range space do they need? My yard is not really big, and we have very little grass right now.
We have a family of five, and some days we'll go through a half dozen eggs in one day, other times we won't eat eggs for days. How many chickens should I have if I want to keep an average one dozen eggs on hand each week (we'd probably eat more if we didn't have to buy them)?
Where is the best place to get hens in my area? Should I start off with babies, or is it better to get one that is already laying age? How much can I expect to pay for a chicken?
I'm sure I'll have more questions, but if anyone can answer these to start, I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks!