Hey Gang! Whatcha think of my plans and Rooster issue?

[TonySorrento]

I can't tell you all how happy I am that others are enjoying MY story of my chicken adventure!

You guys make me feel so good and so many of you have helped me in ways you will never know ... All my design came from BYC ... you guys rock!!

Today the coop got cleaned out ... finishing touches done ... PDZ on poop boards .... Tomorrow getting more pine shavings to put down....

CHICKS GO IN THEIR COOP TOMORROW!!!!

Pics to come ..... and the cycle starts all over again with my 6 ..... ok, maybe 8..... possibly 10 new babies this Friday

...... What a RIDE!!!

 

[wvtim]

You should try incubating your own eggs to build up your flock - thats the most addictive aspect of raising chickens

 

[TonySorrento]

You should try incubating your own eggs to build up your flock - thats the most addictive aspect of raising chickens

Actually, I have a few broodier type birds ... I am hoping that one will raise our own chicks that way ... for me, that would be the most exhilarating way to increase the flock ...

 

[marlo1968]

Quote:Originally Posted by TonySorrento

So I ordered my chickens last week for a mid March delivery:
2-Australorp pullets
2-Buff Orpington pullets
2-Barred Rock pullets
2-Partridge Rock pullets
2-Light Brahma pullets
2-Buttercup pullets
2-Ameraucana pullets
1-Buttercup Rooster
1-Dorking Rooster
Are ya jealous yet?

One last thing ... my wife went to the town hall to meet with the building inspector and because we are zoned agricultural, we don't need any permits so it wont cost me anything and nothing has to be inspected ( I overbuild things anyway, so there was no worry there) .. but here was the catch ... Roosters are not allowed in the Town of Wales!!!

My closest neighbor if 700' away and I am surrounded by pasture!! The inspector was apologetic and he said that it will only be a problem if neighbors complain ... since I am friendly with my ONLY 2 neighbors, I am hoping there are zero issues ... how far does a Rooster's crow carry? What age do they start crowing? I hope they are at least big enough to eat if I have to get rid of them .... thoughts?

(Talked to neighbors and they have ZERO issues with us having a rooster)

I eagerly await ANY suggestions y'all have for me with the above questions .... I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Thank you in advance

Totally jealous....I am also new to chickens. I got 10 Pearl White Leghorns just of laying age, 5 Red Stars 1 year old, and 8 Ameraucana/EE mixes 5 wks old, 1 ameraucana/EE mix roo 5 wks old. I wish I had gotten more of a variety of breeds, but I figure that gives me something to look forward to and plan for next year. I plan to get some Silkies and Marens.....probably Orpingtons too.......soooo many to choose from!!!

The rooster issue, is your land in town limits, or just in county? If it's not inside town limits then town laws do not pertain to you, only county laws would. Generally land zoned as agricultural wouldn't be inside town/city limits......and shouldn't have rules outlawing roosters...but one never knows what silly laws remain on books....How's that coop coming? sounds like it'll be a good one with plenty of room. One thing I have learned so far is that chicken math strikes with relative ease and swiftly too, so plan for the possibility of increasing your flock size now....so that later you have the room for them.

Welcome to BYC and best wishes.

 

[Panth]

Quote:

Tony Sorrento! Sorry....I am LAZY! OR Tractor Supply Chick Conesoir!!!! (spelling ???) Do the employee's at Tractor Supply know you by name? THAT is when you know you are in trouble!!!?

HAHAHAHHA No, you know it is REALLY bad when you are at your own job (I work at walmart) and the employees from Tractor Supply come in to shop and know you on sight and call you "That Chicken Lady" LOL
This happened to me last week!

@peaches My chicks are only 2 weeks old, so I am not sure about temperament yet. Some seem pretty friendly with people and eat out of my hand and perch on my finger. Others are VERY adamant about NOT being touched and voice their opinion about it!! I feel like the ones that are friendly and curious will probably stay that way and the ones who aren't I don't bother much with them. I am not keeping all of them..so the UNfriendlys will go. I dont see much point in trying to force them to socialize with us...I just let them do what is natural and the "keepers" will become apparent. They have really come around alot in the last 3 or 4 days so by next week they ALL might be KEEPERS! I guess it is the "nature of the beast".....Right TS???

Be patient with them personality-wise. My first batch of chickies I didn't handle very much (25 are way too many to properly tame at a time) and they were VERY flighty as pullets but as soon as they started laying they all calmed down and mellowed out. They are all very friendly and easy to handle now.

 

[kabaluch76]

I did that! I stopped in at TS for a few things and the chicks were in. I came home with 6 pullets.

4 Red Stars or Sex Links some folks call them and 2 RI Reds. Love, love, love them. On May 1, I am getting 26 more in the mail. Have fun!

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

Tony, you have become a true Chicken Addict.

And you are lucky to have a wife to understands this and supports your habit.

If your BO's are anything like mine, you will have wonderful Broody Mama's in about a year. Two of my BO's are broody right now, they are 11 months old, and one just hatched out 4 chicks, none of them are hers.


I wanted 6 hens when we move to Texas last year, well I ended up with 10, 6 BO - 3 BR - 1 GLW (who turned out to be a Roo). Two weeks later I got, 3 EE & two weeks later 2 Light Brahmas, for a total of 15. This was mid May - early June 2011. In the fall I wanted to get a couple Silkies as Brooders, both ended up being boys, re-homed one, and then adopted a feathered footed red Bantie, who needs to be re-homed.
This spring, I wanted Marans for the chocolate colored eggs, got 3, then hubby wanted New Hampshire's, got 3, and I liked the green sheen of the Black Aust. so I got 2, got two Banties (Straight Run, both were boys), a Buttercup, who I gave to a friend & a Sizzle, who for now I am keeping. Then 2 weeks later, the feed store had SLW & Buckeye's, got two of each. So this spring I have 13, 12 potential egg layers.
My Broody Mama #1 hatched out 4 chicks, Broody Mama #2 is sitting on 14 eggs, only expect half to hatch.

If you do not have the fencing up on your run yet, enlarge it now.

I have expanded my 3 times since last year.

Set your chair in the shade, find a nice side table for a cool drink, and when the time comes to let your youn-uns free range, have a container under your table filled with treats. Talk to them a lot, so they recognize your voice, and as you feed them. Mine know the sound of the sliding glass door opening & as soon as I walk out, they come running. And stand back if I call "Here Chick Chick Chick!" When people come over who have not met my chickens, and I call them. They can not believe how they come running to me. Our Rooster Owl, will stand at the door, waiting to come in, because he knows where we keep the bag of treats.

.
This is Owl (GLW), and Cinnamon (EE), and Bufy (BO). Owl eats out of my hand, lets me pet him, and he strained his righ leg a couple weeks ago, and lets me help him on the roost & off the roost. He is such a good boy! And a Proud Daddy to 4 chicks and counting.



Keep the pictures coming!

 

[janelle18]

Tony, you have become a true Chicken Addict.

And you are lucky to have a wife to understands this and supports your habit.

If your BO's are anything like mine, you will have wonderful Broody Mama's in about a year. Two of my BO's are broody right now, they are 11 months old, and one just hatched out 4 chicks, none of them are hers.


I wanted 6 hens when we move to Texas last year, well I ended up with 10, 6 BO - 3 BR - 1 GLW (who turned out to be a Roo). Two weeks later I got, 3 EE & two weeks later 2 Light Brahmas, for a total of 15. This was mid May - early June 2011. In the fall I wanted to get a couple Silkies as Brooders, both ended up being boys, re-homed one, and then adopted a feathered footed red Bantie, who needs to be re-homed.
This spring, I wanted Marans for the chocolate colored eggs, got 3, then hubby wanted New Hampshire's, got 3, and I liked the green sheen of the Black Aust. so I got 2, got two Banties (Straight Run, both were boys), a Buttercup, who I gave to a friend & a Sizzle, who for now I am keeping. Then 2 weeks later, the feed store had SLW & Buckeye's, got two of each. So this spring I have 13, 12 potential egg layers.
My Broody Mama #1 hatched out 4 chicks, Broody Mama #2 is sitting on 14 eggs, only expect half to hatch.

If you do not have the fencing up on your run yet, enlarge it now.

I have expanded my 3 times since last year.

Set your chair in the shade, find a nice side table for a cool drink, and when the time comes to let your youn-uns free range, have a container under your table filled with treats. Talk to them a lot, so they recognize your voice, and as you feed them. Mine know the sound of the sliding glass door opening & as soon as I walk out, they come running. And stand back if I call "Here Chick Chick Chick!" When people come over who have not met my chickens, and I call them. They can not believe how they come running to me. Our Rooster Owl, will stand at the door, waiting to come in, because he knows where we keep the bag of treats.

.
This is Owl (GLW), and Cinnamon (EE), and Bufy (BO). Owl eats out of my hand, lets me pet him, and he strained his righ leg a couple weeks ago, and lets me help him on the roost & off the roost. He is such a good boy! And a Proud Daddy to 4 chicks and counting.



Keep the pictures coming!

I am so jealous of the variety of breeds you guys can get in the States! I am from Ontario and the main hatchery in my province offers only 3 varieties!!

P.S i love the comb on your roo Owl!!

 

[TonySorrento]

Totally jealous....I am also new to chickens. I got 10 Pearl White Leghorns just of laying age, 5 Red Stars 1 year old, and 8 Ameraucana/EE mixes 5 wks old, 1 ameraucana/EE mix roo 5 wks old. I wish I had gotten more of a variety of breeds, but I figure that gives me something to look forward to and plan for next year. I plan to get some Silkies and Marens.....probably Orpingtons too.......soooo many to choose from!!!

The rooster issue, is your land in town limits, or just in county? If it's not inside town limits then town laws do not pertain to you, only county laws would. Generally land zoned as agricultural wouldn't be inside town/city limits......and shouldn't have rules outlawing roosters...but one never knows what silly laws remain on books....How's that coop coming? sounds like it'll be a good one with plenty of room. One thing I have learned so far is that chicken math strikes with relative ease and swiftly too, so plan for the possibility of increasing your flock size now....so that later you have the room for them.

Welcome to BYC and best wishes.

I am within town limits ... but again, it is no issue as the neighbors don't care ....

Tony, you have become a true Chicken Addict.

And you are lucky to have a wife to understands this and supports your habit.

If your BO's are anything like mine, you will have wonderful Broody Mama's in about a year. Two of my BO's are broody right now, they are 11 months old, and one just hatched out 4 chicks, none of them are hers.


I wanted 6 hens when we move to Texas last year, well I ended up with 10, 6 BO - 3 BR - 1 GLW (who turned out to be a Roo). Two weeks later I got, 3 EE & two weeks later 2 Light Brahmas, for a total of 15. This was mid May - early June 2011. In the fall I wanted to get a couple Silkies as Brooders, both ended up being boys, re-homed one, and then adopted a feathered footed red Bantie, who needs to be re-homed.
This spring, I wanted Marans for the chocolate colored eggs, got 3, then hubby wanted New Hampshire's, got 3, and I liked the green sheen of the Black Aust. so I got 2, got two Banties (Straight Run, both were boys), a Buttercup, who I gave to a friend & a Sizzle, who for now I am keeping. Then 2 weeks later, the feed store had SLW & Buckeye's, got two of each. So this spring I have 13, 12 potential egg layers.
My Broody Mama #1 hatched out 4 chicks, Broody Mama #2 is sitting on 14 eggs, only expect half to hatch.

If you do not have the fencing up on your run yet, enlarge it now.

I have expanded my 3 times since last year.

Set your chair in the shade, find a nice side table for a cool drink, and when the time comes to let your youn-uns free range, have a container under your table filled with treats. Talk to them a lot, so they recognize your voice, and as you feed them. Mine know the sound of the sliding glass door opening & as soon as I walk out, they come running. And stand back if I call "Here Chick Chick Chick!" When people come over who have not met my chickens, and I call them. They can not believe how they come running to me. Our Rooster Owl, will stand at the door, waiting to come in, because he knows where we keep the bag of treats.

.
This is Owl (GLW), and Cinnamon (EE), and Bufy (BO). Owl eats out of my hand, lets me pet him, and he strained his righ leg a couple weeks ago, and lets me help him on the roost & off the roost. He is such a good boy! And a Proud Daddy to 4 chicks and counting.



Keep the pictures coming!

That is awesome! I can't wait to see my girls hatch chicks! And yes.... I am totally addicted!

 

[TonySorrento]

So they are in the coop! It was a bear getting them out of the brooder! LOL ... Andrew and I had to chase a couple down that flew out of the brooder ... it was quite funny .... so without further ado ...

Before chickens ...

After chickens ..

Here is my Dorking cockerel giving me the stink eye!!! What up with that? Him and the Buttercup cockerel were setting up pecking order .... my birds are so beautiful!!