How Long Have You Been Raising Chickens? - OLD

[vebyrd36]

Quote:
Thank you I want them to feel loved as well.

 

[MaryKayS]

I purchased 6 baby chicks last spring and they started laying eggs last month. I am insecure about the upcoming winter. We live in Northern Minnesota and it can get quite cold. I insulated the 4X4X4 ft chicken coop with cardboard and we put a heat lamp light bulb in it and I plan to turn on the light when it gets really cold, although I'm not exactly sure how cold they can handle. We plan to put insulation underneath the floor and stuff straw underneath. I have a heater to place their water on to keep it from freezing. It's the first winter for these chickens. I don't know what to expect so next spring - I hope they are still alive and laying eggs. They are all female chickens. It's been fun.

 

[whiterock]

Have had them since I was about 4 years old. ( so over 50 years) I was raised on a small farm, 1 Cow, ducks, chickens, cats and dogs!
The chicks are my answer to bug spray ( they eat them) and then they mix up the compost ( to which they make generous contributions)
the compost then helps to grow the garden veges and the fruit trees!

The only recent complication- the county officials have decided they have the right to limit the number of chickens you can have! So that is still in limbo after I challenged the So supervisor's office to stop limiting the small family food production in this economic time!

 

[aleta hungarian]

Hello Everyone, I Have Had Chickens And A Few Roosters For 11-12 Years Steady. It Was 6 Mos. After My Father Died And I Was Taking Care Of Mom And Being A Crazy Person. There Was And Is A Bldg On The Farm That A College Student Lived In And Before That Is Was A Bait And Concession Bldg. For A Pay Pond On The Farm. The Husband Died And The Widow Used That To Help With Cash Flow. Has Two Large Openings That Were Used As Windows To Buy Stuff Through. So That Makes A Perfect Screen Opening For The Girls. All Of The Hens Are Over 6 Yrs. Up To11yrs. I Think. Back Then I Found A Site Callede Poultry Connection. It Was Wonderful. Is This Org.from That Site It Wonder? I Depended On Them For Years. Thanks Again To Them And To All Of You. Starting To Worry About The Winter Coming. Good Luck To Us All. Happy Autum.aleta.

 

[djgenco]

I've been raising chickens for 10 years. Loving every minute of it.

 

[JLB]

We got our 3 laying pullets (Buff Orpington, Rhode Island Red and Easter Egger) just shy of 6 months ago. We don't actually intend to raise chicks. We're swimming in eggs now - 3 a day and its the end of October!

 

[jimedsmith]

I spent my entire childhood on a farm with chickens, but paid very little attention to them except throwing them some feed when I was told to do so. Now at 67 with not much to do, I built an 8 foot square, 8 foot high building with a wind-vane on top and will get a few chickens this coming spring. I'm in tune with this site to gather as much information as possible about caring for backyard chickens on our 3 acre lot.

 

[Symphony]

Wow 5 years already!

 

[BarredBuff]

Our third winter........

 

[DrifterX]

I had to go with Over 20 Years, even though it's been 20 years since I've had any, due to work and living situations... until recently.

And the email newsletter worked... it directed me to this thread.

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P.S.: The main reason I joined this forum is to find a Chinese Silkie breeder in or around central Arkansas (and have yet had the time to search), so if anyone has any leads please feel free to private message me, thanks.