How much noise do they make?

[RIVERRAT]

1lb of crap per meatbird a day. put staw down, rake an replace weekly. will work unless it rains. rain makes it stink.

 

[GBov]

Quote:
10 to 15 a go! And hens, just hens! I would like straight run for the size difference but the crow issue is a bit of a danger. I thought if I did batches of 15 every 10 weeks that would give us lots of lovely chicken dinners and not be too much for me to handle on my own come processing day.

And there is a fine on offer if I get caught, max is $500 so really want to fly under the radar with this. I am going on the theory that they will tell me to get rid of the birds and then if I dont they will fine me instead of doing it the other way round. I mean, they will give you a day or two to re-home your pit bulls if you happen to live where they arent allowed so really, the same SHOULD apply to chickens.

The Hubby says that $500 will buy lots and lots of chickens from the store but thats exactly what I am trying to NOT have to buy so to me, the risk is worth it, but he is starting to stick his toes in already

But then, he cant see my problem with supermarket chicken in the first place so doesnt understand my driving need to make us as independent as possible. Poor man, He should have fallen for someone a bit less stubborn than me cause I am going to have some chickens

Anyway, I will build a 20ft by 20ft by 7ft high scuppernong arbor FIRST, letting the grapes get well established before building the movable chicken run underneath. That way teh neighbors will be use to the look of the thing instead of giving it good hard looks going "What on EARTH are they building?" and spotting the chickies. That way, even if I get busted and have to abandon the chicken idea I will still have a lovely big grape arbor for the kids to play under so not a total loss.

Given a bit of luck it should all go off without a hitch, over and over again, giving my family the best meat possible without actually having any land. Sometime in the next year or two I will find a bit of land to lease and be able to go a bit larger scale and have some goats and turkeys and a pig or two but for now this will let me have some of the fun of raising meat again and some chicken with taste and texture

Been missing that

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I don't know where you live, but is it possible to collaborate with someone in your area who is legally allowed to keep chickens? It would certainly be less risky and in the end would probably involve the same amount of work. There are a lot of folks who prefer homegrown chicken but cannot or will not do the work. They might be glad to let you use a part of their yard in exchange for part of the meat.

 

[GBov]

Quote:
That's plan B

Once we have moved and I know the area I am going to try to lease a half acre or so, using meat and eggs to pay for it but I dont know if I will find anyone willing. I know that hubby would be MUCH happier lol

I like the thought of having them at home because I can keep an eye on them all the time instead of only once or twice a day but with land and the law on my side I can have egg chickies and meat chickies and goats adn pigs so will deff. be giving it a try!

Its just that things like that take time to set up and I am TIRED of waiting for chickens

 

[the simple life]

While I am sure the smell will get worse as they get older I have not had a problem keeping 65 5 week old meatbirds in a 10x10 foot pen that I do not move.
I had envisioned having all these issues with the poop and the smell but honestly, at least right now its just not happening.
There is good ventilation and the weather is cool so that helps, maybe their food helps, I have heard if there is no animal byproducts in the food that it helps with the smell.
I have them on pine shavings and I do not have to clean out the coop daily, I am sure it will happen at some point but right now, no.
Just sayin, if that is your only option and you want to keep meatbirds then it can be done.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

I raised 25 Cornish X straight run meat chickens in pens in my air conditioned garage building last summer. They did not smell because I cleaned their pens every other day (lotta work) and split them into small groups in 4X6 ft pens as they got older. The roosters never did crow and they were all relatively quiet birds.

You will use a lot of bedding if you keep them inside. I used straw over shavings. Decided to keep them inside because of the intense Summer heat. Didn't lose one bird.

The USDA inspector at the processing plant said they were the healthiest, best looking chickens he had seen there.