I am a kid trying to convice his parents to have chickens! Please help!

[SwedishDude99]

Well since you can't join FFA, why not join 4-H? It is basically the same thing except for the fact that they may not have a facility to house your chickens. This was my first year in FFA and it is one of the most amazing experiences ever. It's a great opportunity to get out of the house and hang out with people while doing what you like to do at the same time. And make sure to let us know if and when you get some chickens of your own!

 

[ILoveChickens01]

Hello!

If I were to get chickens, I probably would not do anything like 4-H/FFA etc.

So I talked to my parents about what I can do to get them to say yes.

They said that the chicken themselves are not the problem, its the timing. There are a lot of big things going on now (whether or not to get another rental property, new job, house with more acres, etc). They said this stuff should be wrapped up by two months. Then we can decide whether to buy chickens at 15 weeks and own them during the winter, or get day-olds in the spring.

I will remain active on this site, it is pretty cool!

Lets keep this thread going! What type of chicken breed should I get? I am considering Buff Orpingtons.

Thanks!

 

[SwedishDude99]

You can get a mixed flock to add some variation. I personally don't have any buff orpingtons, but I really like Cochins and jersey giants. Wyandottes and barred rocks are cool too. Awesome that you can get some chickens in a couple of months!

 

[ILoveChickens01]

You can get a mixed flock to add some variation. I personally don't have any buff orpingtons, but I really like Cochins and jersey giants. Wyandottes and barred rocks are cool too. Awesome that you can get some chickens in a couple of months!

Hello!

Yes, I am really excited! I was hoping to get a straight flock and breed chickens. I would like the chickens to pay for their costs, and selling eggs won't cut it. So I am going to sell chicks.
Thanks!

 

[SwedishDude99]

Sounds awesome! I don't have any experience breeding chickens so you will have to wait 4 someone else to respond.

 

[ILoveChickens01]

Sounds awesome! I don't have any experience breeding chickens so you will have to wait 4 someone else to respond.

Thanks again for helping! Please keep giving me advice

 

[SwedishDude99]

No problem. What else do u want to know?

 

[ILoveChickens01]

No problem. What else do u want to know?

Here is a question:

Should I use a feeder, or should I scatter the feed by hand (the good ole fashioned way...)

I like the feeder because of the reduced work load (I was told that for 5 chickens it needs to be filled every 4 days). But I don't want my chickens to overeat.

 

[SwedishDude99]

I use a feeder. I feel like it wastes less feed. It is definitely less work. The chickens won't overeat, they will eat until they are full. And how often you refill it depends on the size of your birds. If you had a smaller breed like a polish, you could go longer without filling it. But if you had jersey giants, it might not last as long.

 

[SwedishDude99]

Forgot to mention: how long the feed lasts depends on the size of the feeder you buy