I can't believe how many chickens you guys have

[okiemommy]

Right now our birds have the run of the 30x40' garden fenced in with 5' chain link. The coop is in there as well. We will soon be dividing it in half so the birds have their half and we use the other half for our garden. We'll cover the bird side with some netting to keep them where we want them. When the growing season is done, we'll open up the gate and the birds will have the whole area again until next growing season. I have NO weeding to be done this year prior to planting thanks to the chickens!! We've gardened a large part of this area for most of the last 13 years and our soil is getting really nice! Last fall we put in all our fall leaves and they are completely broken down and shredded by the chickens. When we start mowing this year, clippings will also go in on the chicken side of things.

Sounds like an Excellent plan Moon!!

Now I just need more fencing, and poultry netting!

 

[sweet_peeps]

Quote:
I'm like you.
I started out with 11 a few years ago.
I now have 8 and would probably do just fine with 5 or 6.
I also have no plans on getting anymore this year.
In a few years I may start over with a new small group.

 

[CrzyChknLdy]

I feel ssssoooo much better...knowing I am not alone in the additcion! Started with just a few....added more....just got 63 chicks in the mail today!!!!! We gave a few dozen eggs away when we had a surplus....now we literally have people we have never seen before just stopping by to see if we have any eggs for sale. I can't wait for the chicks to start laying this summer!!!

 

[mendogurl]

Quote:
KinderKorner, What kind of fencing do you use to keep your chickens and goats out of your garden?

I did it out of order and got chickens first, this year hopefully(

) will be the gardening.

Right now our birds have the run of the 30x40' garden fenced in with 5' chain link. The coop is in there as well. We will soon be dividing it in half so the birds have their half and we use the other half for our garden. We'll cover the bird side with some netting to keep them where we want them. When the growing season is done, we'll open up the gate and the birds will have the whole area again until next growing season. I have NO weeding to be done this year prior to planting thanks to the chickens!! We've gardened a large part of this area for most of the last 13 years and our soil is getting really nice! Last fall we put in all our fall leaves and they are completely broken down and shredded by the chickens. When we start mowing this year, clippings will also go in on the chicken side of things.

Do you put the netting over some sort of a frame? What kind of netting?

Can the chickens get in around the bottom of your plants for pest control, or would they get the veggies too?

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
Oh, I didnt know that was allowed can I get address, I have a couple eggs that need to be shipped, Hope he has room.

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

Quote:
A year from now you will have at least 20!

Stick around here too long and a year from now you'll have a bator stinking up your guestroom and be kicking yourself for not paying attention in biology. You'll stay up late at night researching how to attain the perfect egg color six generations from the stock you have. You'll be an expert in biosecurity and parasites. You'll disinfect your boots after going to the feed store. And you'll look at the number of posts Speckledhen has and say to yourself, "Yeah, I can see how someone could have over twenty-one thousand."

 

[TennesseeTruly]

The only chicken I have right now is a roo that was dumped on my property last week. Someone on a parrot list gave me this web site and I have now spent night and day here learning all I can before I get Ricky some lady friends.

I was thinking about getting 8 to 10 eggs and trying to hatch them myself. I have a bator that I bought a few years ago when I started breeding parrots. Its never even been out of the box!!

I can't wait to jump in and get addicted to chickens like I am parrots. LOL

 

[digginchicks]

I only have 35 and wanting to get MANNNNY more lol

 

[durtywater]

i have 30 young hens that all lay besides 5 they r just about ready to start and i recently got 50 rir pullets but they are only a week old now.....i just like going to check for the eggs \\....sell most of mine to people around here give some away and eat a few every now and agian....we are getting ready to build another shed so that we can get more

 

[Sequin]

One thing you don't seem to hear on this forum is any complaints of having either too many chickens, or eggs!!

We started with 5, one died, now we have 5 chicks and just ordered 11 more. Our plans are to make it more of a family affair and share in not only the eating of eggs, but also the building, cleaning, feeding, etc. Chickens have proven very theraputic for our family. In the fall when all the chicks are starting to lay regularly we plan on letting some of our friends kids come over to gather eggs and take them home once a week or so. But honestly, we are eating through the eggs at a much quicker rate than we ever did before. And as others mentioned, new friends seem to crop up once they know you have eggs from happy healthy hormone free hens!!!