I have dogs but want to hatch chickens!!??!

[mtarafa]

Hello!
I have always loved animals and have always wanted the opportunity to raise chickens.
Here is my problem.
I have 3 dogs, one husky, one aussie and an alaskan malamute with a grey wolf mix. The wolf mix and husky have very very high prey drives and will kill any small animal on site- regardless of training. The aussie does very well with little animals and likes to herd them.
I don't want to take any risks and would be incubating eggs in a completely different city to my dogs in the first place. but I would only be able to hatch and raise them for some time. Chances are with even a secure pen, I would not be able to keep them. I am wondering what to do. I don't trust selling them to anyone who doesn't already have chickens because they probably would buy a cute chicken and then not want it after it grows up.
I am incubating quail eggs although I am thinking they are unfertile, but I am with my fiancees family in a different state who would be able to monitor them. What do I do if I want to start incubating eggs near my home ? If/when they hatch, what do I do next? Would a farm or sanctuary take them and raise them with care? I love chickens and I want to hatch some but im wondering if I should even do this if I would have to send them to a nice farm or home. What do I do?

Mariella

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Give them away on Craigslist and ignore fears of their future fate, or just don't hatch any and find someone with chickens you can visit but not be responsible for.

 

[Susan12]

Hello!
I have always loved animals and have always wanted the opportunity to raise chickens.
Here is my problem.
I have 3 dogs, one husky, one aussie and an alaskan malamute with a grey wolf mix. The wolf mix and husky have very very high prey drives and will kill any small animal on site- regardless of training. The aussie does very well with little animals and likes to herd them.
I don't want to take any risks and would be incubating eggs in a completely different city to my dogs in the first place. but I would only be able to hatch and raise them for some time. Chances are with even a secure pen, I would not be able to keep them. I am wondering what to do. I don't trust selling them to anyone who doesn't already have chickens because they probably would buy a cute chicken and then not want it after it grows up.
I am incubating quail eggs although I am thinking they are unfertile, but I am with my fiancees family in a different state who would be able to monitor them. What do I do if I want to start incubating eggs near my home ? If/when they hatch, what do I do next? Would a farm or sanctuary take them and raise them with care? I love chickens and I want to hatch some but im wondering if I should even do this if I would have to send them to a nice farm or home. What do I do?

Mariella

Sell but only in groups of six this will help discourage people who are not serious.

 

[lazy gardener]

Personally, I would not be incubating eggs unless I had the incubator in my home and could monitor it daily. As for keeping chickens, if you have the space in your yard, you can keep them if you build a predator proof enclosure. I advise you to build a completely enclosed coop/run combo with 1/2" welded hdw cloth or 1/2 x 1" fencing, include a covered top to the run, and a buried skirt. Just for good measure, put electric fencing around the perimeter. Your dogs won't mess with that. If not keeping chickens, I personally would not be incubating eggs.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Sell but only in groups of six this will help discourage people who are not serious.

I'm "serious" about chickens but even I don't necessarily want six.

 

[mtarafa]

Sell but only in groups of six this will help discourage people who are not serious.

I am thinking of raising some about a city away where my mother lives, as she is on board !!

 

[mtarafa]

Personally, I would not be incubating eggs unless I had the incubator in my home and could monitor it daily. As for keeping chickens, if you have the space in your yard, you can keep them if you build a predator proof enclosure. I advise you to build a completely enclosed coop/run combo with 1/2" welded hdw cloth or 1/2 x 1" fencing, include a covered top to the run, and a buried skirt. Just for good measure, put electric fencing around the perimeter. Your dogs won't mess with that. If not keeping chickens, I personally would not be incubating eggs.

Hi! Thank you so much. How much space for the chickens to roam would be a good measurement. I wouldnt want to keep them in a coop 24/7 so perhaps I would build an enclosure with brick walls for them.

 

[lazy gardener]

Coop needs to have at least 4 s.f./bird, ventilation in coop needs to be = to at least 10% of floor footprint or 1 s.f./bird, which ever number is larger. Run needs to be at least 10 s.f./bird, but 15 s.f./bird would be better.

 

[Susan12]

I'm "serious" about chickens but even I don't necessarily want six.

True but that is the feed stores solution.

 

[townchicks]

Realistically, you should just put the incubating on hold until you no longer have those dogs. Enjoy the dogs now and wait until you are really ready to have chickens. If you can't keep the chickens, it is just selfish to incubate eggs for fun.