Is it worth it?

[Chickylove12]

Pull that trigger! lol Be a chicken nut mom and have nutty chats with us.

Ahhh love That!! I am already..can you believe I actually have NAMES picked out. And I am at least a year away from getting them.

 

[Chickylove12]

You sound like you'd be a great chook owner, with that outlook.

Took me a while to accept that I can't save every little life that God puts into my hands. I'm at peace with it now though.

Aww..yea..me too. Peace is a good thing.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Of course. The more extreme the weather, the more picky you have to be about your chickens.
I think the coldest I had my australorp hens was -20*F with a -45*F windchill for about 3 days. Light frostbite on the tips of the combs.
And yeah, males are big babies when it comes to cold, of just about every breed, because the have those big ol face-flaps of theirs. XD But...

I guess another piece of advice for OP... I like roosters well enough but it's WAY easier to keep a small group of hens only. They're just so much easier and more polite. Unless you want chicks or have a bad hawk problem with an unsecured pen.... Then you want a rooster. And find yourself a good one if you do. Too many good/nice roosters out there slated for soup to put up with an aggressive/bad one IMO. Be extra picky with roosters in bad weather.

 

[Chickylove12]

I was a little nervous at first too, but as with anything you decide to take on there is a learning curve. I love my birds and can't imagine a life without them. Once you get going upkeep is a breeze! Sure an issue may arise from time to time, or you may lose a bird or 2, the rewards are worth it. Chickens are peaceful creatures, they have a calming affect on any property I think. Be nervous but do it anyway!

I like that ...I agree.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

We love our chickens so so much. I have kept them for years, and my boyfriend is hooked too.

So much so that when the city I moved to (an old farming community, they changed their rules) came down on us, even charging me a misdemeanor for having them, we still kept two of them in the HOUSE because I couldn't bear to be totally chicken-less. I have statues of roosters in almost every room, chicken towels and wall decorations in my kitchen, collectible chicken plates, and vintage rooster enamel boxes.

As I type this there is a tiny Serama in a tiny diaper on my bed beside me and a sebright on the floor.

You do worry about them. You'll love them and cherish them and want them to never be sick or hurt. But they are so worth it.

 

[BantyChooks]

Of course. The more extreme the weather, the more picky you have to be about your chickens.
I think the coldest I had my australorp hens was -20*F with a -45*F windchill for about 3 days. Light frostbite on the tips of the combs.
And yeah, males are big babies when it comes to cold, of just about every breed, because the have those big ol face-flaps of theirs. XD But...

I guess another piece of advice for OP... I like roosters well enough but it's WAY easier to keep a small group of hens only. They're just so much easier and more polite. Unless you want chicks or have a bad hawk problem with an unsecured pen.... Then you want a rooster. And find yourself a good one if you do. Too many good/nice roosters out there slated for soup to put up with an aggressive/bad one IMO. Be extra picky with roosters in bad weather.

Agreed, be very picky with males! I went through 10 before I found a good one, and he's still there at age 3 years. He is, of all things, a Silkie.

I like having multiple boys around; they care for the hens and keep each other in check. Raising one cockerel of the same age as the hens will result in overmating and an entirely too cocky attitude.

 

[Chickylove12]

Of course. The more extreme the weather, the more picky you have to be about your chickens.
I think the coldest I had my australorp hens was -20*F with a -45*F windchill for about 3 days. Light frostbite on the tips of the combs.
And yeah, males are big babies when it comes to cold, of just about every breed, because the have those big ol face-flaps of theirs. XD But...

I guess another piece of advice for OP... I like roosters well enough but it's WAY easier to keep a small group of hens only. They're just so much easier and more polite. Unless you want chicks or have a bad hawk problem with an unsecured pen.... Then you want a rooster. And find yourself a good one if you do. Too many good/nice roosters out there slated for soup to put up with an aggressive/bad one IMO. Be extra picky with roosters in bad weather.

Yes..i think chanties..are supposed to be good for cold climate..it gets hot here to though in summer. That' is Canada..oh geez..how do I know where to get a nice rooster? Lol

 

[BantyChooks]

Yes..i think chanties..are supposed to be good for cold climate..it gets hot here to though in summer. That' is Canada..oh geez..how do I know where to get a nice rooster? Lol

Hate to say it but buy a dozen and soup 10.

Being raised in a flock with a mature cock will do much to train a cockerel up right. I get high percentages of well behaved males that way. It's a rare bird that'll be perfect if raised only with siblings. It might seem logical to buy an adult male, but I'm not so sure I like that option. In my experience it takes a bit to get them to respect a new owner.

This is all generalizations. There are always exceptions and for every 10 chickenkeepers you ask about roosters you'll get 11 answers.

 

[Conan]

Ahhh love That!! I am already..can you believe I actually have NAMES picked out. And I am at least a year away from getting them.

I'll bet they name themselves You will find yourself hollering for them to come and get scratch and you will probably have a favorite - there's always one that just really latches on to you. Sometimes it's the sweet one that follows you around cooing and trilling (a la Adele, the Americauna) and sometimes it's the grouchy one that is a little rough around the edges (like a mean spirited golden sex link named Jane that bites you for no reason, but that sass is just who she is) or the bestest little bantam chick that was left inside an egg and required assistance to live and has a borderline obsession with you... Nighthorse is the best.
You are just guaranteed to have a fantastic time with your flock, especially if you are in it for the love of chickens. Do it!

 

[Chickylove12]

Agreed, be very picky with males! I went through 10 before I found a good one, and he's still there at age 3 years. He is, of all things, a Silkie.

I like having multiple boys around; they care for the hens and keep each other in check. Raising one cockerel of the same age as the hens will result in overmating and an entirely too cocky attitude.

Would they not be overmating with more than one rooster..all the boys would be over the hens ..no? What did u do with the aggressve roosters? Nobody wants them do they? Gee I hope I get a nice one..I don' t think I could send him off to die.