New Country Girl...

[prettyboychick]

After 14 years living in the city, my husband and I (and our 3-year-old son) moved out to the country this summer for a more peaceful pace of life and better schools. My husband always had chickens as a child (he grew up in Costa Rica), and I worked on a farm one summer during college and took care of chickens there, but other than that we're new to this. We have three beautiful acres (mostly wooded) and are loving our new quality of life.

We got 7 baby chicks almost 2 weeks ago. 5 are Buff Orpingtons, and 2 are Barred Rocks. I'm scared that one of my Barred Rocks might be a rooster (the two have very different feathering, and one seems "cocky".). My husband would want to keep the rooster, but I wouldn't (mainly because I think our only neighbors already don't like us...I don't know about adding a rooster to that mix!). If we did decide to get rid of it, how would we do so? Are there places that take roosters? And would I basically just be sending the poor little guy off to be slaughtered? I do eat chicken, but I don't want to eat my chickens or think about them being eaten! Also, if we keep it, does it affect egg production and/or the quality of the eggs? I don't want to open an egg to see a little fetus (sorry...as I said, I'm new to this!).

Another question: How much range does a chicken need in order to be considered "free-range"? Or is there a certain amount of time they need to spend outside each day? We are building a big coop and a chicken run, and we plan to have them hang around the yard when we are gardening, etc. However, we have raccoons, foxes, etc., and we can't have them running around when we are not outside.

Thanks!

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, prettyboychick, and

! Happy you joined our flock! In terms of the rooster, Craigslist is a good way to rehome one. Be advised, you can't be too picky about the fate of a chicken on a Craigslist exchange...in other words, he may end up in a pot. He can try to hold out for someone who just wants a rooster but you're still taking a chance. Keeping your rooster gives you fertilzed eggs but does not influence number, quality, or flavor of eggs. Eggs must be incubated for anything to happen inside - if you gather the eggs regularly, you won't notice any difference (not chicken fetus). I don't really know the answer to the free range question - not sure what constitutes "free range." I consider mine free range - they have dawn to dusk free run 3 or 4 days per week - but only a few hours on the remaining days. Good luck to you and your flock!

 

[Colturn54]

Me too I lived in the hot city for far too long and now I am enjoying our little 10 acer property with horses dogs cats, and now 6 new additions to our family. Hubby got me a little chicken coop and fenced in an area to enjoy by new babies. So far they are in the garage under a heat lamp and now I am looking for everybit of information and help I can get, to keep these cute little critters happy.
colturn65

 

[drumstick diva]

If you collect eggs daily and keep them in the refrigerator, they won't develop into embryos. If you don't want to hatch eggs then you don't need a rooster.

A good rooster warns his flock if he sees trouble (hawks, etc) but it's a rare rooster that tries to fight off a predator to give his girls a chance to run and hide.

There is probably some official definition of what free range requires. Personally I feel if the chickens are allowed outside even in a fenced area and able to come and go from coop to outdoors of their own choosing - that is free ranging.

 

[prettyboychick]

Thanks for the answers! I guess time will tell about the potential rooster and what we will do. It's good to know that it won't affect the eggs, though. Now I just have to decide how much I care about those neighbors...

I'm very excited about having chickens! This whole lifestyle is a dream come true for me!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Hello, and welcome to BYC!!

Glad to have you aboard!!

 

[PacasNChicks]

welcome! I'm new'ish to chickens too. The family I nanny for moved to 4 acres of property and started buying baby chicks which I loved to spoil by feeding them scraps. I even learned how to " cluck " so they would come running to me! It's just too cute to see a bunch of chickens running/flying as fast as they can to come eat cut up apples! I started doing alot of research so I'd know how to take care of them from when they were little and wanted to know all about them once they started to lay eggs. One thing I found out was ... if the feathers are more pointed, they would be a Rooster whearas the Hens feather tips were more rounded. It wasn't until the chicks were about a month before I could really see the difference. This might help and also some Hens start looking like they are roosters with all the combs coming in and other areas below their cheeks, etc. I even thot that 2 of the Ameracana's were Roosters because they looked different than the other Ameracana ... the 2 I thot were Roosters had feathers growing differently from the cheeks but soon, I noticed the Rooster " sidling " up to them! Once they went into the Nests, I realized they weren't roosters! So, I think until a Roosters!
I just bought 12 baby chicks as I will be moving up to Northern AZ in June and wanted to get my flock started before I get up there. I have 4 each of the Barrd Rock, Buff Orpington and the Silver Lace Wyndotte. I will add more next year or probly sooner as having Chickens has become an addiction! Altho, I do want to have some guinea hens and Geese too.
All of them will share a half acre with Alpacas! Should be fun!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Fancy Favie]

welcome! I'm new'ish to chickens too. The family I nanny for moved to 4 acres of property and started buying baby chicks which I loved to spoil by feeding them scraps. I even learned how to " cluck " so they would come running to me! It's just too cute to see a bunch of chickens running/flying as fast as they can to come eat cut up apples! I started doing alot of research so I'd know how to take care of them from when they were little and wanted to know all about them once they started to lay eggs. One thing I found out was ... if the feathers are more pointed, they would be a Rooster whearas the Hens feather tips were more rounded. It wasn't until the chicks were about a month before I could really see the difference. This might help and also some Hens start looking like they are roosters with all the combs coming in and other areas below their cheeks, etc. I even thot that 2 of the Ameracana's were Roosters because they looked different than the other Ameracana ... the 2 I thot were Roosters had feathers growing differently from the cheeks but soon, I noticed the Rooster " sidling " up to them! Once they went into the Nests, I realized they weren't roosters! So, I think until a Roosters!
I just bought 12 baby chicks as I will be moving up to Northern AZ in June and wanted to get my flock started before I get up there. I have 4 each of the Barrd Rock, Buff Orpington and the Silver Lace Wyndotte. I will add more next year or probly sooner as having Chickens has become an addiction! Altho, I do want to have some guinea hens and Geese too.
All of them will share a half acre with Alpacas! Should be fun!

 

[Fancy Favie]

After 14 years living in the city, my husband and I (and our 3-year-old son) moved out to the country this summer for a more peaceful pace of life and better schools. My husband always had chickens as a child (he grew up in Costa Rica), and I worked on a farm one summer during college and took care of chickens there, but other than that we're new to this. We have three beautiful acres (mostly wooded) and are loving our new quality of life.

We got 7 baby chicks almost 2 weeks ago. 5 are Buff Orpingtons, and 2 are Barred Rocks. I'm scared that one of my Barred Rocks might be a rooster (the two have very different feathering, and one seems "cocky".). My husband would want to keep the rooster, but I wouldn't (mainly because I think our only neighbors already don't like us...I don't know about adding a rooster to that mix!). If we did decide to get rid of it, how would we do so? Are there places that take roosters? And would I basically just be sending the poor little guy off to be slaughtered? I do eat chicken, but I don't want to eat my chickens or think about them being eaten! Also, if we keep it, does it affect egg production and/or the quality of the eggs? I don't want to open an egg to see a little fetus (sorry...as I said, I'm new to this!).

Another question: How much range does a chicken need in order to be considered "free-range"? Or is there a certain amount of time they need to spend outside each day? We are building a big coop and a chicken run, and we plan to have them hang around the yard when we are gardening, etc. However, we have raccoons, foxes, etc., and we can't have them running around when we are not outside.

Thanks!