New Dilema

[cmkaminski]

I just found out that my state has a minimum chicken purchase law. State minimum is 6 chicks. I have a 6 ft by 8 ft run and a 2 ft x 4 ft coop (converted dog house). I was going to leave the house inside the run but now I am thinking I will have to move it to the outside now. Can I leave it inside the run?

 

[HHandbasket]

Well, my city has a no-chickens law. Didn't stop me.

While I am not an expert, I would think that a 2x4 foot coop is too small for six chickens. You need 3 to 4 square feet per bird inside the coop. Most you could keep in a coop that size would be 3, and even that's pushing it. It would be fine for chicks, but you'll have to rehome 3 or 4 of them by the time they reach maturity, unless you are going to build a bigger coop. (Chances are, you'll build a bigger coop because once chicken math takes over, you're done for.)

 

[obaan1]

I'm curious who's enforcing the minimum chicken purchase law. If you're buying them at a feed store, split the order with another customer. Or get the six and let the chicken math begin. You can never have too many. (my birds are living in a no chicken zone)

 

[cmkaminski]

i don't have the room for a bigger coop at the moment or else i would just buy 6 and not worry about it. I went to TSC today and they would only sell if you bought 6. I read on a local poultry website that state law was 6. I wasn't going to buy from TSC anyhow because even me the novice culd tell those birds were sick.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
On the one hand it is so easy to leave it inside the run and raise the coop UP so they can use the space under it, that I do not see that as being ANY sort of issue at all.

On the other hand you do have a pretty significant problem in that 6 chickens are not going to fit well into a 2x4 coop, unless you live in like Hawaii or somewhere like that.

I would suggest finding a way to split the purchase with someone else, or resell or eat several chickens.

(Even just 3 chickens in a 2x4 doghouse is pretty crowded for most climates)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[elmo]

I doubt if those laws would apply to backyard breeders. Check around and see if you can find someone in your area who is raising the breed of chickens you're interested in. Getting chicks from a local breeder often gets you better quality stock than you'd get at a feedstore (those usually come from the large scale commercial hatcheries).