New to chickens? how many are you starting with?

[chkinut]

i WISH i could go chicken crazy! i'm already illegal as it is. but i'm gonna have 3 EE, 1 BO, 1 Silver Cuckoo Maran (outside hens)...and 2 indoor pet bantam chickens (1 showgirl and 1 silkie).

 

[BriteChicken]

What do ya know! I'm illegal too and am getting 6 outside hens

DOn't rat me out please!

 

[Jenifer72]

New here also....started with 10 just last Thursday (RIRs) oh and 1 duck (unexpected purchase) BUT I see now my store has LOTS more types I was wanting! I would like 2 each of the other 4 or 5 types I liked! Trying to resist to see how these first 10 go but we will see! Trying not to overwhelm myself!

 

[Jenifer72]

Quote:
I think you win!

WOW...what do you do with them? sell eggs and meat or what? Sorry for asking, just curious!

 

[gryeyes]

Let's see, in Oct 09, I started with four chicks. Then one "failed to thrive." Bought two more. Then another two started to fail, but one pulled out of it. Five is an odd number. Bought one chick to make it six. My elderly dachshund killed one when I wasn't paying close enough attention. Bought 3 more. Okay, that's 8. Thought I was maxed out. Done.

Then my sister died, and my dachshund killed ANOTHER chick. (A major emotional hit - and Zorro killing the chick right after my sister's passing just topped the cake with awful frosting.) So I bought two point of lay chickens from another BYCer. That brought me up to 8 hens and 1 accidental roo.

A month ago, I picked up four more chicks and 2 ducklings; they're in two brooders in my bathroom and appear to be thriving. So that will be 13 chickens and two ducks.

 

[chkinut]

Quote:
welcome to the world of underground chicken owners!

i've LOVED chickens all my life.....so i just couldn't take it anymore! i gotta get em'! i've got my own little mini-homestead out back. i've got my garden, and chicken coop all fenced in to keep the dogs out....then my chicken coop has a run as well. THEN.....since i like my girls to free range and they can't

.....they ALSO have a portable dog kennel run that i'm gonna move all over the yard. i'm so excited!

oh, and we have a privacy fence too.....i've heard from other illegals to do the following:
hide the coop somehow
get rid of loud hens
no roosters
let your nearest neighbors know (ask them if they would mind)

and hopefully you can keep them without problems....good luck!

 

[BriteChicken]

Quote:
welcome to the world of underground chicken owners!

i've LOVED chickens all my life.....so i just couldn't take it anymore! i gotta get em'! i've got my own little mini-homestead out back. i've got my garden, and chicken coop all fenced in to keep the dogs out....then my chicken coop has a run as well. THEN.....since i like my girls to free range and they can't

.....they ALSO have a portable dog kennel run that i'm gonna move all over the yard. i'm so excited!

oh, and we have a privacy fence too.....i've heard from other illegals to do the following:
hide the coop somehow
get rid of loud hens
no roosters
let your nearest neighbors know (ask them if they would mind)

and hopefully you can keep them without problems....good luck!

What do ya know!

I have a privacy fence
am hiding my coop in the backyard
Loud hens will go in the freezer or be sold
and same with roosters
plus already asked closest neighbors and two don't mind and one sorta does but I'll bribe them all with eggs

Do you think because of this that I should get eight and pick the quietest six of the eight and sell the other two I've been debating it...

 

[trunkman]

bribe them!!!!! they'll warm up to chickens! All those yummy free eggs, mmm, mmmm, good.

 

[Margo]

My list started with 15, looked at the cute pictures in the catalog, went to 25 ,but thought maybe i,ll sell some eggs to pay for feed .Added 25 more plue 1 roo. Help !!! Is this how it all gets started??

 

[trunkman]

Margo, welcome to the world of hooked on chickens, the urge will never go away!!!