Newbie from NC.

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Noggin

Noggin

Hatching
7 Years
Sep 16, 2012
8
0
7
Greensboro, NC
Hello my name is Keith and I'm from Greensboro. I'm still in the construction stage of my tractor so I don't have any girls yet. What a wonderful site this is a lot of knowledgeable people here. a couple of question's I do have is when letting your girls free range around the yard do you worry about hawks flying down and snagging one if your outside with them? Has anyone had this happen to them before? I have seen and heard them flying around our neighborhood before. I'm still up in the air on what type of hens I should get some type of Bantam(?). When it is time to buy how would I know if the hens have slowed down or stopped laying eggs? I'm not looking for chicks to start out with. Thanks I'm sure I will have more questions to post in the future.
 
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Hello and welcome to BYC
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Yes, hawks can be a problem. I've lost a chicken to a hawk and I know people who lost many. It would help if your chickens have somewhere to shelter, like a tree. A big concern for me was also predators on the ground, like dogs, cats and mongoose. Good fences is important.
If you don't want to raise chicks you should look for POL (point of lay, usually 16 week old) pullets, though they can be expensive, you'll get eggs sooner. I think getting specific breeds may be difficult then. Once you've made your selection have a look in the Buy~Sell~Trade section here to see what's for sale and where. Also have a look at these reviews: Chicken Breeds to see what the members say about their chickens and the different breeds.
 
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Welcome! Another good tip is to choose breeds that blend into your surroundings. Obviously white would stick out on a lawn more then brown and black chickens can blend in and hide from predators.
 
:welcome Welcome, it's so nice to meet you! I'm from Winston Salem/Lexington NC myself and this year started raising chickens and well...:jumpy chicken math took over and the addiction began! :lau I hope you enjoy it as much as I do here...I have met many wonderful friends and learned SOOOO much from many of the pros. Jump right on in, you will feel right at home in no time! :caf

P.S. If you are available you should check out Chickenstock this Sat. On the 22nd in Lincolnton. There will be a huge variety of chickens there as well as raffle drawings, eats & drinks! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/695775/carolina-chickenstock-fall-2012
 
Hi and :welcome

Some people do let their chickens free range with supervision, but then again the hawks are always looking for an opportunity. So best be careful if you do!

You can usually buy what they call "point of lay" hens at the feed stores. You can be sure they'll be laying.
The main thing is age really.

I hope you find any info you need here, and enjoy the site. :D
 

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