Official BYC Poll: What Is Your Least Favorite Thing About Keeping Chickens?

[Martaals]

Prey animals are like that. To show weakness means predators target them first. So, the rule is: Hold out as long as you can because when you can’t hold out any more, you’re done.

Yeah, and I mean, we also went later to a chicken keeping course given by a vet that specialises in poultry. And realised it's also just a little different from how we keep horses or cats. Chickens are mostly kept in bigger amounts on farms, and if something seems wrong they cull a few birds showing illness and look inside to see what's going on. Not exactly applicable to my tiny backyard gang but I think it was important to understand that its a more fragile pet-setup, and in a way a good argument for keeping just a few more birds than we first imagined to not end up in a flock puzzle the moment something happens.

 

[topochico225]

The flighty and feather-footed breed problems are real. I've got Mille Fleur d'Uccle pullets that just go straight up when they're startled. I've had to shoot them off the roof of the house (20-30 ft up) with the hose before. The feathered feet are cute, but seem impractical with them. I guess they'll be useful when it gets cold!

 

[TheCluckyClucker2]

He's cool, he should be easy to find a home for!

I've been trying its just that Black Cochin Bantam roos are not hard to find. Neither are any other roo. He does have quite the personality.

 

[SilkySilkie]

There is that - my broodies have to be OK with being moved to a dog crate inside the house for their last days of sitting because I no longer have the knees (and other parts) that are going up and down the stairs of doom to check in regularly, and there's only so much the camera will show. A few hens don't make the transition but most do fine with it. My sigh of relief is when the hens talk to the adopted chicks- once that happens it's all good. Maybe a couple would have completed the cycle if they'd hatched eggs in the coop. I used to be OK hatching in the coop until a broody chucked a hatchling out of the nest and it died - and she abandoned the rest, and from there on out the rules changed.

ouch

 

[Kirmi8]

Dealing with young roosters not being polite and gentle to the hens.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

This is where the sand I have instead of soil shines -- it's perfect conditions for the feather-footed breeds I love..

I've actually been considering sand at the new house, but I'll have to wait until the hubby does the upgrades he suggested(I love it when it's "his" idea, lol) If the rain will let up today we'll be moving the coop to the new digs.

 

[ForensicNurse]

Dealing with extra roosters - it's so exciting when a hen goes broody, and all those adorable babies hatch out, then eventually, realizing the 30-50% rooster rate...

Yes. And they are so lovely but doomed.

 

[Hensintexas]

We free range our flock and the thing we dislike most is that they poop EVERYWHERE in the carport on the deck....just EVERYWHERE...nothing is sacred to them

And EVERYWHERE is the perfect place to poop.

 

[black_cat]

Just gotta say that the only thing that I dislike is that I can't just add more chickens all of the time!

 

[ShweeB1229]

I only have 3 girls and am working from home so I have ample time *at the moment* to poop scoop (3×/daily), refresh everything & supervise foraging (1-3 hrs/daily), all of which are part of a welcome routine. However, my biggest anxiety-inducer is the thought of predators. I cannot tell you how many times I obsessively check the many locks I have on the coop & run or turn my eyes to the sky & woods throughout the day. My dad is thankfully going to help me upgrade the coop & run before winter so that I can feel more confident that my girls are safe & secure, always. I don't have children by the way & cannot fathom the stress level any human AND chicken mama has on the daily. You are warriors!