Ok so i am interested in getting some chicks

[supernoob]

So I live around tampa Fl. I have been doing plenty of research. I am looking for quiet, calm, easy to handle birds for eggs. So far I like the Black Jersey Giant, Buff Orpington, Light Brahma, Partridge Cochin, and Australorp varieties. I need a compelling argument to convince my parents that a dog a cat and fish are not too many animals to take care of. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[MissJenny]

Hi and let me be the first to say

There are dozens of ways to take care of animals -- minimum barely there care, maximum every gadget and appointment possible care and then there is what the rest of us do which is something in between. On average, tending to a dog, a cat and some fish is not that big a deal. Taking care of chickens, though, is much more involved because the care of chickens is very time sensitive. I can put off feeding my dog by an hour or two or even a day or two, without dire consequences. Not so with chickens. If I miss putting away my chickens on time something can come eat them. If I miss giving them water on time they can die of thirst just that fast. So whether or not you already have enough or too much on your plate is hardly the issue.

To me there are two highly compelling reasons to have chickens. One is that chickens that are kept by factories for egg laying purposes, for the eggs we buy in the grocery stores, are not well cared for, nor do they live quality lives. Production chickens are crammed into kept in small cages with two or more cage-mates, all of whom have clipped beaks, so they don't peck one another in frustration and rage. Should a cage mate die the care-takers might not notice for hours or days. The factory birds are fed hormones and antibiotics which are passed on to the eggs -- all the way around, keeping chickens in small backyard flocks is better for us as consumers and much much better for the birds.

Secondly, a youngster who keeps birds has endless opportunities to be responsible and industrious (as opposed to selling crack on the street corner). Busy kids are valuable kids. There is a good deal of work involved in caring for chickens. Building and maintaining appropriate housing, buying and distributing feed, collecting eggs.

Now, let's say you get five chicks who grow into five lovely hens who each lay one nice egg each day. chances are your family won't consumer five eggs a day -- you might eat or use only a dozen eggs a week. The additional eggs can be sold to friends and neighbors or co-workers of your parents with the money being used to pay for the hens' feed, fresh bedding. You can also use that money to buy seed to grow veggies that your hens like as well as food your family would enjoy...

All good things. The cat, the dog and the fish are nice... bust useless. Hens are handy!

Good luck and it's nice to meet you,
Jenny

 

[supernoob]

thank you. im not worried about their care even if it is time specific. I am very responsible. My mom never agrees with me on anything and my dad is convinced that keeping chickens is uncivilized (which I find ironic because his house was overrun with baby skunks and other assorted forest creatures)

 

[MissJenny]

Have your parents taken a look in here, at BackYardChickens.com? Not only is keeping chickens civilized, it has become very hip, very chic. The nicest people have chickens. (There are 50,000 members here -- 745 of them on this forum right now.)

You know your parents -- what will work with them? The green-doing-something-good-for-the-Earth factor, the responsible kid routine, the healthy food aspect? Your parents have preferences -- figure out what they are and approach them in a way that will cause them to respond favorably.

Why is it you are interested in chickens?

Jenny

 

[KC n KY]

Chickens are useful. Period. Many, though not all chickens have great personalities, and are(in my opinion) much more friendly than cats. They are smarter than fish, and can often seem like "dogs" that lay eggs. If properly handled, they do not stink(fresh bedding etc). They can seem unintelligent at times

but- to me- it adds to their personality

Dont get me wrong, I have cats and dogs. luv em both, well dogs mostly, not to fond of cats(other than the kitten that sleeps in our house

)
I also completely agree with MissJenny

 

[newham0614]

Be careful.. It's so darn ADDICTING..I only wanted 10 chickens but now have 40. They are all too cute.
Good luck

 

[supernoob]

I have always been interested in chickens. I remember in 1st grade the kids in my class called me "chicken boy" for real. lol. I used to just look up breeds of chickens and their pictures in my spare time. I even had little pictures of buff orpingtons on my wall in my room. I recently learned about how at some cage egg facilites the hens are given as little as half a square foot of room each, and also that as chicks, the males are euthanized simply because they do not profit the company. I would love to own chickens as I find them fascinating and they give me free eggs

 

[supernoob]

Clearwater
Sec. 8.03. Keeping of certain animals prohibited.

No animals, and in particular an animal which by its nature is wild and untamed, bees, reptiles, fowl or livestock, including horses, mules, cows, sheep, hogs or calves, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, shall be kept, harbored, raised or permitted to run at large on any property either public or private within the city limits of the city by any person.

(Code 1980, § 91.03)

Sec. 8.04. Exceptions to section 8.03.

The provisions of section 8.03 shall not apply to the following:

(1) Owners who use animals for diagnostic purposes or research, and who have secured a valid permit, where required, issued by a governmental agency and whose animals are kept on the premises specified in the permit;

(2) Owners who use animals for teaching purposes in recognized educational institutes and whose animals are kept on the premises of the institution or other authorized place;

(3) Owners of establishments which treat or board animals on the premises and which are owned or operated by veterinarians licensed by the state;

(4) Owners who are engaged in agriculture as a permitted use pursuant to the zoning ordinance of the city and in connection therewith on the premises affected keep horses, cows, hogs, sheep, calves, mules, or raise animals as farm animals in dairying and animal and poultry husbandry;

(5) Owners of horse riding academies and public horse stables and premises on which they are operated as a permitted use pursuant to the zoning ordinance;

(6) Owners of horses and other animals and the premises on which they are permitted to be kept for recreational purposes accessory to the residential use of property as permitted by the zoning ordinance;

(7) Owners of establishments licensed to keep animals for the purpose of resale whose animals are kept on the premises of such establishment or other authorized place;

(8) Owners of dogs, birds, domestic cats and other family pets such as white mice, hamsters and rabbits. The owners of such animals must keep the animals on the premises of the owner, and such animals shall not be allowed to run at large by the owner. The owners of such animals are required to remove all excrement deposited by their animals on city property or on the private property of other persons;

(9) Animals kept by the public in public areas such as public parks or a zoo or in their natural habitat;

(10) Bird feeders.












CAREFULLY read section 8. Does it or does it not mean i am allowed to have chickens?

 

[Yay Chicks!]

That's a good question. Initially it looks like you would not be allowed to. I supposed one might be able to interpret (8) as having some wiggle room as it says "birds"...
Do you know anyone in your area with chickens?

 

[supernoob]

I think it is saying i may get any of the listed "livestock" because article 8 in section 8 seems like i can own anything as long as I have other pets, and i remove the chickens "excrement" and properly house it