POLL: Chickens - easier, same or harder then you thought, once you got them?

[Schrebergaertner]

We were fortunate in that we moved into a home that already had a large, well-equipped chicken house. If you start with day-olds, they can be pretty high maintenance for a while, but once they're a few months old, it's a pretty simple routine. There are ways to make it more difficult, but like duckinnut said, it's as easy or hard as you want to make it. For us, the standard maintenance is probably easier than we expected--the bare minimum is to add food to the feeders every few days, fill the waterers every few days, collect eggs daily, and check them a couple times a day. The part that gets more time consuming is keeping them entertained--supervised free-ranging, feeding treats, playing with them, etc.

 

[Mrs. K]

Well, a lot of people here have a hard time dealing with death. A really hard time. And it is a real possibility.

And sometimes you do lose chicks, they just fail to thrive, while their peers, same food, same water, same space are doing just fine. Maybe they got injured in the transportation. It can be a bit discouraging, and a little sad. However, if you can move on, focusing on the living, then starting with chicks will probably give you lots of joy and of course eggs.

If you are first getting started, and can find older hens, point of lay hens, which are about 4-5 months old, they are a bit stronger, (the weaker ones have died) and more robust just because they are older and stronger, and you get to the rewarding part of getting eggs.

I, myself, like having a small flock. 8-12 head. This keeps the work minimal, easy to carry to the coup, the coup size is easy to clean, the feed bill is not beyond my means. With being attached more to the flock, and not so much to individual chickens, it does not terribly upset me with a death loss due to predators or illness. I don't like it, I do what I can to prevent it from happening, but I am not in a state of decline. To each his own, you have to know how you will react, how attached you get.

I love having my chickens, and I do get a favorite or too, but also a couple I am not so fond of. I am glad I started a flock 5 years ago, I would miss not having my flock. I like my chickens

MrsK

 

[just eggin' out]

I had thought about getting chickens off and on for sometime but then about 2 years ago I really got the bug.....got online and found BYC! Thank you, BYC! I read and read and read! Went to my local feed store and found out about "chick days" and asked more questions! Talked to DH about wanting to get chickens. He was on board and started drawing up plans (he's an engineer and just can't help himself!

)using the coop design info from BYC-TY, again BYC!

Now, I am questioning whether I know what I am getting myself into!! Is this what I really want to do? I don't want to put forth all of our efforts and $$$$ in putting up the coop and fencing and supplies and then I lose interest for whatever reason. UGH!! I kept coming back to BYC and reading more and finally decided to go for it and I am glad I did!! I got my chicks (4 SLW, 4 BR, 4 BO) a year ago, started getting eggs in Sept. They are so much fun to watch and they get so excited when I come out with table scraps or bread. Sometimes I let them free range and they come when I call them. Well, most of the time!! ;-)

I actually find that my chickies are a lot less work than I worried they would be! DH did set me up with an automatic pop door which eliminates that task! Gotta love him!

 

[Mahonri]

Even though I had them as a kid on the farm, having them in the middle of big city ended up being MUCH more work than I had anticipated.... and much more expensive.

 

[cromschickens]

It is so much easier then I expected. I even had to hide our chickens until they were big enough to move to the farm. The city we live in doesn't allow chickens in town, so, my wife and I kept our chickens in our kitchen in a baby pool for the first few weeks. Not exactly how I would recommend to start your chicken experience but it worked. Our daughters loved having them in the house and love to visit them when we collect eggs everyday. Chickens require very little attention really, make sure they have water at all times and we made sure they always had feed. When we first got them we added a little sugar to their water to help with the stress of shipping. We cleaned out the pool every 3 or 4 days, 28 Buff Orpingtons dirty a pool fairly quickly. Chickens are easy to care for and offer hours of entertainment. So don't stress about getting them, just do it and start enjoying! Good luck and have fun

 

[Anna_MN]

It's way easier than I ever expected in my life! I had the same feeling when I first got my chickens- "oh know, what did I get myself into?!" But it all worked out in the end- and it is extremely rewarding. And not to mention that there is so much knowledge on this website that can help you with anything! The best advice I can give you is always trust your instinct and relax, the chickens can tell when you're nervous!

 

[Farmettehopeful]

Although I am not even 2 months into chickens (had gotten day olds), I can say that it is the same as I expected. I currently have meaties, 3 week old layers and 7 week old layers...1 coop, 1 brooder, and 1 chicken tractor. It gets rough sometimes when we get one of those beautiful spring days and I want to take the kids and dogs out for the whole day hiking, picnicing, playing or whatever and I can't because I have panic attacks about leaving them for too long (just as I get when I leave my dogs home alone for too long!) Really though, it mostly depends on your situation and lifestyle I think. I read BYC for a long time before joining just to prep myself since I was little when we had them growing up (I only remember them being fun little chicks then). I knew it had to be something I would stick with and enjoy and I do! Although I do fight with my mind everyday when I take care of the meaties and their poo......awww you guys are cute round balls with big feet...you are worth it.......this is disgusting, how do you guys poop so much overnight?, this is not worth it.........mmmm you are all looking nice and plump today

 

[jtbrown]

Much easier than expected. And a joy to be around. Had our first predator loss yesterday. After a year with no incidents and free ranging daily for last 5-6 months I guess that is ok. That has been the worst. Overall the coop was big drain because we over built it, since then pretty smooth sailing.

 

[Cluky]

Thanks for words of wisdom. I do not feel I will get too attached to individual birds. Chickens are just that chickens. I will feel the loss however not a loss of a pet, more a loss of a livestock...

 

[karlamaria]

So I am THIIIIIS close to getting chickens. Got the space, will get equipment etc. But something is stopping me, just that knot in my stomack or not knowing you know. So would like to know what people think about chicken owning...

easier then raising a dog. , seriously, dogs need to go on and out in and out, my chickens are so fun, so easy and if you get an electric door opener it's even enter! Pop door opens and closes, you just have to make sure they have food and water, later on in the morning we go out and let them free range, kids pick up the poop and at dusk they go back in them selves, cleaning the coop is 5 minutes ! We shove the litter in a garbage can, add fresh and we are done. Oh and we EE a poop board, even better to keep coop spotless. Chickens are easy as pie! But start out sall, we started with five, we will have 7 soon, and moms taking the chicks when there bigger. 7 is my final count, small clean easy to care for and well trained girls! I train mine to head for the coop as soon as I shake a pill bottle with beads inside! I love my dogs, but my chickens are easier lol.