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

[ChickenGypsy23]

So This chicken venture is much more than I bargained for! I was thinking you just get the chickens, throw a coop together, put them in and enjoy the eggs..(well maybe a little more complicated than that) I have found myself researching daily and sometimes frantically from before I even picked my chickies up from the farm. So many questions! What kind of coop should I build? What does the design have to include? Should it be in the sun or the shade outside? What kind of wire should I use for the run? Ahh it's $50 a roll! When can my chickens pack their bags and move out of my foyer to the coop? Ahhh they're overcrowded in here... I guess I'll put that big baby pool in the house for them now! (Which they love!)Slowly but surely things are settling into place... I've enjoyed learning what I have so far and look forward to so much more! I wouldn't give them up as I love their peeps in the house and how they run to me every time I walk by! If you need me ..I'll be working at the hardware/lumber store to pay off my tab! HaHa

 

[okallthis4eggs]

I'm getting ready to find out. My thought is build the coop and run to take the work out of it. Things like a clean out door and feeder and water system that does not need attention every day or even twice a day. Do the extra work in planning and building the coop so its not a daily chore that I will dread and grow tired of.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

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...

My father-in-law has a nice coop on the family farm. I helped him raise about 200 meat birds a year for several years. I also had chickens and ducks as a kid growing up. After my wife and I were married I raised a flock of trukeys as prizes for a fall turkey shoot. That was probably the most fun I ever had with poultry.

I've wanted chickens again, for about the last 2 years or so...maybe longer. My wife and I just got some Buff Orpington chicks a few weeks ago....small flock for eggs and a pair of ducks. It has been nice having the birds around the yard again. They are all 4 weeks today. I'm in the process of building a coop and between watching the birds and trying to get over this dang spring flu, the coop project has slowed down a bit, but I should get it done over the weekend and then start on the run.

I think you will enjoy a small home flock...the entertainment value alone is worth the investment.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I'm getting ready to find out. My thought is build the coop and run to take the work out of it. Things like a clean out door and feeder and water system that does not need attention every day or even twice a day. Do the extra work in planning and building the coop so its not a daily chore that I will dread and grow tired of.

Those are words of wisdom. Very astute...

 

[Cluky]

I used to love chickens as a kid. I have a lot fo family that are farmers, so I know what is involved. I do agree the entertainment will be great. I also want the kids to understand where food comes form. I know sounds like cliche however it is true. They have to knowthat chicken is food, that eggs do not come in cartons only and that a lot of work goes into both.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I used to love chickens as a kid. I have a lot fo family that are farmers, so I know what is involved. I do agree the entertainment will be great. I also want the kids to understand where food comes form. I know sounds like cliche however it is true. They have to knowthat chicken is food, that eggs do not come in cartons only and that a lot of work goes into both.

I asked my students in class one day."Where does all the food and produce that we use to feed our families come from?"

Almost every one of them replied..."The store."

It was sobering....

 

[Cocotte]

I have found that keeping chickens is a lot easier than I thought it would be, and really a lot less maintenance than I thought too. The biggest job was building the chicken coop, and lucky for me my husband did that part We do let them out to free range a lot, and that means the coop stays surprisingly clean during spring/summer/fall. It isn't much fun cleaning the coop in the winter time, but really its not that big a deal. My husband winterizes the coop once it starts getting colder, but that doesn't take him long. And they are very addicting! If I had the space I would have several coops and dozens of them!

 

[song of joy]

It's easier than I thought it would be, but I think the fact that I'm enjoying them so much makes it easier. It became dramatically easier when I decided to let them free range during the day, as I no longer had to struggle with moving the "portable" coop every couple of days. In hind-sight, I should have only gotten 4 standard-size birds, as this would have been plenty to supply our family with eggs.

 

[Aeropennchick]

Another thought - watch the movie "Food Inc."

After that, everything chicken related is a million times easier than buying from the store.

 

[dainerra]

So This chicken venture is much more than I bargained for! I was thinking you just get the chickens, throw a coop together, put them in and enjoy the eggs..(well maybe a little more complicated than that)

That is one of those "easy or hard as you make it" moments. This is pretty much what I did. Bought some chicks. Threw together a coop and put together a dog kennel for the run.