- Mar 17, 2007
- 74
- 4
- 39
I will probably be booed off this forum, but surely someone else has felt this way.
Background: I decided to get 4 hens for eggs, to control bugs, and as a learning experience for my child.
These chicks STINK! They are about 3 weeks old. I clean out their bin about 3 times a day. They're cute as can be, but they are scared of me and try to get away when I have to move them into another box in order to clean. I feel bad for them being in the garage, so I bring them in the living room in the evenings, but after about an hour they just start smelling so darn bad. Is there anything that will help this stench?
And they just seem nasty! They crap on everything, especially their feeder and food and in their water. I have a proper feeder and waterer, but it doesn't seem to help.
I suppose I'll like them more when they get moved outside to their chicken tractor that's being built. Perhaps they won't be so skittish when they get older. I'm trying to handle them a lot, but it's like I'm torturing them.
I'm not thinking of giving up or anything, but someone please tell me I'm not alone. I guess I should have started with pullets, as some people suggested. I just thought they would be more accustomed to people handling them if we got them as chicks.
What do all you guys love so much about chickens?
Background: I decided to get 4 hens for eggs, to control bugs, and as a learning experience for my child.
These chicks STINK! They are about 3 weeks old. I clean out their bin about 3 times a day. They're cute as can be, but they are scared of me and try to get away when I have to move them into another box in order to clean. I feel bad for them being in the garage, so I bring them in the living room in the evenings, but after about an hour they just start smelling so darn bad. Is there anything that will help this stench?
And they just seem nasty! They crap on everything, especially their feeder and food and in their water. I have a proper feeder and waterer, but it doesn't seem to help.
I suppose I'll like them more when they get moved outside to their chicken tractor that's being built. Perhaps they won't be so skittish when they get older. I'm trying to handle them a lot, but it's like I'm torturing them.
I'm not thinking of giving up or anything, but someone please tell me I'm not alone. I guess I should have started with pullets, as some people suggested. I just thought they would be more accustomed to people handling them if we got them as chicks.
What do all you guys love so much about chickens?