lvie
Songster
Good Morning Chickeners . . . . Yes! I am up and crowing! Mistaken identity!
Time to move and shake (actually two hours ago).
Hello Harriet Hens - welcome to our forum where these experienced chickeners will answer your questions to the best of their ability, which is pretty darn good.
I am beginning my third year as a chickener and will admit that I envy you being in Minneapolis where you are limited to four birds. My experience, where a chickener can have more than four is that four is a beginning. Within two years you would have nineteen or thirty IF a chickener was not limited to four. Yes. Your birds will become pets and will come when you call them by name (because you will usually have a small treat for them) and they can be trained to jump through hoops. But the best part is the eggs they eat.
I have three of Ralphie's british ladies (Speckled Sussex or SS) They are lovely ladies. Quiet, respectful, curious. My Buff Orpingtons (BO) are quiet also. As a matter of fact the only noisy one of 21 birds is my rooster with his crowing. I happen to like the heritage breeds and the penciling on the different birds. Plus the eggs. I got them for eggs. Remember that fellow chickeners? When I was young and got chickies for eggs. Build your coop just a little larger than what instructions say. If it says the plans are for four birds - don't believe it. Build it for eight. Your probably going to do the coop once unless you replace it in ten years so spend the $$$ and do it now. Then enjoy. Easier than dogs and fun to watch.
Hello Harriet Hens - welcome to our forum where these experienced chickeners will answer your questions to the best of their ability, which is pretty darn good.
I am beginning my third year as a chickener and will admit that I envy you being in Minneapolis where you are limited to four birds. My experience, where a chickener can have more than four is that four is a beginning. Within two years you would have nineteen or thirty IF a chickener was not limited to four. Yes. Your birds will become pets and will come when you call them by name (because you will usually have a small treat for them) and they can be trained to jump through hoops. But the best part is the eggs they eat.
I have three of Ralphie's british ladies (Speckled Sussex or SS) They are lovely ladies. Quiet, respectful, curious. My Buff Orpingtons (BO) are quiet also. As a matter of fact the only noisy one of 21 birds is my rooster with his crowing. I happen to like the heritage breeds and the penciling on the different birds. Plus the eggs. I got them for eggs. Remember that fellow chickeners? When I was young and got chickies for eggs. Build your coop just a little larger than what instructions say. If it says the plans are for four birds - don't believe it. Build it for eight. Your probably going to do the coop once unless you replace it in ten years so spend the $$$ and do it now. Then enjoy. Easier than dogs and fun to watch.
