The cool chicken chat thread!

[Hens rule]

Hi everyone! Anyone here want to be listed as one of my friends in my profile? I see that some people list friends under their jabber or the other things in their profile. Tell me on here if you do or pm me. It's fine if you don't though. Lol!!!

 

[familyfarm1]

Well if you want I would love it!

 

[cutechick53]

@Hens rule @familyfarm1 can I put you guys down?

 

[cutechick53]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'VE REPLANTED 8 TIMES!!!!!! The birds keep getting into my green house where I do my seed starting. Now my room is a greenhouse lol! I'M LOOSING MY HEAD TRYING TO REPLACE $30 WORTH OF MAIL ORDER SEEDS! I'm borrowing a bebbe gun from my friend. Goodbye birds...

I think I'll need a Swedish massage after this...

 

[Hens rule]

@Hens rule @familyfarm1 can I put you guys down?

shure you can put me down!!!!!

awsome!!! i will put you guys down!!!

 

[Rocky64]

I'm gonna get some grey gamefowl in a few months, the breeder told me that mature roosters are worth $150! I'm getting a stated trio for $45. Anyone had gamefowl before, any tips for a newbie to gamefowl?

 

[Hens rule]

I'm gonna get some grey gamefowl in a few months, the breeder told me that mature roosters are worth $150! I'm getting a stated trio for $45. Anyone had gamefowl before, any tips for a newbie to gamefowl?

I've never had game fowl before. But they do seem pretty cool. I know it sounds weird but what are game fowl for?

 

[Rocky64]

Gamefowl were originally used for cock fights, but cock fighting is banned in many countrys and now the fowl are primarily used in the shows. I don't plan to show, but I may later. I am interested in the broodiness of the hens that are on par with silkies and the fact that the roosters are very protective of their hens and have been known to fight hawks.

 

[cutechick53]

Whoah now, cock fighting is illegal where I come from @Hens rule @familyfarm1

 

[cutechick53]

Here is my urban chicken article. It is a rough draft, so please give your comments and suggestions! Also please correct me if anything is inaccurate!

Residents of Phoenix should be allowed to have chickens! In Serria Tempe, you are allowed to have a flock of 5 chickens, no roosters or cocks. When I recently moved from Serria Tempe to Landing at Mountain Park Ranch, part of Phoenix, I was crushed to learn that you can only have chickens as long as they are 80 sq. feet from your neighbors property, and if not, you have to have written consent from your neibhors. Many poultry lovers and enthusiasts can not have thier beloved poultry because of impractical laws and ordinances. These laws and ordinances are set up primarily because most people think chickens are noisy, smelly, gross birds that carry various diseases. If these conditions happen, they are the fault of the chicken keeper. Lets look at the common misbeliefs of poultry.
Some people think that chickens are noisy, smelly, gross, disease carring birds. That is quite contrary. Chickens genrally get noisy because something is wrong. Here is what ChickenCanoe of www.backyardchickens.com says about the noise levels of poultry: "Other than not owning roosters, there is not much you can do about noise. Hens are pretty quiet unless a predators afoot or when they join the egg song chorus. It is still quieter than a lawn mower, dog bark, boom box, train whistle, loud muffler, weed eaters, car horns, or other noises suburbanites are accustomed to hearing. Actually, rooster crows are lower in dB than those other things are too. I have roosters in my backyard, and if the windows are closed, I can't hear a rooster crow, but I can hear boom boxes, mowers, and the train that three miles away. ETA, Good luck." If people think that chickens are smelly, that is the fault of the chicken keeper. If the coop is taken care of, and it has adiqite space and the poultry keeper has some time, the conditions will not happen.
Other people think that chickens transmit the bird flu. This can and does happen, but the chances are not common. Generally, the bird flu passes to the flock by a diseased bird that is not part of the flock. If a pigeon or other wild bird like that lets its excrement into a coop, there are chances that the chickens can get bird flu. but like I said, it has to be spread by an external bird. Also, there are some simple bio-security tips you can follow. Things like having a foot bath at the door of the coop, tying plastic grocery sacks around your feet, and washing your hands after you touch any poultry related objects will put the chances of getting birl flu down.
Now I'm not saying that poeple should be allowed to get poulrty willy-nilly, the should be some qualifications. People should have a detailed set of plans for the coop, and a game plan for when the chickens arrive. Also, a good genral rule is that you should have 4 sq. feet for each poultry. There should also be a reasonable limit, like 10 to 15 chickens.
After all this, you may ask, "What are chickens benifical for?" A lot of things! Not only producing eggs and meat, they come in a varitety of shapes, sizes, colors, and patters that are fun to look at! If you want a prodject, you can color cordinate your chickens to match your flower garden! They also teach children to be responsible. The book Keeping Chickens by Jeremy Hobson and Celia Lewis states " Keeping chickens is an excelent hobby for children, teaching responsibity through feeding and genral care, and also learn about food production and bioligy."
All summed up, chickens are benifical for a lot of things, and they present a great hobby. If a person is responsible to take care of the chickens, they will be clean beautiful birds. And who knows, you might make a small profit selling eggs!