The Impossible Dream - Two Hens in Tahoe

[TahoeChickens]

Hello BYC Folks,
I am a newbie who hopes to have a couple hens in the future. In a couple months (once escrow closes) I will be moving to a 16,222 square foot lot in the county area in my town where chickens are allowed. My friends and family find my long time desire to own chickens quite amusing but now that it is actually possible I'm getting resistance from my husband. He had some chickens when he was a small boy and they must've been part werewolf! He says chickens are extremely noisy (especially when laying) and always have poop hanging off their rear ends (they had a chicken named hang-hang due to the poop issue). Due to the fact he and his mother have these bad memories of chickens and I have never owned them, I'm having a hard time convincing him that two sweet, fat hens will not disturb the neighbors or have constant poopy booty’s. So, in addition to learning how to keep chickens warm and happy through a Tahoe winter I need to get information on how loud and poopy chickens really are! Hopefully I can find some good information here.

 

[liz9910]

from California! Ha ha hilarious name. Hang hang.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Chickens tend to be pretty quiet, actually, except when they sing the egg song. That can be loud. But I live in a residential neighborhood, with a much, much smaller lot and have had no complaints at all.

I've only had one of the hens who got some poop stuck on her rear only once. I had to soak it off and she has never had that problem since.

I would also advise that you get at least three. That way if something happens to one of them, you aren't left with one lonely chicken. They like to be part of a flock... even a small one.

About the cold... Chickens tend to do much better in the cold than they do in the heat. For some perspective, check out the thread called "Think it's too cold for your chickens? Think again."

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, TahoeChickens, and

! Great to have you here! I agree with Yay Chicks! My hens are very quiet except when alarmed. They are also very clean. As long as their coop and run are cleaned on occasion you will have no trouble. Keep working on your hubby...he'll come around! Best of luck!!

 

[memphis]

Hi from Memphis! I agree with Tag Chicks.....get three hens to start. What breeds are you considering?

 

[weimarmama]

& from Alabama. Glad you joined us.

 

[TahoeChickens]

Chickens tend to be pretty quiet, actually, except when they sing the egg song. That can be loud. But I live in a residential neighborhood, with a much, much smaller lot and have had no complaints at all.

I've only had one of the hens who got some poop stuck on her rear only once. I had to soak it off and she has never had that problem since.

I would also advise that you get at least three. That way if something happens to one of them, you aren't left with one lonely chicken. They like to be part of a flock... even a small one.

About the cold... Chickens tend to do much better in the cold than they do in the heat. For some perspective, check out the thread called "Think it's too cold for your chickens? Think again."

Oh, thank you so much for the great advice and insight! I will plan on three chickens then. Do you have any video of your 4 chickens? I've done YouTube searches to see how loud an average small flock is but all are much larger groups.

 

[TahoeChickens]

Hi from Memphis! I agree with Tag Chicks.....get three hens to start. What breeds are you considering?

The Buff Orpington seems to fit in pretty well - Cold hardy, personality, and cute to boot! What breeds would you suggest for a small backyard flock in a cold climate?