Things You Wish You Would Have Known?

[Lisa Wood]

I am having this issue also, to add to already long list of issues! I am same way. Have you seen the very small Seramas? Not over 1.5 pounds! How easy it would be to house these! I want silver, black, buf, lavender, and blue. I have stripes and want spots. But I am resisting! Money, time, and land helps me to resist.

Lisa

 

[AllynTal]

...Decided I want chickens, went to tsc to buy said chickens. I'm thinking 4. I get there, they have 7 bantams left. All it took to convince me to take them all was, "You want all of them? Might as well, they're tiny and cute!" Yep. I want them all.

2 weeks later, after learning my birds are eye candy, I decide that I want egg layers and man those olive eggs are so cool! Yep, 3 more chicks. And now I see all those pretty birds and I think, well I want more pretty birds. So, I have the fuzzy butts coming in 2 weeks!

I got the chicken math!

I am having this issue also, to add to already long list of issues! I am same way. Have you seen the very small Seramas? Not over 1.5 pounds! How easy it would be to house these! I want silver, black, buf, lavender, and blue. I have stripes and want spots. But I am resisting! Money, time, and land helps me to resist.

Lisa

You all do realize that all those cute little chicks turn into big adult chickens that need adequate space to properly care for them, yes? Sometimes "chicken math" just sounds like another way of saying "chicken hoarder" and that's not a good thing.

 

[plynneb]

Yes, I am being very conscious of their space and care needs. I'm not running out and buying them in bulk.

Not a single animal in my care goes without.

 

[Coop de Grass]

I wish I had known how tenacious raccoons are! We didn't lose any, but last night we found the mother inside our supposedly secure run, with her kits on the roof! She went through a 3" space above the door. DH is closing it up at this moment.

We will be putting up an electric fence this weekend. I don't have it in me to trap them and kill them, and relocating them makes them some one else's problem... And I no longer say how cute the darn kits are! My chickens are much much cuter!

 

[Lisa Wood]

You all do realize that all those cute little chicks turn into big adult chickens that need adequate space to properly care for them, yes? Sometimes "chicken math" just sounds like another way of saying "chicken hoarder" and that's not a good thing.

Yes, got it. Thats why I just WANT
I dont really buy. I go shopping and put hundreds of dollars of chicks in my basket, then I cancel the order. LOL This is how I personally deal with my problem. Some women want shoes. I want chicks!
But thanks for watching us. It is not a bad idea. Like making sure theres no alcohol on an alcoholic's breath!

Lisa

 

[Jensownzoo]

 I wish I had known how tenacious raccoons are! We didn't lose any, but last night we found the mother inside our supposedly secure run, with her kits on the roof! She went through a 3" space above the door. DH is closing it up at this moment.

We will be putting up an electric fence this weekend. I don't have it in me to trap them and kill them, and relocating them makes them some one else's problem... And I no longer say how cute the darn kits are! My chickens are much much cuter!

Yeah, moms with babies are particularly tenacious! I think I'm going to supplement with a strand or two of electric once I figure out everyone's permanent spot. The good news is that I haven't had any more break-ins since I zipped everything up, but best not to get complacent when there are hungry babies around!

 

[AllynTal]

Yes, I am being very conscious of their space and care needs. I'm not running out and buying them in bulk.

Not a single animal in my care goes without.

Quote:

Yes, got it. Thats why I just WANT
I dont really buy. I go shopping and put hundreds of dollars of chicks in my basket, then I cancel the order. LOL This is how I personally deal with my problem. Some women want shoes. I want chicks!
But thanks for watching us. It is not a bad idea. Like making sure theres no alcohol on an alcoholic's breath!

Lisa

Thank you for not being mad at me for saying that. I see it in other threads in the forum (and I know you do, too) where folks are just on buying frenzies collecting all the cute chicks and not giving any consideration to how they'll deal with the adult birds, letting broodies sit on one hatch after another and not having a clue what do to with the cockerels, wondering why their birds are mean when they have a dozen birds in a 4x6 coop, et al, and then giggling about chicken math when it's just a form of animal hoarding.

So thank you for not being one of those people and thank you for not being mad at me for asking.

 

[jackielw80]

Chicks cost around $3 a piece. My husband built a chicken coop that cost more than $2000! The chicks may be cheap but if your husband over engineers your coop it can get expensive!

 

[Coop de Grass]

Quote:
Even if he doesn't over engineer it!

 

[Lisa Wood]

Quote:


Thank you for not being mad at me for saying that. I see it in other threads in the forum (and I know you do, too) where folks are just on buying frenzies collecting all the cute chicks and not giving any consideration to how they'll deal with the adult birds, letting broodies sit on one hatch after another and not having a clue what do to with the cockerels, wondering why their birds are mean when they have a dozen birds in a 4x6 coop, et al, and then giggling about chicken math when it's just a form of animal hoarding.

So thank you for not being one of those people and thank you for not being mad at me for asking.

Of course not!! I totally agree people, specially new ones, often need guidance. I think when we say "addicted" we are not kidding Rght now I am not working, hubby semi-retired, never had kids, so the animals are the babies. I can see chicks from three windows in my house. I watch them day and night and spend time with them. But what happens if things change? I start work, some one dies, gets sick, divorced? I always have a plan B. If I go to plan B, I make a plan C. No one should be making hard decisions if they are upset and stressed and emotional. I like everything with animals thought out before hand.
God kept telling me to get some chicks, to be a therapy for me. I argued but He won, as usual, right? They make me laugh and bring me joy.
My expertise is dogs, with years of rescue work. Any time anyone had worked with rescue, we hear the stupid excuses.
Some one allergic
Dog barking all day while we are at work
Puppy chewing stuff up.
Too big and rowdy, blah blah blah. And I am afraid with my breeds, sometimes the dog is protective, owner does not LISTEN, and some one gets bit. I must talk to them politely and sweetly till I get dog back. Once that happens, I speak plainly, and you were just WAY nicer to me. ) I highly suspect chicks are the same as puppies. "Oooh! He is do cute" Yes, they are ALL like that, then they are DOGS!
Things would go so much better if people would LISTEN. But as Ron White says, " You can't fix stupid." I vote you keep reminding others.
Lisa