thinking of getting chickens - many questions

[BleuSaphir]

Chicken poo a lot. But compared to a horse, a horse is more work in maintenance upkeep!
If you can keep a horse, you be fine with a small flock of chicken.

If you live next to a busy road, I do NOT recommend to free range the chickens. Keep them enclosed.

And Silkies are wonderful breeds. But they are poor egg layers. Very docile toward bigger chickens. Get two Silkies and the rest be something that meet your other criteria of maybe being good egg layer breeds.

 

[ExtremeHealthRadio]

Hey guys! New here so forgive me if I'm not posting this in the right place! We're in the process of getting a coop for 4 chickens.

I have many questions as do most people here but here's my first!

1. Do I need to put anything underneath to prevent rodents from getting in by burrowing a hole under the fence?

 

[Brooks_]

Hey guys! New here so forgive me if I'm not posting this in the right place! We're in the process of getting a coop for 4 chickens.

I have many questions as do most people here but here's my first!

1. Do I need to put anything underneath to prevent rodents from getting in by burrowing a hole under the fence?

Welcome and yes and no. You may need skirting to prevent predators, but rodents will just slip through whatever you put up sans hardware cloth.

 

[black_cat]

Hey guys! New here so forgive me if I'm not posting this in the right place! We're in the process of getting a coop for 4 chickens.

I have many questions as do most people here but here's my first!

1. Do I need to put anything underneath to prevent rodents from getting in by burrowing a hole under the fence?

I would recommend starting a new thread, but this would be the right forum.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

You could always buy pullets and not do the "chick" thing. Buy girls that are old enough to KNOW the gender and you don't have to worry "what am I going to do if I get a bunch of cockerels?" They will cost more money than day old chicks, but for some people it is TOTALLY worth it. That is how I am. I would MUCH rather pay someone else to do the "hard part" of raising them up for the first few months. I've done the hatching and brooding with game birds in the past. I have ZERO desire to do it again!

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

As far as "ease of care" As others have said, if you can take care of a horse, chickens are SOOOOO easy. And SO much less "work"! I've had horses for more than 40 years. I'm, selling my last one right now. I got 8 heritage turkeys (So much bigger than chickens. LOL) in October. EASY PEASY and SO much faster to care for than even 1 horse. (Which I really appreciate in the winter!)

 

[black_cat]

You could always buy pullets and not do the "chick" thing. Buy girls that are old enough to KNOW the gender and you don't have to worry "what am I going to do if I get a bunch of cockerels?" They will cost more money than day old chicks, but for some people it is TOTALLY worth it. That is how I am. I would MUCH rather pay someone else to do the "hard part" of raising them up for the first few months. I've done the hatching and brooding with game birds in the past. I have ZERO desire to do it again!

I think that that's a great idea! Unfortunately, it's very difficult to find started pullets in any of the breeds that OP wants.

 

[BarelyBirding]

I only have one thing to say; Beware of chicken Math!

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

I think that that's a great idea! Unfortunately, it's very difficult to find started pullets in any of the breeds that OP wants.

Depends on their location and how far they are willing to drive to get them. I see them a LOT. Maybe not the lavender EE since they are "mutts". But there are some Ameraucanas (GOD I hope I spelled that right. LOL) whose color might "work". I also see silkies for sale (And not cockerels/roosters either.) a TON. And I saw some A.C.'s for sale on CL. (And those are all in the same state I am in.) Regional or state chicken based FB groups have a lot of breeders on them.


Many breeds also have their own FB groups if someone wants to buy from a breeder.

 

[black_cat]

Depends on their location and how far they are willing to drive to get them. I see them a LOT. Maybe not the lavender EE since they are "mutts". But there are some Ameraucanas (GOD I hope I spelled that right. LOL) whose color might "work". I also see silkies for sale (And not cockerels/roosters either.) a TON. And I saw some A.C.'s for sale on CL. (And those are all in the same state I am in.) Regional or state chicken based FB groups have a lot of breeders on them.

I guess I stand corrected! That's so cool!