thinking of getting chickens - many questions

[Cattle dog Mom]

Just 4 ft up. I have electric poultry netting now, and I HATE hardware cloth, so I stopped there.

Thanks.

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

i've been thinking of getting a few chickens and i have a few questions:
1. how much care do they require? my mom had chickens as a kid and is really discouraging me from getting them because there's a ton of poop to clean up and they smell awful. i have a horse so i'm not terribly sensitive to smells. i'm thinking of getting about 4-5 chickens.

2. i live on 5 acres but near a busy road. i assume i would need a run or a fenced area. ideally i'd like them free range but i assume they would likely cross the road. do the chickens automatically go into the coop at night and i would have to close the door each night? i'm guessing the run is the most convenient way is to have a run but the best for the chickens is free range. i have seen coyotes once in my yard. if i build a large fenced in area, do i need to worry about predators during the day?

3. i think i want silkies. i'm reading they can be low on the pecking order. is it best to stick with one breed? i also wanted the all black ayam cemani and/or lavendar olive egger. would these not be compatible?

4. should i get a rooster (for flock protection)? how noisy are they? it looks like some places are only selling unsexed birds. are most people keeping even numbers of males and females? does that mean the lots of baby chickens are being born? can you only have 1 rooster per x of hens?

5. what sites are best to order chicks from? mypetchicken is already sold out of silkies till late summer/fall and feather lover farms only sells unsexed.

What state do you live in? I know a really good breeder that sells lots of breeds and her chicks are cheap.

 

[black_cat]

What state do you live in? I know a really good breeder that sells lots of breeds and her chicks are cheap.

I believe that OP said that they are in the UK.

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

I believe that OP said that they are in the UK.

Ok. I don’t think McMurray ships there but I’m not completely sure

 

[linguini]

$40 FOR A SINGLE UNSEXED SILKIE!?!?!???!!? That is ridiculous. That's the price for a well bred FULLY GROWN silkie. That is not worth it.

We got our chicks from a farm - we had no idea what we were looking for, so we just picked one chick from each breed. This is our Olive Egger, Clove. She is the sweetest thing, and very curious. High in pecking order, but never aggressive. We thought she might have been a rooster when she was younger. But she lays the coolest true olive color eggs! I think she was $8 when we bought her when she was about one week old?

 

[LizzzyJo]

The part about having to put them down is probably the hardest part of the whole decision to get them or not.

slightly morbid question, if people are buying unsexed chicks and there's a 50/50 chance of getting male and people mostly want female, do people put down the males?

If by 'put down' you mean feed their families, then yes. Many are. They don't go to waste, so no worries there. Others attempt to rehome.

 

[CinnaBun]

What state do you live in? I know a really good breeder that sells lots of breeds and her chicks are cheap.

Looks like Ohio. OP linked some Craigslist listings for Silkie and Ayam Cemani chicks from Ohio.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

If by 'put down' you mean feed their families, then yes. Many are. They don't go to waste, so no worries there. Others attempt to rehome.

Where many people run into issues finding someone to take spare cockerels/roosters is then they are only willing to sell or give away "to a good home". For those that are fine with then being someones dinner, there are usully people more than happy to take them. Especially for free. (This is actually FOR the OP. I was just adding to what you posted LizzyJo. )

 

[Sublight]

Consider Australorps. They hold the record for eggs layed in a year (364 eggs in a year by a australorp), and they are super duper friendly.

My wife will be in the run, and pick something up and they will ocassionaly jump on her back and just hang out.
If you sit or lay on the ground, they will end up standing on you. Like i said super friendly.

I love having a rooster. You wouldnt believe how sweet he can be to his girls, and he watches the skies for hawks. If he sees one, he will announce it and the girls will run for cover. Its a cool relationship to watch.