Hello all! I just joined and though I've raised many animals from horses to snakes to exotic fish, I am brand spankin new to chickens.
I am interested in possibly raising some chickens this year because our son is just starting to walk and we live in a VERY tick infested area in ME. In order my priorities are tick reduction, not having poop absolutely everywhere ( the toddler will eat it I'm sure),easy to keep/maintain and having some meat.
We live in a fairly rural area on 3 acres. Our property is mostly cleared but on 3 sides of us there is woods and a creek. The house is set back about 200 feet from a fairly well traveled road. We can see our neighbors but they aren't right on top of us either. I'll try to include a pic below.
I've heard the Guinea hens are great at controlling ticks but I have some concerns, mainly noise, predation and sanitation. Are Guinea hens the only reasonable option for controlling ticks? I've heard that they are loud. Too loud to have them next to the house at night?
Is there a reasonable way to balance having the birds free range to control ticks but also keeping them somewhat safe from the hawks, fisher cats, cars, etc? Is there a reasonable way to have them out eating ticks but not hanging out pooping on our porch?
I guess my biggest question is... what would you do? Would you recommend keeping poultry in this situation? If so, what kind or breed? How many? How would you manage them?
Any input or advice is greatly appreciated!! TIA
Thank you all for the great info!!
Electric fencing doesn't scare me at all. I have many fond childhood memories involving dares and electric fence. However, I'm not really interested in fencing. Would you say that fencing the property or a portion of the property is necessary?
We do have 2 large dogs but both are older and neither has lived with chickens. Both are very maternal with baby animals, even ones much smaller than chicks so I'm hoping we'll introduce them early and there will be no chasing. They might spend part of the day out with the birds but I wouldn't have them out when I wasn't home. We have a local dog snatcher.
As far as a coop, I've heard that meat birds don't necessarily need an actual coop. That they need a space safe from predators that provides a good wind and rain break. Would it be feasible to use a 6x10 chain link dog kennel coated in chicken wire and partially covered with plywood and or tarps? Just trying to understand exactly whats needed so I can avoid purchasing unnecessary stuff while keeping the birds happy.
We do have local restriction on chickens (6 birds, no roosters, must be fenced in, etc) but clearly nobody follows them. I am surrounded by farms. I can think of 4 neighbors with roosters and a dozen more whose flocks of more than 6 wander where they please. I'm not too worried about it but thank you for mentioning that!
That poultry netting looks nice but is waaayyy out of our price range I think. I'm really hoping to stay under $500. I was considering doing a pasture rotation but the ticks are so thick I wonder if they would just pop back up wherever the chickens weren't. Its good to hear this worked well for you!
Would ducks be a better option for tick control? Are they easier or harder to care for? I had ducks and geese years ago but was living in a very different place.
First off, welcome to BYC, and second, it's great to have an other Maine person to talk to. I'm a bit south of Bangor. You'll have to join us on the Maine thread! I'd suggest that you look at the Pioneer, otherwise knows as Dixie Rainbow. They are a nice meaty dual purpose bird. They grow to harvest size around 12 weeks. And they make nice layers. Predation and free ranging, unfortunately, are common partners. Impossible to have one without having the other. Hawks are my biggest predator. Also, if you want your birds to stay off your porch, off your front lawn, out of your gardens, you'll either have to fence the birds out, or fence those areas in! I used electronet for the first 3 years, until hawks moved in on my flock. I built a 6' high fence last season, and have to put a cover over it, which gets removed during snow season. Since starting my flock, my tick load has gone way down. BC (before chickens) I would pick about 3 - 5 ticks off my cats/week. Last year, I found 2 juvenile ticks THE ENTIRE SEASON.
As far as ducks go, IMO, they are harder to manage, b/c they are messy. However, the fact that you have a creek may make a difference in that regard.
For housing, whether you get meat birds which are all tucked into the freezer before each winter, or you get layers, and even venture into keeping a sustainable flock and hatching your own replacements each year, one recommendation I make is that you have a coop and run, or a nice sized tractor which can double as a chick brooder. You will need a place to secure them at night, and often during the day. When a predator finds your flock, that predator will move in and not let up on your flock until he's killed your last bird, or until you've killed him. Having secure housing will keep your birds safe until you have dealt with the predator, or until he gives up and moves on to visit one of your neighbors who's flock is not as secure.
Do you not want eggs? Are you a gardener? The biggest reason for me to get chickens was: #1- to have a ready supply of manure. #2- to have a flock of birds to manage my garden insects. #3- to have a flock of birds to manage garden weeds and till the soil. #4- to have yard ornaments and entertainment. #5- to have a supply of fresh eggs and meat.
