Tiny yards ... how's it going?

[Mace Gill]

Herself and I live on a wee third of an acre ... oddly enough, my town let's folks keep chickens, even a rooster!

So, three years down the road and the flock it fine, forage as often as possible, stay out of traffic, and since we don't care about having some perfectly manicured lawn, they can roam and forage to their hearts' content.

Flock is 10 adults, 7 chicks, but we're only keeping 2 chicks. We figure 12 is our upper limit.

What I'd want most is more land so I could have more chickens!

So ... All you nice folks with tiny properties ... how's it going? How're you coping? What issues do we share?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I don't have a tiny yard but it's great to hear you can make it work, logistically and legally!

 

[Mace Gill]

I don't have a tiny yard but it's great to hear you can make it work, logistically and legally!

But you REALLY REALLY have to stay chicken math! My wife and I even talked just today about expanding the coop to be able to keep all of the babies, but we know it would be too much for time, land, resources, and our long suffering neighbors. So, twelve will be the limit.

 

[Krazyquilts]

We are in the process of moving from 1/10 of an acre in town to a 50 acre farm in the country and I am so looking forward to it, largely because I suck at all kinds of poultry math, but especially duck math. Besides being forced to have limited my flock size to just 5-6 (at least until a month and half ago when we knew for sure we were moving ), I think the worst part has been dealing with waste. Example: What do you do with partially decomposed duck bedding? While I've converted all the backyard space that isn't the duck run into raised garden beds, the garden can only take so much poopy straw. And I hate the thought of it just going in the landfill, which is happened to some of it. And how do you dispose of dirty duck water in the winter, at least 8 gallons a day? In the summer, the garden beds love it, but in the winter there's no place for it to go so it got dumped on the pea gravel floor of the duck run and by spring it was nasty!!

But we love our ducks so much and they are so funny - not to mention the OMG amazing eggs they lay that they were truly worth it. And I have learned so very much about raising ducks. That knowledge will be invaluable as I expand my flock(s) on our new farm.

 

[Mace Gill]

We are in the process of moving from 1/10 of an acre in town to a 50 acre farm in the country and I am so looking forward to it, largely because I suck at all kinds of poultry math, but especially duck math. Besides being forced to have limited my flock size to just 5-6 (at least until a month and half ago when we knew for sure we were moving ), I think the worst part has been dealing with waste. Example: What do you do with partially decomposed duck bedding? While I've converted all the backyard space that isn't the duck run into raised garden beds, the garden can only take so much poopy straw. And I hate the thought of it just going in the landfill, which is happened to some of it. And how do you dispose of dirty duck water in the winter, at least 8 gallons a day? In the summer, the garden beds love it, but in the winter there's no place for it to go so it got dumped on the pea gravel floor of the duck run and by spring it was nasty!!

But we love our ducks so much and they are so funny - not to mention the OMG amazing eggs they lay that they were truly worth it. And I have learned so very much about raising ducks. That knowledge will be invaluable as I expand my flock(s) on our new farm.

Congrats on the farm!!!! SOOOO jealous!

I would SO love to have some ducks, we had a few when I was a kid ... but we certainly don't have the land for that!

 

[Krazyquilts]

Oh and I forgot to mention that the city where I live doesn't prohibit poultry of limit the number you have, as long as it doesn't create a problem with your neighbors. I'm very, very fortunate because my neighbor loves our ducks like they were her own - we refer to her as "Treat Lady" because of how she spoils the ducks!

 

[Mace Gill]

Oh and I forgot to mention that the city where I live doesn't prohibit poultry of limit the number you have, as long as it doesn't create a problem with your neighbors. I'm very, very fortunate because my neighbor loves our ducks like they were her own - we refer to her as "Treat Lady" because of how she spoils the ducks!

So far as I know, ours doesn't limit either ... but twelve is OUR limit ... not enough land to keep them happy :/

 

[SunHwaKwon]

But you REALLY REALLY have to stay chicken math! My wife and I even talked just today about expanding the coop to be able to keep all of the babies, but we know it would be too much for time, land, resources, and our long suffering neighbors. So, twelve will be the limit.

I'd say that has its benefits. I just sold ~30 birds at a swap yesterday and felt so relieved...counted up what I have left and I'm still at about 75 including chicks and guineas. Sigh. lol

 

[Krazyquilts]

Congrats on the farm!!!! SOOOO jealous!

I would SO love to have some ducks, we had a few when I was a kid ... but we certainly don't have the land for that!

Thanks! I still can't believe it is really happening, and the moving date is in two weeks!

We certainly have our work cut out for us. The house needs a ton of work - like knocking down walls kind of work. And there isn't a single out-building so I've been scouring Craigslist for deals on sheds etc to turn into poultry housing.