Utah!

[the-bird-man]

how do you all deal with mice? i use traps and they work well and i have seen my girls go after them but i still worry about them because a lot of people blame mice on chickens. i know they are a part of life but chickens are easy to blame them on. we have a cat that is good at hunting them and i do all i can to stop them but i still see them at times. i just saw one in the coop so i locked the girls up so hopefully they will find it and eat it. grrrr they are such a pain

its not that we have tons of mice or anything but i do see them once and a while and i do not want my chickens blamed for it and i do not want the mice to breed

 

[Myjessejane]

Quote:
We want to start them as soon as we can. We do not have a coop yet but my husband is pretty handy and we have an area ready to put one. I would also be interested in picking up an old fixer upper coop and my husband can "tune " it up. Do you know if its best to start with chicks? I want them friendly with my kids but it would be nice to skip that step if possible.

 

[the-bird-man]

Quote:
We want to start them as soon as we can. We do not have a coop yet but my husband is pretty handy and we have an area ready to put one. I would also be interested in picking up an old fixer upper coop and my husband can "tune " it up. Do you know if its best to start with chicks? I want them friendly with my kids but it would be nice to skip that step if possible.

i think a lot of that depends on who is raising the chicks as some people do not always handle chicks much so i guess to be safe you may want to get chicks but even with chicks they still may not be so friendly. but it may be hard to find chicks this time of year too. you may be able to find a package deal on a coop and a few hens on ksl.com. i like to get chickens that are point of lay because then i do not have to worry so much if i have a rooster

 

[PoultryPedia]

Chipping in my 2 cents-- I'd recommend that if you do get a pre-made coop that you buy chickens separately.

The coop builders do not necessarily have much incentive to deliver chickens that are of good quality or reliably healthy. They are primarily contracted to build a good coop, and then just deliver a certain number of chickens.

The builders would likely assure you that they will give you "good" chickens, too, but a number of talented chicken coop builders do not know very much about chickens themselves (even though they might have owned a few in recent years), & can't really tell much about the quality, temperament or health of the birds. I have seen behind-the-scenes with some of the package deals, and some of the chickens sold with them were birds of questionable quality that the builders had been able to pick up for free/cheap from someone and were turning around & selling with the coop. Some were also sick or exposed to contagious illness just before sale.

I would buy chickens directly from an owner. Then you get a wider selection of birds to choose from & can see them before you buy them (I'm guessing the coop builders would deliver to you the particular chickens they have chosen after you have already paid for them, sight unseen.) Also, you can get info from the owner about the specific individual birds you are buying, and look around to see if the owner seems to be keeping the chickens somewhere reasonably sanitary and if the birds seem free of disease.

That said, I'm sure that some quality chickens with good temperaments & in good health are many times sold through some package deals.

 

[Chiko]

Wish me luck! My eggies went into lockdown tonight!

9 Leghorn X Ameraucana/Australorp X Mix Roo(EE, RIR, Iowa Blue, and Leghorn)

 

[kimmypie]

Where is a good place to get high quality chicks in Utah? I know not IFA and someone once said that SunnyBrooke farm is not good (I don't remember why) but it looks like she has a really good selection of birds that she breeds. My main problem is that I cannot have roosters and most chicks are sold straight run. I also can only have 4-6. I just want good quality chicks, not for breeding or show but for egg production and backyard pets.

 

[herbmom]

If you look on KSL there is a gal in the Pleasant Grove, Provo area.

I talked to Sunnybrook and have heard they are good but had some problems in the past due to her taking in other people's roosters/chickens and some ended up being sick and infected all her chickens. She is now very cautious and won't take chickens back or trade chickens. You will have to ask her about finding girl chickens though.

We wanted to go with Cal Ranch but they were all sold out. We got stuck with IFA and really lucked out. Got 6 chicks. Only one turned out to be a roo and none of them got sick. I wouldn't go through them again if I have the choice.

2-3 or ours are now laying. It has been a fun journey. Our EEs are not laying though. I've never even seen them sit in the nesting box. Our buff and road island red are our only layers so far. They all come running when they see me, especially if I have a bowl in my hands. I can usually pick up the buff and road island red but the EE's run. I think the little kids chased them to much once they went outside.

 

[Lofty bok bok]

If its the same lady in PG that we bought Barnevelders from in June... be careful. Uneducated as we were (and she was as we found out), we ended up with 3 barnies and a welsummer. Bummer because we paid triple the cost for a welsummer and one of the barnies had a crooked beak. In general, do your research and don't rely on the seller for answers.
For one reason or another all we have left is the welsummer

 

[kimmypie]

Arlene in Pleasant Grove? I thought she was who everyone reccomends? I've wondered about her because she is just selling hatchery birds and I think I'd rather go the breeder route but I don't want to do straight run and risk having boys!

 

[Cynthia12]

Yes, it is that Arlene gal. I have bought from her in the past. Won't again.

There is a gal on ksl that sells from Lindon or pleasant grove area also..Suzee..she has a wonderful place, great laying chickens, and it is well kept. If you ever see her selling chickens, need some, go to her!