Washingtonians

[AriLovesChickens]

Okay, another noob question... (not sure where this would go in the general forums, so I'll put it here).

I grew up with chickens, but they were not free-range. We probably had 15-20 chickens at a time, with a fairly large walk-in coop but a comparatively small run, so of course the ground was a mess.

Our current house sits on a lot that's 11,000-12,000 square feet. The back yard (fenced) is probably half of the total space - maybe a little more. We don't own the house, so I don't want to trash the entire back yard. (I'd have no problem having several chickens if it were my own yard!). What's a realistic number of chickens for this size lot (i.e. that will not kill all the grass or totally disgust the average person)?

I have a friend in Seattle who has a *very* small yard (as most yards in Seattle are), and she has three chickens in this coop: http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/chickens/The-Clubhouse-Coop-with-Run-3-4-chickens-p839.aspx . It says it isn't intended for FT confinement, but with such a small yard (and even less grassy space), I can't imagine she's going to let them out all the time. She has a toddler, and I figure the whole yard will be covered in chicken poo in a short time.

Part of me thinks getting chickens here is a foolish idea, but I've wanted to get them for so long...I guess I'm hoping you will continue to enable me.

 

[SadieSue]

Quote:
Very true. DH only talks anything about the quantity of the chickens when he's cleaning the coop.

Yeah...but I have been bugging mine to FINISH my large coop since 2009...I gave up on that and got something that I thought could be easily converted into a second coop...that was also about 2 years ago...and then I found several options for builders to build me what I need that he won't and he's just now starting to get the second coop done and keeps threatening to stop all construction because he wants me to sell 1/2 my flock and downsize.

He refuses to finish my bantam bins which will house my bantams during the winter. This means I have to sell most of them (to him). To me, it means I have to hire someone else to do the cages. I pay for all of the chickens, chicks, eggs, vaccines, medications, sand, shavings, feed, etc, etc myself through hatching egg sales. Not a dime comes out of our "regular" budget...

He's only b*tching about it because he'll have to actually help out around here with feeding/watering while I'm recovering from the c-section....now that he knows how many birds I have

and he doesn't listen to me as far as the quickest/most time-efficient ways to feed/water--he's griping because it takes him 1/2 hour and it's "disorganized."

In actuality, it is not....but in his OCD brain, it is. He wants everything absolutely perfect and uniform and weird. They are living things!

He has already made me get rid of four of my horses. I told him it's him or the remaining horses--so he backed off. The hatching egg sales pay for my 3 horses' hay (and HIS one horse's hay) every year. I used to raise/breed reptiles before I got into the poultry...he made me stop that because he said the lizards were gross, their heat lamps were a fire hazard and the crickets I had to feed them were "smelly & noisy." Now that I have chickens--it's all he gripes about. He brings it up several times a day/night. Tonight, he said it was really bothering him and that my chicken hobby is "weird & gross."

I don't know what to say about this situation. It's been bothering me since I first read about it. I hate when I feel I'm being backed into a corner needing to choose between something I really care about and keeping the peace. It would break my heart. As others have suggested perhaps DH is nervous about the way your lives will change once baby comes. I know my DH was having traumatic dreams when I was pregnant and his anxiety about being a good parent and being able to provide for our daughter weighed heavily. Once she was born he kept his distance until one day I handed him the baby and the bottle when she was a few weeks old and said, "This is your baby too - be a part of her life". She looked up and smiled at him, I watched him melt and he fell in love. I don't think he understood up until that point that she would love him, and that was pretty irresistible even to a gruff curmudgeon like he was (and is).

Maybe make some effort at compromise in the meantime without either of you having to give in completely. I don't know your DH though - I know how much I can "work" a situation with mine before I've pushed too hard. You may even find that after your baby is born your priorities may change and that with work, baby and your beloved animals it may be too much to handle. I don't know. I'm just wishing you the best, less stress, peace in your life, good health and finding the balance you need. In the meantime - I guess the forum is a pretty good place to vent, huh? There's always someone who can relate!

 

[SadieSue]

Quote:
Also, if hatchery, the size of all birds are about 4-5# you will not have a 10# brahma.

My first hatchery birds were Brahmas from McMurray. They were 12lb roosters and 9-10lb hens. Massive.

Awesome birds. I only got rid of them because I got Golden Laced Cochins and then Sumatras....the Brahmas laid well, were very friendly, very cold hardy, ranged well and everything...they ate A LOT and needed a lot of space, though.

One of my LB roos:

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/Equibling/POULTRY/Picture075.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/Equibling/POULTRY/Picture059.jpg

LB cockerel with GLC cockerels:

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/Equibling/POULTRY/Picture049.jpg

Pretty! (You and the bird!) I love big giant chickens - wish I had more room! I'm pretty happy just watching my light Sussex amble around the backyard, but those Brahmas look HUGE.

 

[Chickielady]

I agree, but not quoting the quote as it is getting rather long.
I too hate being told to choose.
That is so unfair, as if you are a silly child and told to grow up or else.
Perphaps he just needs to relax, tell him not to worry...maybe a fishing trip would help him relax ??
It will be fine, and not to worry and add undo stress about breeds & birds at a time like this.
Later you may sit down & adjust your flocks.
I wouldn't do anything rash right now.
try to get him to calm down, stop putting stress on you...when you are stressed & sad, the baby can tell.
Babies can hear your voice..Babies can hear yelling & arguements.

 

[Chickielady]

OK I am off to go do my onions....picked 3- 16" cucumbers yesterday
More zuchinni to hunt down & pick, they are covered by the spahgetti squash & pumpkins

The green house is so full of huge tomatoes that I can hardly squeeze through in there to water....I planted too many!!!!!!

BYE GUYS!!!!!!!!!

 

[SadieSue]

Quote:
I guess so. I found all those breeds available at the time I want on mypetchicken. Since I'm ordering so few, I assume I need to get them all from the same place.

I had several of the same requirements in chickens as you. I'm pretty happy with what I have so far. I don't have any little kids at home, but my 19 year old daughter does insist on swooping up our chickens to give them big loves! Some will tolerate it, others squirm a bit. The light Sussex is certain she is just fine on her own two feet, thank you very much, but we love her anyway!

So you're in the Seattle area? If I were you, now that you've joined the WA group would be to figure out who has the chickens you want locally and find eggs, chicks, or hens locally. Quite a few breeders right here and if they don't have what you're looking for, they typically know someone who does! I lurked for a long time, did a lot of "window shopping" of WA BYC'ers chickens before I even had the coop built so I had a plan of acquisition. It's worked all well so far. For me - I just like knowing I have local breeder stock from folks who care about their birds and raise the best. I got chickens raised with love!

 

[Chicken Rustler]

Quote:

As I sit here. My house is a complete mess... Dishes in the sink, floors need to be swept, toys strewn about, tiny little dirty socs lay where ever Chloe took them off... Hec I even have furnature up on my couches still... My dogs like to sneek up onto my couches at night. Thats a BIG no no here. Theres pizza boxes on the stove from lat night, my riding boots kicked off under a side table... Fish tanks have algea growth... Place is cluttered. BUT. It will only tae me 45 minutes to get it cleaned up. Everything besides laundry that is...
Need to have an electrician out to check my shop. The dryer is running on 110 instead of the normal 220... I only have one working plug in the entire shop... Outside fllod lamp no longer works, and even the stove upstairs is messed up. The previous tennant above the shop rewired the entire building to operate an illegal MJ grow set up... Since then nothing in that building has worked correctly...

if you dont want to put furniture on your furniture to keep the pets off, go to office depot or somewhere, walmart...buy the plastic runners that you put under your office chair or in a long hall way, they have little spikes on the bottom side to grip carpet so they dont slide. cut those to fit and flip them spikey side up and lay them on your couch at night...dog aint getting up there....

I would think it best to just do the dogs as you would a child and teach them what is ok and what is not !!! JIMHO !!!!!

 

[hallerlake]

Quote:
Oh, dear. Does he have any idea how messy babies are? He's in for a shock.

Here's a t-shirt for him. http://www.cafepress.com/+i_have_cdo_dark_tshirt,437328017

I, unfortunately, am plagued by the want & desire for great organization. It soothes my brain. I, jokingly, have asked DH for a pressure washer to hose the baby down so I don't have to be near all that disgusting matter. He said I could look inot marketing a baby bidet. Lol. Sounds like the OCD tendencies subside once kids are in the picture. Life isn't something we can control. I think those type-B's must live a much happier, relaxed life.

You learn to adjust. You have to. I can tell that Mr H never had kids. Having kids teaches you flexibility, tolerance, and patience.

 

[hallerlake]

Quote:
I just hose the chicken poop on the lawn into it. Fertilizer.

 

[cheryl98117]

Quote:

As I sit here. My house is a complete mess... Dishes in the sink, floors need to be swept, toys strewn about, tiny little dirty socs lay where ever Chloe took them off... Hec I even have furnature up on my couches still... My dogs like to sneek up onto my couches at night. Thats a BIG no no here. Theres pizza boxes on the stove from lat night, my riding boots kicked off under a side table... Fish tanks have algea growth... Place is cluttered. BUT. It will only tae me 45 minutes to get it cleaned up. Everything besides laundry that is...
Need to have an electrician out to check my shop. The dryer is running on 110 instead of the normal 220... I only have one working plug in the entire shop... Outside fllod lamp no longer works, and even the stove upstairs is messed up. The previous tennant above the shop rewired the entire building to operate an illegal MJ grow set up... Since then nothing in that building has worked correctly...

if you dont want to put furniture on your furniture to keep the pets off, go to office depot or somewhere, walmart...buy the plastic runners that you put under your office chair or in a long hall way, they have little spikes on the bottom side to grip carpet so they dont slide. cut those to fit and flip them spikey side up and lay them on your couch at night...dog aint getting up there....

Ooo! Great idea!