Lets talk chickens.

I'm 90% set on getting some chucks for eggs. I don't have space enough to breed and eat. Nor the time or set up money.

Does any one have layers (Not commercially) in an sub/urban environment?

How much time do they take? How long can you leave them unattended?

Dammit orfy! Now you've got me reading about chickens! That's 3 hours of my life wasted...

But to sum up what I read... they're pretty low maintenance and cheap to keep (although you won't really break even on the eggs). They can also be friendly and make great companions. They are social, so you should have at least a pair or more.

I never realized the variety in species. Many of them are really beautiful. Damn.. now you've got me thinking....

Thanks.

I've done the reading but there's nothing like getting practical first hand experiences from people you can interact with.

I'm looking at maybe 3 to start.
I was at a show yesterday and there are some fancy ones but I'm going to rescue some barn birds that need a home. I've read that a bird costs around $1 a week to keep and eggs here are around $3 for 6 free range organic eggs so I should be in front.

I'll be looking to keep start up to under $100 if possible.

I have some mixed breed chickens, mostly stemming from Rhode Island Reds and Barred Rocks. They average and egg a day during the warmer months, production slows in the winter but can be kept up if you provide light and some minimal warmth. They are very hardy and will breeze through winter. So if you get half dozen layers then you'll have a great supply. Extra eggs can be sold to neighbors to cover feed cost. Around 50 lb. of layer mash will last around 1.5 months for half dozen layers.

They begin laying in about 6 months on average and continue for several years, this is breed dependent. The "Black" or "Red Sex Link" chickens are reputably very good layers, but many breeds will not disappoint.

Care is minimal. You 'should' have around 3 sq ft of floor space per hen, but if you allow them some range area this can be drastically reduced. They don't like snow and most times won't go out in it. Consider in your area, I know it is small, a small hen house or even a Chicken tractor. If you made a nice one, it should compliment your yard. I can't recall off the top of my head how big your yard is (from the pics).

I will say, it is some of the most entertaining way to spend your time watching them. They are really funny. You can also feed them just about anything you'd normally compost...oh and spent grains they go nuts. If you keep your spent grains cool you can easily feed them for a good while on that.

Water is crucial, but you can buy double walled containers in sizes of 2.5/3/5 gallons. They are great, a 5 gallon will keep my chickens with water for over a week on a filling. As for food, you can hang a feeder as well. So you can easily stay away for several days without worry, the only problem is the egg collection which you want to keep up with. Perhaps a neighbor can be coaxed into doing this in exchange for eggs collected. The main reason being you don't want your hens to get broody, but also the eggs can spoil....a big however here...fresh eggs shouldn't be washed, they have a protective layer that will keep them for many days out at room temp (actually unless it is very hot, we keep a dozen on the counter all the time).

You rotten SOB's... you're actually getting me started thinking about getting chickens...

SWMBO said no to the goat for making cheese... maybe I could talk her into chickens though...

Here are some of the members of the Shire:

Coincidentally, the Muscovy duck peeps just hatched about two days ago. What really amazed me is I watched these peeps, a mere two to three days old jump up on top of a log that was over double their height! I couldn't believe it.

We'll I have my veg and beer taken care of, I'm about to start on cheese so the eggs are next.
I'd love a few goats but I don't have any land!

my yard

I've never heard the term "Chicken Tractor" I'll go look it up.

Sir Humpsalot said:

You rotten SOB's... you're actually getting me started thinking about getting chickens...

SWMBO said no to the goat for making cheese... maybe I could talk her into chickens though...

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They are a minimal effort project. There is NOTHING like getting fresh eggs. And if you do it right, you don't need terribly much room. They do require care though, which does tie you more to home and can be an inconvenience if you spend long amounts of time away from home often.

Wow... I just remembered something from my childhood that I don't think I've thought about for 20 years......

I grew up in Chicago. My mom never bought eggs at the grocery store. We had an "egg lady" who drove around in a beat up old station wagon and sold eggs out of the back...

Wow... I can't believe i just remembered that. I'm gonna have to ask mom about that....

My friend Clive (originally from England ) has chickens in town. He gets around the ordinances by saying they are pets. Although they are not loud, Roosters do crow obviously, but when a hen lays an egg usually she wants the whole world to know . So perhaps look into if there are breeds that tend to be more quiet than others...I do not know.

Orf, you could thing about building something up on stilts up against the back fence (or snuggle it up against the shed in and build it in the same style) and maybe a very short nice fence around the grass area. They can fly obviously, but normally don't so a short fence would work, and if it doesn't you can trim the wing feathers to keep them grounded. That way you can let them wander around and peck bugs and grass from time to time. If you handle them from when they are young they will become quite tame.

Consider buying this book it will tell you all you need to know and then some.

Just thinking about the flying part. I have a branch in my coop (actually two thick branches) as the chickens fly up to roost every night. It's funny to go in and see them all lined up next to each other. Since your yard has a high fence, about the only thing you'd need to worry about is an occasional Hawk if you have them near you, unless you have a dog. So what I am getting at is there are many designs you can consider. For the egg nests in my coop what I did was on the outside of the wall I attached some old cabinets which I cut a hole on each shelf level on the back. This way it can be accessed without physically going into the coop. If you attached to the shed you can possibly consider something similar. You have great flexibility though as all they really need is shelter and a place to lay. If you have the unction to do so, you could even consider running a water line out to them and set up an automatic waterer. That would be the cat's meow. Just make sure then that the coop stays above freezing or you have some method of preventing freezing.

Great Advice.

I like the stilts idea but I probably build it in brick and use underneath for storage.
I have a watering system for the plants that I can tap into.

Oh, one other thing is the floor should be easy to clean. I have a concrete floor over which I put bedding, which can be leaves, straw, etc. They like to scratch in it and in the Spring I replace it and all that nice fertilizer goes into the compost pile or as mulch for Nitrogen loving plants. (Never use fresh Manure on plants, it will burn them)

I let my hens out to scratch but in the evening after they have laid, otherwise you get to have an Easter egg hunt without the Easter part

A chicken tractor is merely a cage on wheels. You move it about the yard or garden once a week or so. It sounds like a good idea, but the people I know that have tried it switched to a fixed coop.

david_42 said:

A chicken tractor is merely a cage on wheels. You move it about the yard or garden once a week or so. It sounds like a good idea, but the people I know that have tried it switched to a fixed coop.

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Why would you want to move it around? So the chickens get to broaden their horizons?

I haven't read the whole thread, but I have some personal experience with chickens.

We live in an apartment complex, and the "next door neighbors" had chickens when the area was annexed and they got their chickens grandfathered in. It is a NIGHTMARE to deal with them. I know it's mostly the roosters making noise, but you wouldn't believe the racket when the birds get worked up. It might not bother you, but your neighbors will surely hate you for them.

When I was a wee one, we had some acreage, and my mom got ducks. They're fairly quiet(in terms of volume), and don't make noises nearly as unpleasant as chickens. I personally think they're cuter too. Their eggs have slightly thicker shells(stronger) and the yolk is a richer yellow color. The flavor is very similar to chicken eggs, but it just seems a little... better. Size is similar as well. You may want to look into ducks, although the females tend to be a little more ornery than males. Both of our males let us pick them up and pet them, the females bit and ran away more.

paulthenurse said:

Why would you want to move it around? So the chickens get to broaden their horizons?

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It gives them a new place to pick around for food, and a new place to fertilize.

Do ducks lay at the same rate as chickens?

orfy said:

Do ducks lay at the same rate as chickens?

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I have no idea. We never had chickens.

Around one a day I believe.

Yeah the whole rooster thing.... Well my cousin in Napa, who I spent two nights with last month has chickens and a few roosters. Those damn things are the most annoying thing on this earth. Sun up to sun down they crow. You go out and see what the hell their problem is, and it's just that their a big bad ass rooster and need to tell everyone how bad-ass they are. One of the ****ers charged me and I ended up just kicking the **** out of it as I backed away. I was afraid I was going to hurt it, but you know roosters.

In short, if my neighbor bought chickens, I'd be out there with the .22 the next day.

z987k said:

Yeah the whole rooster thing.... Well my cousin in Napa, who I spent two nights with last month has chickens and a few roosters. Those damn things are the most annoying thing on this earth. Sun up to sun down they crow. You go out and see what the hell their problem is, and it's just that their a big bad ass rooster and need to tell everyone how bad-ass they are. One of the ****ers charged me and I ended up just kicking the **** out of it as I backed away. I was afraid I was going to hurt it, but you know roosters.

In short, if my neighbor bought chickens, I'd be out there with the .22 the next day.

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I've been considering going out on the second floor staircase with my boyfriend's modified airsoft sniper rifle. I hate those F-ing things so much!

BIL saved a Red from the axe after the County Fair 2 years ago, for like 10 bucks. Then they got about 10 Red layers. Then he bought some fancy looking chicks. Then he turned into the Chicken Man, and built a huge retro coop, with actual antique doors and windows. Heats it some in winter (Michigan) but they still slow down. Thin brown shells and weak yolks, really yellow-almost an orange color yolks.

Seems like an incredible pain in the azz to me, but he doesn't drink or anything, so, you know....it's like his only real hobby.

No rooster so no noise.
Lots of things I do others would consider a pain in the ass like growing my own food and making my own beer.

orfy said:

Do ducks lay at the same rate as chickens?

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Khaki Campbells will outlay a chicken. But, Ducks are much more messy. They drink a lot of water and are very sloppy. But it all depends on what quality of life you want to give them. You could pen them up, but personally if animals don't have at least some space that invites disease, stress and other problems. Duck eggs are fantastic though.

As for the noise, yes the Rooster is responsible for most of it. I keep one Rooster. He is great, and doesn't crow until daybreak. He does not crow the entire day, only on occasion. And he is very very gentle, except to any other Rooster that would come into his territory. So not all of them are the same.

Okay. I'm ready to go for it.
I have to build the coup. I've decided on Rhode Island reds.
The lay at around 2/3 the rate of a hybrid/bantam layer but keep going for years longer.
I've found a local supplier who can give me good advice and I've found a local foood supplier.

Good deal orf. My hens are a mixed breed, partially descended from Rhode Island Reds and I am very happy with them.

I'm suprised you guys like duck eggs. My wife had ducks for a while and neither of us cared for the taste of the eggs. They always seemed "off" and just weren't as tasty as chicken eggs. She's been dying to get chickens and I'm warming up. I'm getting into the whole homesteading idea and having farm fresh eggs would be pretty nice.

if you find you have weak shells add oyster shell to their feed.

http://msucares.com/poultry/feeds/poultry_thin_shells.html

also check this site out. I have thought about getting some but really dont have time.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/coops/kim_tulsa.html

Good for you, Orfy. I have been keeping broiler birds for years now. Chickens and turkeys. Personally I have never found the layers to be worth the effort. It's just too damn cold in the winter here so between their water freezing and the massive condensation build up in the building I found it just wasn't worth the work it took for a few eggs. If they are stressed even a little bit they simply stop laying for awhile and you get nothing for your work. Keep them happy. As long as the building is just above freezing and the water is liquid you should be good.

I like the look of this

You've got a fairly small back yard, Orfy, why don't you just contain the whole area for them? If they're fed well, they won't attack established vegetation. In fact, well fed chickens don't really make any attempt at all to leave their enclosure.

I don't want to sound offensive, but have you considered the possibility you might have to kill and dress one or more of the birds? Unless you're in an agricultural area even the vet may look at you like you're the new local kook if you bring a pet chicken in for treatment. It's part of the experience/responsibility.

No go on containing the full area, I have 2 dogs and also don't want chicken poop around the place. Unless I put a roof on the full yard there is a risk of cats and worse.

As for killing then I have hunted pheasant so yeh, it's part of life. Because I'm not raising them from chucks then they are a little expensive for table birds.

Damonic said:

I'm suprised you guys like duck eggs. My wife had ducks for a while and neither of us cared for the taste of the eggs. They always seemed "off" and just weren't as tasty as chicken eggs. She's been dying to get chickens and I'm warming up. I'm getting into the whole homesteading idea and having farm fresh eggs would be pretty nice.

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People have told me that Duck eggs were odd, I am beginning to think that the eggs from the Muscovy may be starkly different from the eggs produced by the descendants of Mallards. I gave my brother a perfectly hardboiled egg, you know where the yolk is just set and still the color when it is raw (not chalky yellow), and he said it was the best egg he has ever had in his life. I concur

It's a start .

Lookin good Orf. Before you know it, you'll be pulling in those beautiful eggs. I really think Eggs are one of my most favorite foods.

I just about finished it this weekend.

I just need to add some perches and I think I'm done.
I'll probably pick the chucks up next week end.

orfy said:

I just about finished it this weekend.

I just need to add some perches and I think I'm done.
I'll probably pick the chucks up next week end.

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Liar.

If that were true, you would've posted pictures.