Backyard Chicken raising snusers?

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

This guy up the street from me makes chicken coops and sells them. I'm seriously thinking about getting one from him. I've never raised chickens before, but I've been researching it lately and pretty close to pulling the trigger.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/grd/1923661915.html

Yeah, I could make my own, but time is money and he's super local and makes a good product from what I've read. Not really looking for comments on why I should make my own or buy another product, but more interested in hearing from people who have raised chickens for eggs and how it went. Was it fun, did it take up too much time, issues/problems, etc.

I'll have to keep them in the coop/run most of the time because of hawks, and serious lockdown at night because of the racoons, but I think I would rather have some chickens instead of some other pet like a cat or dog.

So any snusing chicken raisers on here

[Premium Parrots]

well.........I raise birds but not exactly chickens



those coups are kinda cute and perfect for a small hobbiest.

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

Yeah, I don't think I would want more than 3-5 chickens just as a hobby...

[Premium Parrots]

Yeah, I don't think I would want more than 3-5 chickens just as a hobby...

I call bullshit!!



tell the truth bud........you just want them for the sex



make sure you get a black one. Texasmade always says "once you go black you never go back".
Let us know if hes right about that

[lxskllr]

Do you have room to let them roam a bit? That'll make healthier, happier chickens, but it might piss your neighbors off if they're too close.

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

I call bullshit!!



tell the truth bud........you just want them for the sex

Actually I already have some special favorites I rent for that, so no these are different...

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

Do you have room to let them roam a bit? That'll make healthier, happier chickens, but it might piss your neighbors off if they're too close.

I could let them roam, but there are hawks around. Was thinking I could let them out for an hour in the morning and again after work. I might fence off the back part of the yard for them to roam without messing with my entire garden.

I'll clear it with the neighbors as well, but it's just hens allowed, so I don't think anyone would care.

[lxskllr]

They shouldn't hurt your garden. They'll do a bit of digging, but they pretty much just eat bugs when they're out.

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

They shouldn't hurt your garden. They'll do a bit of digging, but they pretty much just eat bugs when they're out.

From what I've read, they are garden wrecking machines. I don't want them eating all my veggies and baccy plants But yeah, if they are only out while I'm around it would probably be free roaming.

[ChaoticGemini]

I actually had several different groups of pet chickens growing up. Rhode Island Reds were my favorite. They were prettier and seemed to have more docile temperaments. At most we would have 6 chickens at a time. We didn't have a huge yard, but they were let out to wander in the warm months. After the first few times of my mom yelling at them, they learned to stay in the yard (other than the one that liked to try to sneak in to the house). Now, mine had a coop with an attached area enclosed in chicken wire about 4 times the length and 2 times the width of the coop, so when they didn't wander the yard, they were there. I remember winter being the biggest pain, since we were in northern MI, they had to have their water heated and occasionally the coop heat light on. Then, I would also have to bundle up in a snowsuit to go get the damn eggs since they were my pets and would not let anyone else remove their eggs without a serious bout of pecking and squawking.
They aren't 100% certain their sex when you get them as chicks and I remember getting a rooster once. He was a mean one. My dad tells people it was the best yard dog he ever had since it would go crazy and attack anyone that didn't belong. Needless to say, he didn't live long and he was how I found out that chickens can run for a long time with no head. My mom claims the chickens were the cheapest psychologist anyone could buy because when I was really young, I would get upset and she would find me on the swing holding a chicken and telling it all my problems.
Not sure if that's what you're looking for, but those are my first thoughts when you mention raising chickens.

[Premium Parrots]

I actually had several different groups of pet chickens growing up. Rhode Island Reds were my favorite. They were prettier and seemed to have more docile temperaments. At most we would have 6 chickens at a time. We didn't have a huge yard, but they were let out to wander in the warm months. After the first few times of my mom yelling at them, they learned to stay in the yard (other than the one that liked to try to sneak in to the house). Now, mine had a coop with an attached area enclosed in chicken wire about 4 times the length and 2 times the width of the coop, so when they didn't wander the yard, they were there. I remember winter being the biggest pain, since we were in northern MI, they had to have their water heated and occasionally the coop heat light on. Then, I would also have to bundle up in a snowsuit to go get the damn eggs since they were my pets and would not let anyone else remove their eggs without a serious bout of pecking and squawking.
They aren't 100% certain their sex when you get them as chicks and I remember getting a rooster once. He was a mean one. My dad tells people it was the best yard dog he ever had since it would go crazy and attack anyone that didn't belong. Needless to say, he didn't live long and he was how I found out that chickens can run for a long time with no head. My mom claims the chickens were the cheapest psychologist anyone could buy because when I was really young, I would get upset and she would find me on the swing holding a chicken and telling it all my problems.
Not sure if that's what you're looking for, but those are my first thoughts when you mention raising chickens.

ahhh.......the truth comes out.


feel better now?

[snusgetter]

... http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/grd/1923661915.html
...

...
those coups are kinda cute and perfect for a small hobbiest.

~
~...WTF!

Curious to see what those kinda cute coops are like, but when I clicked on the link I got:

"This posting has been flagged for removal

(The title on the listings page will be removed in just a few minutes.)"


Wassup wid dat??

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

If the link doesn't work for you just google Zen Hen Pen.

[NonServiam]

I live in the country so I don't have to worry about neighbors. But I do have chickens. I also bought five baby guinea fowl this weekend. Mainly bought them for my young daughter, but I think I enjoy them more than her.

I started with 7 chickens, I was lucky enough to have also picked out a rooster. It's pretty much a guessing game at the place I buy them from. One chick died very early because I did not have a heat lamp in the coop (lesson learned). You can either buy a brooding lamp (cheap, about 15 bucks with the infrared bulb) or use a drop light and make an aluminum foil reflective shield just above it. I recommend the brooding lamp and an infrared bulb with the red lens (not clear) so the chicks can get to sleep easier. All kinds of things to check on with the heat lamp. Chicks too hot, chicks too cold, etc... The internet will help you there.

I lost another chicken to a raccoon when I did not close the door on their coop one night. Even with the 6 foot high chain link fence, it's no match for crafty varmints. I bought black sexlinks. Happy with them so far. I picked up two Bantams this weekend to replace the two I lost, but now I'm having second thoughts as I read that Bantams are a smaller breed and it takes 2-3 of their eggs to equal one regular egg (oh well).

As far as your garden goes, yeah they will probably destroy it. My chickens love to eat vegetation, old produce, etc... There is not a blade of grass anywhere near their fenced in coop. I let them out during the day just inside their fenced area. The area is small enough to help prevent a hawk from swooping in on them. Occasionally I will let them out completely, but I stay close by and keep an eye out for hawks. Then I herd them back into their coop.

Chickens are a lot of fun, and it's addictive. I may have to add on to my coop! If you decide to get chickens, and ever have any questions, feel free to message me. I'm only about 6 months into this venture, but I'll answer your questions if I can.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgnh1zg7ULI

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

Thanks for the feedback so far everyone! I'm gonna run it by the landlord (yeah I'm a renter) today. I don't think he'll care, but I want to make sure he's not gonna start re-doing the yard soon or anything. The one thing I'm a little worried about is how much and how constant the noise will be. I've read hens aren't that noisy, but I should probably hang out with someone else's hens before I commit.