Backyard Chicken raising snusers?

[NonServiam]

I've read hens aren't that noisy, but I should probably hang out with someone else's hens before I commit.

No, they don't make that much noise. Just their usual little clucking sound, which is pretty quiet. They do get a little noisy at night when they are settling in to roost, but the coop will help to quiet some of that. It's a shame you probably won't be able to have a rooster. There is just something really cool about listening to them crow. It makes me feel like I'm living in a Norman Rockwell painting or something.

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

Yeah roosters are illegal to keep where I live. I wish I lived in the country. Maybe someday...

[lxskllr]

Roosters rock. The place I've been doing house work at has chickens that come to visit every afternoon. They eat bugs, and take dirt baths, and the rooster comes with them. I like hearing the rooster crow. I'd much rather hear that than a stupid mouthy dog.

[NonServiam]

Roosters rock. The place I've been doing house work at has chickens that come to visit every afternoon. They eat bugs, and take dirt baths, and the rooster comes with them. I like hearing the rooster crow. I'd much rather hear that than a stupid mouthy dog.

Yeah, I like to watch them strut around the hens too. Roosters are the original pimps.

[WickedKitchen]

Geesh...all these guys talkin' about their cocks.

Sorry, credulous I know but I couldn't resist. I had a good friend in college and I hated sleeping at his house 'cos there was a rooster two houses down. That Foghorn Leghorn lookin' mothereffer would wake me at 5 frickin' 30 every time. I said I said I said I wanted to kill that damned bird. Now, being an adult I'd love to have some hens hanging around for eggs, and well...you know fricassee. Many people do in my town but I simply don't have the room for them now.

Want a laugh? Check out Ms. Peachez:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46s68pG9wa0

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

Well, the landlord is cool with the idea

[Bigblue1]

MMMMMM,,,,,, chicken

[Roo]

I'll throw my crappy two cents in. At my old house some new neighbors moved in and put a coup right by the fence we shared. I quickly realized that I ****ing hate live chickens. These hens were so loud all the time, squaking and flapping about constantly, mainly because of all the raccoons in the area I think. What was worse though, is that when the chickens showed up, I started to notice rats everwhere, which are rarely seen in Seattle at all. The upside of that was that the rats brought owls, which are also rarely seen, but far more badass than rats or chickens. Anyway, not trying to talk you out of it, just wanted to mention how obnoxious these things were and how much I hated my neighbors' guts after that. The coup was also a mere 8 feet from my open bedroom window in the Summer. Cockadoodle goddamn chickens! Good luck with your decision. Maybe get some owls instead

[Owens187]

I couldn't do it. I'd end up eating them all. :^/



I do luuuves me some fried chicken . . .

[WickedKitchen]

Any headway with the chickens?

Heh, I choke mine. -had to get that in there.

[ChaoticGemini]

Strange thought . . . What would happen if Mr. Snuffleupagus feeds PPs blue worms to his chickens?

[justintempler]

I'm going to throw a curve ball in here, instead of raising backyard chickens, I find backyard fish more interesting.

I've been researching hydroponics trying to figure out how to grow tobacco hydroponically and stumbled on aquaponics. Aquaponics is basically the marraige of aquaculture (the raising of fish) with hydroponics. The plants get all their fertilizer needs from the fish and in return the plants act as a biofilter and clean the water for the fish.

I'm a long way from doing anything with aquaponics but I'm going to start with hydroponics and at some point in the next five years I might grow into an aquaponic system.

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

Interesting idea JT! I watched the video on front page of that site and noticed a rooster crowing I'll read up more on the hydro and aquaponics when time allows.

For know I've been heavily consumed researching chickens. I think I've become obsessed with the idea. I'm trying to take it slow and trying to avoid jumping into it too fast. I need to do some more research and planning. I probably should wait until spring just to make the initial experience more fun and dry, but I might get some chickens sooner.

I'm leaning towards good egg layers primarily, but might go for dual purpose hens so I can get a decent meal if something goes wrong.

I'll keep you guys posted

[SNUS'r]

Nothing quite beats a home grown chicken on the grill or in a pot of soup. Growing up on a farm, we usually raised anywhere from 50 to 150. When I was in high school I got into raising geese, ducks, turkeys and pheasants in addition to the chickens. Geese are pretty cool, they can be very protective of their surroundings. I had one that disliked our Honda big red and it chewed the wiring all to hell. Needless to say, that goose met it's fate in the roaster pan.

We'd usually hang on to about a dozen layers through the winter. Provided eggs for the family.. The only thing I'd caution you on is that for some reason, skunks were attracted to our coop and usually found a way in and always managed to kill a few. The last few years my parents have been having issues with weasels and coyotes killing their birds (they are free range). We/they never had any problems with hawks.

[justintempler]

found a subforum on an aquaponic site about raising chickens...

http://www.aquaponicshq.com/forums/f...-MEAT-amp-EGGS