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interested in learning about raising chickens?

I just jumped in with both feet last spring. It might be nice o goto the lecture to see what I could of done better.

I will say this: Chickens are pretty easy. Good luck with your future flock!
 
I've always wanted to raise them but I'm chicken. Actually my city won't allow them. Just one more reason to get out of this God forsaken state.
 
mass said:
I've always wanted to raise them but I'm chicken. Actually my city won't allow them. Just one more reason to get out of this God forsaken state.
Click to expand...

THIS!! I've got almost an acre and my city won't allow them. I even put it to the folks running for City Council this last election. The overwhelming reply was: "They're too loud and too dirty\smelly and I wouldn't want it next to my house."

I guess all the time they've spent actually raising chickens is what they based their responses on [rolleyes]
 
RLBreton said:
THIS!! I've got almost an acre and my city won't allow them. I even put it to the folks running for City Council this last election. The overwhelming reply was: "They're too loud and too dirty\smelly and I wouldn't want it next to my house." I guess all the time they've spent actually raising chickens is what they based their responses on [rolleyes]
Click to expand...

Lowell city council members don't listen anymore... If were you and I met for the decapAturtle hand off is where you live then that is the perfect area for chickens! And I think there may be a few houses out that way with chickens. I do not consider that part of Lowell..

That's just my opinion..
 
I'd like to go but I can't get out of work without a bit more notice. We got some chickens in the fall. So far they are pretty easy but I'm sure I would learn a lot.
 
thats some major league BS......city's dictating what you do on your property...they can FOAD....if i didnt travel so much I would have some..my neighbors wouldnt care..put them in a shed..
 
RichLec said:
Lowell city council members don't listen anymore... If were you and I met for the decapAturtle hand off is where you live then that is the perfect area for chickens! And I think there may be a few houses out that way with chickens. I do not consider that part of Lowell..

That's just my opinion..
Click to expand...

Yup--that's my neighborhood. Infuriating.
 
my towns bylaw states that any building housing livestock IE chickens must be located fifty feet from the property line, making it a tight fit in my yard. would a small coop only large enough for a few chickens be considered a building
 
Raising chickens for eggs is fun and easy. Spend the time and money to make sure your hen house and coop are predator proof.

Also have a realistic plan on what to do 2-3 years from now when they stop laying. Old chickens that are not laying will become a burden. They can live for a long time. I suggest a nice soup in the crockpot simmer on low for 12 hours.
 
mass said:
I've always wanted to raise them but I'm chicken. Actually my city won't allow them. Just one more reason to get out of this God forsaken state.
Click to expand...
free range them and say they are wild and technically not yours.
 
I do not know much about chickens but i didnt know they stopped laying after 2-3 years....thats whee I would be a sucky chicken owner because I would get attached to them and couldn't make soup out of them haha
 
brew3x said:
my towns bylaw states that any building housing livestock IE chickens must be located fifty feet from the property line, making it a tight fit in my yard. would a small coop only large enough for a few chickens be considered a building
Click to expand...
House them in a movable chicken tractor and voila, not a building.
MAGG said:
I do not know much about chickens but i didnt know they stopped laying after 2-3 years....thats whee I would be a sucky chicken owner because I would get attached to them and couldn't make soup out of them haha
Click to expand...
Ya just got to give them the right names, like Cacciatore, Grilled, Fried, Parmesan ...
 
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I am starting this spring. I am in the process of building a 6x8 coop on 6x6 skids so I can move it with the bobcat.

I have done quite a bit of reading and it seems pretty easy. Feed them water them when they stop laying eat them. One thing to consider. Some birds are better for eating and some are better egg layers. I plan on mixing it up with good eggers and good eaters.
 
Buckhunter156 said:
I am starting this spring. I am in the process of building a 6x8 coop on 6x6 skids so I can move it with the bobcat.

I have done quite a bit of reading and it seems pretty easy. Feed them water them when they stop laying eat them. One thing to consider. Some birds are better for eating and some are better egg layers. I plan on mixing it up with good eggers and good eaters.
Click to expand...


Some birds are dual purpose. We have 2 Salmon Faverolles.. Nice birds. Good layers. One of ours layed clear into Dec and was the first to start up a few weeks ago. Her sister just started laying around that time. We didn't add lights to keep them laying. It was a short break and we don't want to wear them out.

We have one brown leghorn. Good layer but a high strung nasty bird. DH says she is going in the pot first.
 
brew3x said:
my towns bylaw states that any building housing livestock IE chickens must be located fifty feet from the property line, making it a tight fit in my yard. would a small coop only large enough for a few chickens be considered a building
Click to expand...

See my chicken tractor here. Has two wheels in rear and I just lift the front with a hand truck and move it around:

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/236705-Anybody-in-the-south-shore-raise-chickens/page2?highlight=chickens
 
I went thru all this last year with some mad home grown tech and the first thing I got rid of was the moving coop. Too heavy and too small a footprint. If I had 3 chickens and a 1/4 acre it might have fared better...
 
Buckhunter156 said:
I am starting this spring. I am in the process of building a 6x8 coop on 6x6 skids so I can move it with the bobcat.

I have done quite a bit of reading and it seems pretty easy. Feed them water them when they stop laying eat them. One thing to consider. Some birds are better for eating and some are better egg layers. I plan on mixing it up with good eggers and good eaters.
Click to expand...

They are good to eat at 12-16 weeks before they start laying. Once they start laying they are soup stock not meat birds. Too tough and not that good tasting.

When they molt (stop laying) wait it out. They start again. When they start the eggs will be bigger and slightly less frequent but it is worth it. They restart sooner than getting all new chicks and waiting for them to start laying.

Layers are layers until they die of natural causes (includes predators). Meat birds you buy for that purpose and harvest at the optimal age. An occasional layer for soup is fine, but cycling the whole lot of them when they molt you will find to be highly inefficient and unsatisfying.

Also, just let them free range and lock the up at night. In the long run it works best for all.

20 years doing this and counting...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
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I've been raising chickens for about 20 years and they are like rats with wings. They will eat just about everything that goes into your compost bucket except onion skins and coffee grounds. Very easy to raise. .... FYI, fresh eggs from the coop will keep for months on the kitchen counter if you don't wash or refrigerate them. I teach this stuff where I work. If theres an interest, I would be willing to lead a "raising chickens" class at my farm in W. Brookfield.
 
mousegunguy said:
I've been raising chickens for about 20 years and they are like rats with wings. They will eat just about everything that goes into your compost bucket except onion skins and coffee grounds. Very easy to raise. .... FYI, fresh eggs from the coop will keep for months on the kitchen counter if you don't wash or refrigerate them. I teach this stuff where I work. If theres an interest, I would be willing to lead a "raising chickens" class at my farm in W. Brookfield.
Click to expand...

Good point to make. DONT WASH YOU EGGS. They naturally resist bacteria. Washing removes that.

Coffee, tea bags, citrus. That is our compost list as opposed to chicken food list. And take a "doggy" bag from every restaurant you eat at with anything the chickens might eat...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
[QUOTE We didn't add lights to keep them laying. It was a short break and we don't want to wear them out.
[/QUOTE]
So you know, the wrong light cycle can induce them to molt (drop some of their feathers), not a good thing in the winter.
 
mousegunguy said:
[QUOTE We didn't add lights to keep them laying. It was a short break and we don't want to wear them out.

So you know, the wrong light cycle can induce them to molt (drop some of their feathers), not a good thing in the winter.
Click to expand...

We free range and lock them up at night. When locked up there is a 60watt bulb on at all times.

They don't wear out :)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

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