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Chickens WTH ?

RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,031 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Non Cigar Related
So I get home and my wife keeps talking about chickens and how cool it would be to have a few.( roll my eyes) Then last night she tells me she bought "The cutest chicken coop" that of coarse I got to put together.
So I'm wondering if anyone here keeps them? If so how much does it cost to feed say 4 of the buggers. And what other expenses I can expect.

Comments

  • jj20030jj20030 Posts: 5,804 ✭✭✭✭✭
    my sister has a mess of them with a rooster and 2 coops , lost a couple to the hawk that hangs around and snakes that like the eggs,lol, but she seems to just throw out a lil feed and let them peck around the yard and feed them all the leftovers, i think they eat most anything , all ask her
  • DirewolfDirewolf Posts: 3,493 ✭
    yeah just throw some cracked corn, and laying pellets and they take care of themselves. Youll like the eggs a hell of alot better
  • jj20030jj20030 Posts: 5,804 ✭✭✭✭✭
    btw, next you can start bee hives, i got some great honey from her, lol
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,031 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I got a buddy who keeps bees. He's got like 5 hives setup around town.
  • jj20030jj20030 Posts: 5,804 ✭✭✭✭✭
    my sister and her hubby have a grinder thang to get the honey, i love it and they say that honey made in your area will help with allergies if you eat a lil everyday or so, add to your ceral, coffee, etc
  • Ken_LightKen_Light Posts: 3,537 ✭✭✭
    Look into registering as a farm. All you have to do is sell some eggs and keep records and you can get decent tax breaks. My ex-girlfriend's boss used to do it, but...well, who knows if that was legit. But definitely look into it.
    ^Troll: DO NOT FEED.
  • HeavyHeavy Posts: 1,591 ✭✭✭
    I say strap some spurs to their little legs and let em go to town. Probably better money in that than selling eggs, that is of course if you don't mind breaking the law ;-)
    And of course as long as you have a winner, like Little Jerry

    image
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    That's funny. How do you guys remember this stuff. I love Google.
  • taythegibstaythegibs Posts: 2,025 ✭
    Ken Light:
    Look into registering as a farm. All you have to do is sell some eggs and keep records and you can get decent tax breaks. My ex-girlfriend's boss used to do it, but...well, who knows if that was legit. But definitely look into it.
    my grandparents did that with goats but they ended up costing more than it was worth, now they have fruit trees and a mini vineyard... the neighbors have chickens and rabbits, they just give the chickens a bit of feed and have them roam around in a small pen.
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,031 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That's interesting. I'll have to look into it.
  • jj20030jj20030 Posts: 5,804 ✭✭✭✭✭
    sisters answer:

    4 chickens wouldn't cost that much to keep. I usually go to the feed store every 2 weeks to buy Laying granules, cracked corn and hen scratch. I buy the 40 or 50 lb bags which are about $12-$15 per bag. I also buy oyster shell or grit to put in their food. About $6 for a small bag of that. I also buy pine shavings and hay for the floor of the chicken house. We also feed the chickens kitchen scraps. I let mine free range in the yard which helps on the feed bill too, since they eat bugs. Takes about 5-6 months for the hens to start laying. He will need to buy a poultry waterer and feeder. That's about it. There are some good websites to check out. Go to www.mypetchicken.com or the www.chickenwhisperer.com. Also they are on Facebook. Lots of good info there. I also like Murray McMurray Hatcheries to order my chickens, but he can buy them at the feed store. If he doesn't want roosters, he needs to make sure not to buy straight run chickens, need to buy pullets. I have 29 hens and 1 rooster.
  • CvilleECvilleE Posts: 1,594 ✭✭✭
    jj20030:
    sisters answer: I have 29 hens and 1 rooster.
    That sounds like a happy Rooster!
  • CvilleECvilleE Posts: 1,594 ✭✭✭
    As a kid I grew up on a farm, chickens r easy to keep, but as jj said you have to watch for scavengers, and keep them off the road. I used to go to the neighbors and and shuck field corn with his old timey corn shucker. It just knocked the corn off the cob and that is what they eat (the corn kernel). They will pretty much eat the kernels off anything..we would put some in a metal bushel pail and scatter it around the the gravel road. Make sure you start a feeding call, so they know when it is feeding time. silly maybe (they had another for the cows that worked as well) but they knew when it was feeding time and they'd come running. They, free roaming, will peck around at bugs or any anything else and keep good...

    If you have to keep them in a pen without a top I suggest clipping the ends of their wing (feathers only) to keep them from flying out. I could keep going, but really they are easy to keep. Just make sure they have a place dark to roost at night, locked up from danger....PM me if you need anything else.....
  • DirewolfDirewolf Posts: 3,493 ✭
    If you live in city check and see if you are allowed a rooster. Some places have ordinances against roosters.
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,031 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanks for all the good info. The hens will be free 3 or 4 I'm thinking 3 because they will spend most of their time in the coop, but it does have an I closed area beneath it. My dogs will just love this. They will kill any animal they catch in their yard. Hope they get used to them.
  • JZJZ Posts: 827 ✭
    Do the Chickens have Large Talons?
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,031 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Their just some kind of laying hens, my wife's hair dresser is giving her. He's got about 40 of them.
  • DirewolfDirewolf Posts: 3,493 ✭
    Watch it be a bunch of guinea hens and you'll get attacked. lol
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