Raising Chickens

[Johnny B]

I didn’t see another thread regarding chicken raising so I started this one. It’s been a desire of mine to raise chickens for most of my adult life. I like the idea of being more self sufficient and having more control over what my family eats. My daughters love to hold and pet chickens (and at least for now, are excited about the responsibilities of owning chickens). My wife and I feel like it could be a win-win.

I’d love any feedback and to read any experience y’all may have. I plan on posting pictures and catalogue how things are going.

My first lesson learned is that it’s not a cheap endeavor. The cost of the chicks weren’t too bad… it’s all the stuff that’s required that adds up.

I’m going to continue to add to the list of things I’ve bought for future reference and to act as a potential guide for anyone who may be interested in getting into it.

1. Livestock trough (hatchling until 6-8 weeks)
2. Heat lamp.
3. PVC pipe to build a stand for the heat lamp.
4. Pine shavings
5. Self waterer
6. Feeder
7. Start and grow medicated feed
8. Chick boost probiotics

 

[Johnny B]

Day one at home.


It’s recommended to keep the temperature at 95 degrees for a couple weeks and taper the temperature down over 6-8 weeks before moving them to a coop. The pipe stand is helpful because it makes it easy to slide the heat lamp up, thus decreasing the temperature in the trough. Oh yeah, the chicks are 5-7 days old and are Barred Rocks and Marans.

 

[kann]

I think @SKYDIVNEKD has some experience with this.

 

[Not A Nice Person]

Well, there's time yet to start hammering! How's your carpentery?

Chicken Coop Plans



~Boar

 

[Pugman1943]

Have a local brother that does this and sells the extra eggs. You want a chat, let me know. He already had several and bought 48 hatchlings about 7 months ago, so he is in it for the long haul. I'll help you if I can.

 

[smellysell]

We've had chickens for years. Difference in taste from store bought eggs isn't even close.

 

[Johnny B]

Well, there's time yet to start hammering! How's your carpentery?

Chicken Coop Plans

View attachment 80723

~Boar

I like that style!

 

[Johnny B]

Have a local brother that does this and sells the extra eggs. You want a chat, let me know. He already had several and bought 48 hatchlings about 7 months ago, so he is in it for the long haul. I'll help you if I can.

Thanks! I’ll follow up with you.

 

[Thoughts]

I'm watching this. Always wanted chickens once we got settled with kids, but HOA doesn't allow farm animals...

 

[bfreebern]

I'm watching this. Always wanted chickens once we got settled with kids, but HOA doesn't allow farm animals...

They're pets, until they aren't!

 

[Johnny B]

They're pets, until they aren't!

We live in the city and can only have hens so we told our kids that the boy chickens turn into soup. We did buy pullets (sexed females) but there’s still a 10% chance of getting a male.

Also, the cost is stacking up… I’ve been pricing building materials…

 

[drunkfish3]

Want to do this also if I can talk wife into it. Hoa doesn't allow them yet but once we take it over from builder we should be able to ammend that. Biggest issue I see for me os setup cost. Coops are not cheap even building one get costly quick

 

[Johnny B]

Biggest issue I see for me os setup cost. Coops are not cheap even building one get costly quick

You’re not joking! If you’re building your home, it might be worth asking your contractor if he’d do it and wrap it into your home loan.

 

[drunkfish3]

You’re not joking! If you’re building your home, it might be worth asking your contractor if he’d do it and wrap it into your home loan.

Lol already moved in for about a year now.

 

[Not A Nice Person]

We live in the city and can only have hens so we told our kids that the boy chickens turn into soup. We did buy pullets (sexed females) but there’s still a 10% chance of getting a male.

Also, the cost is stacking up… I’ve been pricing building materials…

The basics are pretty simple.

You need a chicken wire enclosure tall enough for a door you can walk through, and an attached coop with nesting boxes you can access from the outside, for egg gathering.

There's plans out there in all price/skill ranges. Start with Mother Earth News or Rodale Press and you'll find something to suit.

Caveat: not an expert, but I spent a decade or more poring over homesteading guides. The closer I got to doing it, the more work it looked like it was going to be!

~Boar

 

[bfreebern]

We had chickens for 3 years, in the city limits. They were on the East side of our house, fenced off on 3 sides with a privacy fence and the side of the house. Got lucky and inherited a coop that needed to be fixed, which I did. We did buy 4 chicks from Atwoods and they all turned out to be 4 different chickens. Two big hens, one was black and one was red. One was white with feathered feet and the fourth one was tiny/gray and looked sort of like a dove/pigeon. They all laid different colored and sized eggs. It was a pretty cool experience.

We left town and our BIL watched, the dogs/chickens. Something got a hold of 2 chicken and separated their heads/feet from their body, which was missing. After that, we sold the coop and the remaining 2 chickens.

I've talked about getting more, but we'll see. I have my garden in that same area of the yard and thought about using them, as bug control.

 

[Johnny B]

Well, one of the chicks my daughters picked out was little and getting picked on by the other chicks at the feed store we purchased it from… while their hearts were in the right place, over the last couple days, it became apparent that the like gal wasn’t doing so well. Long story short, I had to, as @bfreebern eloquently put it, I had to “… separate its head from it’s body” today.

I’m a hunter and have taken lives of many animals, but it never gets easier.

Her markings made her look like a chipmunk and against my better judgement, I let my daughters name her.

R.I.P. Chippy

 

[kann]

I'm watching this. Always wanted chickens once we got settled with kids, but HOA doesn't allow farm animals...

They can't fight the ADA and your Emotional Support Chickens.

 

[SKYDIVNEKD]

@Johnny B congrats on jumping in with both feet. It’s a fun “hobby”, especially when the butt nuggets start dropping. .

We usually kept our chicks at 100* for the first few weeks. Not much diff than 95* though. If they get hot, they have plenty of room to move away from it. I like the trough you have em in. Plenty of room to grow.

If you ever hatch out babies, watch that water container. We had a lil one get stuck in it and drowned. Yers are old enough/strong enough not to get stuck. Baby chicks will sleep anywhere!!

Don’t forget to add a lil chick grit to their food source. Can’t remember exactly what age they start it. Helps with digestion.

Backyardchickens.com is a great resource. You’ll see some real “birds” post on that site, so take ‘em with a grain of salt. Ideas for low cost coops to high dollar suites on there, too. No need to get real fancy. Also, unless they are gonna stay inside of it at all times(meaning the inside four walls), you can get away with a smaller square footage than you’ll read. You can make a portable chicken wire and pvc pipe play coop you can drag around the yard. Just make sure they have a side shaded for the hot afternoon sun.

Have fun and feel free to ask questions. Enjoy.

Floyd T

 

[CigarStone]

This has been an entertaining thread!