Author Topic: Questions For You Chickenpeople (Read 25216 times)

Cindi · « **Reply #20 on:** November 08, 2009, 10:44:22 pm »

Kev, excellent advice for JP, especially getting HEALTHY chickens. I love the Chantecler breed. I've seen them. Another breed that I would love to begin breeding and most likely will, is the White Wyandotte. The same thing, the short pea comb (does Chantecler have a pea comb or rose, I'm not sure of that one), we have issues with frostbite too, smiling. Have a great and most awesome day, health. Cindi

Gena · « **Reply #21 on:** November 09, 2009, 12:42:05 am »

JP-
You may want more than 2 hens. Check the Market Bulletin at http://www.ldaf.state.la.us/portal/Portals/0/News/MarketBulletins/mb2009-10-22.pdft.
You'll need a place to secure them at night - so the creatures-of-the-night don't kill them..and they will all lay in the same spot. I'd say just get hens because they don't crow and aggravate the neighbors. Dogs are a menace.
As far as breeds - depend what you want. I love my Araucana's - they are very sweet and lay green eggs. And the Black Austrolaups are gorgeous and lay rich, brown eggs. The brown leghorns are good layers and escape from dogs and such.
There was a short article in Nat'l Geographic how "urban hens' are the next thing - and save them your scaps; they eat/recycle anything, especially their own egg shells. They love cat food.
I keep mine for years and years - I don't keep track of their production. Check out Nasco Ranch supply - they have these cute/trendy houses for chickens....Gena pm if you need something specific. They sell chicks at the feed stores you know.

JP · « **Reply #22 on:** November 10, 2009, 08:40:25 pm »

Thanks for the info everyone, y'all have given me lots to think about. Will let y'all know what and when I get my hens, with pics.

...JP

JP · « **Reply #23 on:** November 12, 2009, 08:06:51 pm »

Spoke with a really nice man today who had an ad in craigslist, brought to my attention by a friend. He has 15 week old americauna. I hear they lay blue/green eggs. He has some buffs also. I've been under the weather lately fighting a cold but may try to get by his place on Saturday/Sunday.

Soon to be a chickenperson! :catchchick: :-D

...JP

Natalie · « **Reply #24 on:** November 12, 2009, 11:45:39 pm »

Awesome Jp! you will love having chickens.
I have Americaunas and they do lay the colored eggs, that breed is a purebreed so the should really only be laying blue eggs but if they were crossed with any other type of chicken they they are called
Easter Eggers and they can lay blue, green or pink eggs as well.
They are really just barnyard mutts but they are gorgeous, no two in a hatch look alike, so many variations and then you get all the different colored eggs too.
From my experience that breed tends to lay a little later than some others.
I would get that hen but don't let her be alone for too long, chickens are flock animals and really need the company, she will get stressed and depressed and she won't lay at all.
As for the amount, I would get a minimum of 6 but and you can always add more.
Once your friends and family find out that you have hens they will all want fresh eggs and you won't be able to keep up.
I started with 6 and quickly added alot more.
It really depends on what size coop you are going to have for them. They need at least 3 square feet per chicken.
If you start out with layers and not chicks it can be a little bit of a hassle to integrate them, but they sort it out and will get use to each other eventually.
They all have their own personalities and are alot of fun to interact with and just hang out and watch their antics.

poka-bee · « **Reply #25 on:** November 12, 2009, 11:57:49 pm »

I can't wait for you to get chix too! I love my Easter Eggers. They are so varied in coloration & the tufts on the cheeks are cute! Mine are also very friendly & calm. One I named sneak tries to come in the house, sometimes she makes it! I have another I call eagle that follows me all over knowing she gets a special treat. You do need to get more than 1 though as they like being with other chix, maybe he will sell you a buff also! Next you will be getting muscovys!

Jody

JP · « **Reply #26 on:** November 13, 2009, 10:52:10 am »

My goal has always been to get at least two, but as of late I've been thinking of getting more than two, darn chicken bug! :-D

Its beginning to feel like Christmas! Bring on the chickens!

Thanks for the encouragement everyone!

Almost forgot, what chickenforums do y'all suggest? I have visited two backyard chicken forums. They are: http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/index.php
and
http://www.backyardchickens.com/

...JP

iddee · « **Reply #27 on:** November 13, 2009, 11:41:14 am »

Check out the livestock forum here, including the poultry and bee sections.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/

lenape13 · « **Reply #28 on:** November 13, 2009, 01:51:16 pm »

How about some pygmy goats next? They're like dogs, with horns.

Perhaps even a rabbit or two?

Hey, if your gonna have livestock, do it up right!

The more you have, the more enjoyment!

Good luck and have fun!

JP · « **Reply #29 on:** November 13, 2009, 04:37:41 pm »

Thanks for the link Iddee. Len, all this is practice for when we move to our country place. The goats, rabbits and even a cow or two will be in the plans, along with lots of chickens.

The guy I spoke with wife called, they wanted to know when I was coming by so they wouldn't miss me. Still under the weather, so the chickens will have to wait a few days or so. These nice people are holding them all for me to choose from, 17 in all, and are even removing the ad on craigslist, whoopee for me!

OK, so I'm definitely at 4 now in my mind, but who knows, I could come back with more? :shock:

Ooh the wife is gonna kill me. :-D She said, "Can we talk about this?"

Before I tell you what I told her, guys, hear me out now. Wives have good intentions and love to yap about things, anything, you know guys, they love to yap and yap and yap! We just wanna get 'er done, know whadda mean?????

Call me a male chauvinist, fine by me. I just wanna make a decision already. I have her and my best interest at heart. Really, I do.

So my answer was "My mind is made up and you'll just have to trust me, we're gonna be chicken people!"

...JP

iddee · « **Reply #30 on:** November 13, 2009, 04:46:50 pm »

>>>>She said, "Can we talk about this?" <<<<

You should have said..... "Sure, do you want to get 6, or a few more. Are you going to build the chicken house and lot, or will I have to help. Are we going to eat all the eggs, or incubate some of them to increase the flock? What do you want to talk about first?"

You should always include her in the plans... :-D :evil:

JP · « **Reply #31 on:** November 13, 2009, 04:50:00 pm »

Now Iddee, my wife is always included in my plans! :evil:

...JP

annette · « **Reply #32 on:** November 13, 2009, 04:59:58 pm »

OH JP!!! Yeah you are trying to turn a New York women into a farm girl. I would have said the same thing to my husband (can we talk about this???)

Look if she can accept the lizards, well I am sure she can accept the chickens.

Feel better and good luck and have fun

Annette

JP · « **Reply #33 on:** November 13, 2009, 05:10:37 pm »

You have to understand, my wife is a darling woman but is a legal secretary and the daughter of a New York firefighter. I've been under the weather and just wanna get some chickens, without talking it out half to death! :lol: Besides, she absolutely loves the way we eat now and she and I have both lost weight. And may I remind you folks, who the cook is in my house, Moi!

...JP

poka-bee · « **Reply #34 on:** November 13, 2009, 06:27:44 pm »

JP she will fall in love with them & be surprised at the different personalities they have. You guys will never have to throw anything edible in the disposal, garbage or compost pile! Chix will eat everything. Stale chips, cereal,bread? NP. Bits of meat & whatever shoved in the freezer. poof, made into eggs! Tupperware shoved in the back of the fridge you can't remember when, out it goes! Burnt toast, pancakes,gristle, they love to clean off steak bones. Lasagna cake or pie stuck to the pan? toss it out, they are better than dogs! Dog or cat hacked up something in the house? use a spatula & toss it out! Big hard things they will peck at & what they don't eat goes into compost pile. You guys will have a ball clearing out the fridge, freezer, pantry, drawers behind the sofa... :evil: I love my chix!

Jody

Natalie · « **Reply #35 on:** November 13, 2009, 07:06:21 pm »

JP, I am on the BYC forums as well. So is Ann (Reinbeau) in fact she is a moderator there.
Those links are for the same place, they have a ton of forums there.
Some of the people there though are not as.... hmmm, congenial as we are here.
Most are great but there are a few that can be over opinionated and they all talk about their chickens like they are their kids, I am so sick of hearing people say, my babies this or my babies that instead of chicks, or they call them teenagers instead of pullets, its weird to me.
Just letting you know so you don't get scared off because it is probably the best place you can go to for any kind of information about chickens that you will ever need.
I mostly hang out in the meatbird and turkey section as of late or I just scan the recent posts and jump in when I feel like it.
I am really happy to see you get hens.
If you think it through a little you can come up with a plan so that you can add more hens at certain intervals so that when the first group goes into a moult you have some new ones laying or you could end up with 20 hens that are all molting and not laying eggs for months.

JP · « **Reply #36 on:** November 13, 2009, 07:11:50 pm »

Jody, you have me cracking up over here! I know my wife will love the chickens. I think she just worries though whenever we add a new animal. Her main concern is where will they all fit when we have to evacuate come next hurricane. :-D Chickens can be replaced if they must. The dogs and the lizards and the frogs are coming with me!

On a sidenote I detest waxmoths but can't stop thinking about how much the chickens are gonna love 'em!

...JP

JP · « **Reply #37 on:** November 13, 2009, 07:14:21 pm »

Thanks Natalie. I have a lot to learn about chickens.

...JP

poka-bee · « **Reply #38 on:** November 13, 2009, 07:43:10 pm »

Hee hee, JP I just got a Far Side picture in my mind of you guys lookin like the Beverly Hillbillies on your way inland. Lizards & chix clinging to the luggage rack of the car...feathers flying behind...you do look a bit like Jed.. :evil: :evil: :-* :-D

JP · « **Reply #39 on:** November 13, 2009, 07:48:20 pm »

Quote from: poka-bee on November 13, 2009, 07:43:10 pm

Hee hee, JP I just got a Far Side picture in my mind of you guys lookin like the Beverly Hillbillies on your way inland. Lizards & chix clinging to the luggage rack of the car...feathers flying behind...you do look a bit like Jed.. :evil: :evil: :-* :-D

Now only if I could find that black gold! :-D

...JP