Chickens, and things related

[Tororider]

I am interested in getting some chickens at some point in the future and I have questions that I figure I can get answered by all the genuii (plural of genius?) on TBN.

Here is what I can come up with, and feel free to answer questions I don't know that I need to ask yet.

Looking for good coop/house plans, pictures, suggestions. I have seen people talking about using 5 gal buckets for laying, and would love pics.

Good types of chickens, I am thinking Buff Orpingtons bc of their good egg/meat combo. Maybe some aracuanas, as they seem to be cool looking and lay colored eggs.

How often you need to check in on them? I don't live on the property, I will be out there more this summer, but wondering if in the winter only checking on them a few times a week would work.

How long they lay for, agewise, 2-3 years?

Buying pullets seems to make the most sense as I can get eggs immediately, am I wrong?

Debeaking, does it make sense? I will be having my children help out with the chickens and I have read that buffs are docile but as long as it isn't bad for the chickens is there any downside to it?

Like I said feel free to let me know what I should know, and please post pics of coops, henhouses, debeaked chickens, chickens in general, and eggs.

Thanks, and look forward to all your help.

 

[JESSE1]

Chickens need to be put up in a coop at night to protect them from predators. I'd say if you're only going to check in on them a few times a week you won't have chickens very long. I have a large number of geese and I put them up in a pen at night, even though I keep donkeys with them when they're out. Otherwise, coyotes and other varmints will have a feast.

 

[ALBALD1]

Backyard Chickens - Message Board - Yuku

Start there. You can learn everything you need to know there.

 

[Tororider]

I was planning on keeping the enclosed full time. Either in a chicken tractor or in a coop with an enclosed run attached to it. Yeah, we have a bunch of coyotes from what I have been told so I am planning on the pen being fully enclosed. This would mean that I would be using feeders and waterers.

Which brings up another question, if only checking say every other day, would waterers and feeders be fine?

Thanks

 

[JESSE1]

Do you have a way to keep the water from freezing? Putting out water and feed for a few days shouldn't be a problem. I wonder if freezing would hurt the quality of the eggs.
My Grandmother used to have a large chicken yard. She never bothered about debeaking the chickens. As long as they have enough room the roam around they probably won't bother each other, unless one of them is hurt and they WILL start pecking at a wound. They can still peck you if they're debeaked but it won't hurt too much. The main problem is if you have a rooster, they can be mean. They also have spurs!

 

[Tororider]

I was only thinking of having hens, unless there is a good reason for a rooster.

The debeaking was so pecking at my kids, ok really me, wouldn't sting as much.

 

[JESSE1]

Granny used to make chicken and dumplins out of the chickens that had an attitude. If you want to get pecked, let a hen goose get ahold of you. They tend to grab hold and twist. They also have small sawteeth. It'll leave a mark.

 

[shvl73]

Chickens need water, I can't see how you'd keep it from freezing unless you have electricity on site. Debeaking shouldn't be needed. Chickens are somewhat docile, unless you have a rooster, even then, they aren't that big a deal.

 

[davitk]

Buff Orpingtons and Americaunas a two of our favorites!

 

[Tororider]

We have electricity, so we could use a warmer and insulatethe house/coop.

davitk, do you find that they produce eggs year round? We are in the same climate. Do the eggs of the americaunas taste any different? Probably a dumb question, but one will never know until he asks. Thanks

 

[deere755]

Chickens need to be in a coop at night locked up tight. We had a coon or coyote or something dig a hole under the fence and two hens in one evening. We now lock them up in a secure coop ( building ) every evening. I really like the Rhode Island reds as far as breeds go.

 

[davitk]

They will lay in the cold, but not as often. Check for eggs several times a day so they don't freeze. We have an electic plate that keeps the waterer from freezing, and a heat lamp for the chickens that need it. If I remember correctly, Ameracaunas and Orpingtons are cold hardy and should be OK. We just got lazy this year and put them in the freezer early.

The green eggs from the Americaunas are a big hit, everybody loves them and no, the flavor is not unique. Just the color of the shell.

Oh, and a rooster makes a good watch dog, sounds the alarm when a hawk is in the area.

 

[schmism]

my coupe

Sep 2007

 

[Bill Barrett]

Nice coop
http://www.backyardchickens.com/coops/nestingbox.
More good info

 

[Bill Barrett]

Door from outside to get to eggs, clean roosts, feed and water, with out getting in coop looks like a good idea.
Ron & Roxie's Coop - Back Yard Chickens

 

[davitk]

Here's how we built our chicken house (notice the slave labor )

[url]http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa93/davitk/DSCN3312-2.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa93/davitk/DSCN3317.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa93/davitk/DSCN3655.jpg[/url]

 

[davitk]

25 day old "peeps" safely arrived via US Postal Service

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa93/davitk/DSCN2563.jpg

Transfered to brooder

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa93/davitk/DSCN2581.jpg

Putting some meat on

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa93/davitk/DSCN2736.jpg

First egg of the season (I believe it was a green Americauna)

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa93/davitk/DSCN3695.jpg

Adult Cucko Moran, lays chocolated colored (not flavored - rats!!) eggs

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa93/davitk/DSCN3668.jpg

 

[deereman64]

I have been very tempted to raise a few chickens and if I did I would import the eglu from the UK.

Omlet UK | Our fantastic chicken house and rabbit hutch the eglu! | Keeping chickens and keeping rabbits

It looks a great set up, but I have been reluctant because of the threat of avian flu. I would hate to be the source of the infection that wiped out humanity. Rooster growing at 5 am is all very well, kind of rustic, but the plague....

 

[MLinOleMiss]

Here's my two older coops, just built two new ones, a little bigger.

 

[Soundguy]

If you only check in on them every few days, don't worry about eggs.. those really need to be collected daily.

If unatended, Use chicken wire and wire thm in a LARGE area for them to forage and then put avairy netting over the top to keep owls and hawks out.

You can keep roosters in seperate pens or leave them in the coop.. if you leave them in the coop.. limit yourself to a couple roosters or there will be lots of fighting. Downside of the roosters inthe coop is fertalized eggs... not a big deal... upside is you will get more chickens.

make a place for them to get off the ground and roost.

I use cat litter pails turned ontheir side for laying boxes, and the hens take to it immediatly.

Get some 40 # hanging feeders and suspend an inch of fthe ground, and get a cover for it with an overhand to keep it dry.

make sure they have either a auto waterer hooked up to a hose, or a hanging 10-20g water ( moro for more chix ). If you get chix.. get the chix feeders and waterers... etc.

Layer pellets yeild less waste than crumbles.. though cost a few cents more. scratch grains are expensive.. though t he chix like it as a treat.. cracked corn is cheaper oyster shell needs to be available.. though you can also recycle your old egg shells. as you use an egg, wash the empty shell and let it dry... dump the egg shells inthe pen.. the chix will dive in.

I like rhode isle red for large chickens and brown eggs.. but sexlinks are more docile and nearly as big.

De-beak? not for a small time grower. if you got thousands.. yeah.. helps with canibilazation.. etc..

soundguy