What do i need for chickens
 

want 5 or 6 chickens/laying hens for eggs...........in the city. What do I need? Can give them about 150-175 sf of yard.////partially shaded

Help

Re: What do i need for chickens
 

You need to read up on this and be certain your covenants/restrictions won't be a hassle. You have plenty of room for a chicken yard, but maybe you can let them roam your yard some of the time. Or do you live in a patio home or townhouse?

Re: What do i need for chickens
 

no covenants and on a 2 acre lot in the city...I can hide them pretty well; Just figured they would be pretty quiet with no rooster


Just want some really healthy eggs for me/wife/kid

Re: What do i need for chickens
 

Will they have access to grass?

You need feed, grit, and oyster shell. You can get it all at Farm and Fleet. Although the feed isn't organic, and I don't know who would sell it unless you made it yourself.

I give mine all table scrapes (no meat).

Make sure they have light if you want any eggs.

Keep a heat lamp on the chicks for a few weeks.

Just a few tips, any specific questions I will answer the best I can, but get your general info off the net.

Re: What do i need for chickens
 

Ok 4-5 chickens is just about right, different breeds produce differing amounts of eggs. I like the New Hampshire Reds and Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks are another traditional choice.

We've got about 1/3rd of an acre, in town, but unincorporated, the chickens have a fenced area about 15 x 20, and a 6 x 8 chickenhouse in the corner. The house is block wall on two sides, and frame and wire on the other two.

They need fresh watter, and will eat all of the weeds growing in whatever area you have them in, they like weeds, grass, table scraps, vegetable scraps etc. When they are little, you will want a lamp for warmth, we just use a standard drop lamp at one end of a small cage, that way the chicks can move closer or further away to set their own comfort level.

They start laying at about 18 weeks.

On 2 acres, you might need to consider the threat posed by coyotes and plan accordingly.

Re: What do i need for chickens
 

speckeled sussex they have been good egg providers good meat birds good
mothers and will forage well for themselves you will need to keep wings clipped and have no regard for where I think they should lay eggs.

Re: What do i need for chickens
 

We have two hens, which produce WAY more eggs than the three of us eat. They lay probably 12 per week. I have no idea what breed they are, maybe Rhode Island Red x Leghorn, but they lay a lot and the eggs are huge and tasty.

We got rid of all our roosters, as I haven't ever been able to raise a chic to maturity, with all the snakes, possums, coons, skunks, etc., etc. If you have chickens, they will come.

All in all, I'm happy with them, my 4 YO loves collecting the eggs and feeding, and the eggs are far more healthy than store bought, but we spend about the same amount on feed as if we bought eggs.

Re: What do i need for chickens
 

First you'll need a coop and an enclosed chicken run with easy access to muck out the litter. Two or three nesting boxes, and several wooden roosts.

A lot of people cage their birds, but it makes them stupid and prone to pecking each other, so the more space you give the better.

Make sure you build or place your coop on dry ground. No sitting puddles during or after rain. They don't tolerate wet cold drafts very well.

I'm raising a dozen chicks. They're almost seven weeks old right now. They're funny and friendly and curious little pluckers.

Just yesterday, my current favorite Auracana-ish bird, who I named Tool, and seems to have a very self assured, gentle disposition, pecked me right in the freaking eyeball. :rant:

Ouch! No permanent damage though... :wink:

Very entertaining and easy to care for once you get their house set up.

Hopefully, I'll be free ranging them once they grow up a bit, but I'm easing into it because there are five dogs and two cats sharing the farm.

Re: What do i need for chickens
 

Thanks alot for the good info

gracias

LV