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chickens

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:33 pm
by Kevin
well i got some rhode island reds in november as chicks and we finally got 2 eggs this past sunday. then yesterday 3 eggs can't wait to
get 11 eggs in one day thats one from each. my kids have a blast with the chickens. the chickens are very funny they listen better
than my dog. and get just as excited when i return home.
ahh just felt like bragging a little
wondering if anyone else has young chickens
Kevin

Re: chickens

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:35 pm
by SONNY
Got these last October and they have been laying for quite a while!

Image

I call them "egg laying roosters" Thanks;sonny

Re: chickens

Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 7:27 am
by Kevin
i here ya bout already laying my chickens must be late bloomers because my friend and i ordered
them together and his have been laying for a while also. but anyway they sure are good to eat!!!
well got 3 pygmy goats few weeks ago they are really fun!!!!!

Kevin

Re: chickens

Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:58 pm
by SONNY
I kind of wanted a milk goat, but don't know for sure!---too expensive right now! thanks; sonny

Re: chickens

Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 3:54 pm
by grunt
Kevin wrote:well i got some rhode island reds in november as chicks and we finally got 2 eggs this past sunday. then yesterday 3 eggs can't wait to
get 11 eggs in one day thats one from each. my kids have a blast with the chickens. the chickens are very funny they listen better
than my dog. and get just as excited when i return home.
ahh just felt like bragging a little
wondering if anyone else has young chickens
Kevin

Congrats :{_}: I am building my coupe right now I too will be going with the reds. I am kind of excited I will be posting some pics when I get a chance of th build up.

Re: chickens

Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 4:54 pm
by Jim Roy
My wife has tried to talk me into getting chickens for about five years I have been able to talk her out so for. I better not let her read this post or I might be in trouble. :wink: :wink:
Jim

Re: chickens

Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 6:39 pm
by Kevin
Image

here's a pic of my coup(its's red) in the far back you can see the goat pen :{_}: :{_}:

Kevin :D
took a few tries but got pic to work

Re: chickens

Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 10:29 pm
by SONNY
Nice looking area you have there for the goats and chickens!! thanks; sonny

Re: chickens

Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:07 pm
by paw's49
We had chickens for about 2 years, but it started to be like pouring money down a black hole. Couldn't get rid of the eggs - people would rather buy the cold storage ones from the grocery store. They were comical tho - even had a hen or two that would come up, sit on your leg, and eat right out of your hand. Roos were a different story - some of ours were free ranging and we had several cockfights which aren't too pretty.

Finally gave them to some high school boy in 4H. Glad to see em go.

Re: chickens

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:13 am
by Virginia Mike
My wife wanted chickens a few years ago. I am now the full time chicken herder. I can now plow large plots of land with my cub for chicken corn. Good times!
Best,
Mike
Image

Re: chickens

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:55 pm
by Uncle Mike
We have 15 Bared Rocks, have had 'em for a few weeks and I am building the coup as fast as I can because the are groing as fast as they can :shock:
Will have to see how it turns out. Planning on planting corn for feed also. There is an old mill here (1850's water driven with a stone wheel) that will turn the corn into feed for me. I was going to plant Soybeans also. What do you folks plant for feed?

Re: chickens

Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:12 am
by Virginia Mike
I have planted Rye to mix with the corn for scratch grain, but it's too hard to thresh by hand. I got good insight into what the pioneers went though with scycle and flail.
Best,
Mike

Re: chickens

Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:24 am
by paw's49
We just bought our feed from the store, along with some scratch which was supposed to be "dessert" for the chickens.

Re: chickens

Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:56 pm
by markwayne
Have any of 'youse' guys tried the mobile coop pasturing thing? Some folks near here tried it and if not for the divorce and selling the farm would still be doing it. The basic unit is a coop on skids, around 8'X8' and waist high, sometimes with a bottom, doors to get into the nest boxes on one or two sides, the feeder and water hang off the overhead in the bottomless ones. The run is about twice the size of the coop, a frame covered with mesh, attached to the coop so both can be pulled forward to a fresh spot by the tractor every couple three days. Deluxe versions are built on farm trailer chassis and /or tall enough to stand up in the traditional way to tend the chickens. I was told with the pasture and bugs the chickens ate about half the feed they other wise would. With that and growing your own food you could have nearly free eggs. Fresh off the farm eggs seem to sell well around here, folks love them esp for baking. I want to try this later this year. With a couple dozen girls they might actually make a enough to support themselves while eating bugs and grooming the yard while fertilizing it. When the garden dies off I can run them through that :)

Re: chickens

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:10 am
by Uncle Mike
I have seen a lot of plans, but decided to build a larger one on skids so I can move it every other month. Its 12x8 , 6 feet high on one side, 5 on the other, with a open area under the perch. My idea is to put in two bird doors, so I can alternate thier yards so they eat most everything before I put them in the other side. I should also have a nice little pile of manure when we move the thing.
But the best laid plans...