Anyone out there have chickens??

[beanjelly]

I'm pretty excited. We've been given the "go" to keep a few chickens at our house! (I live on-site at a summer camp) There's an old quonset hut in the backyard that actually used to be a chicken coop, so we're repairing the stuff that's in there and closing off a window that's been opened so they have a secure coop.

We've decided to get 3 or 4 hens, and a rooster. I think we're getting Buff Orpingtons. We're naming the rooster Murphy and one of the hens Dolly after the couple who lived in our home years ago who kept chickens.

Whatever eggs we can't/don't eat will be given to coworkers and maybe used in the kitchen at camp.

Does anyone have any advice or words of wisdom?? I've never done anything like this before...we've only ever had inside pets--no outside, farm-type animals!

 

[pricklesnquills]

I have 4 chickens...2 of which are Buff Orpingtons. I tell you, I love those Buffs. They are actually really docile and as long as it's not freezing out side, they lay about 1 egg a day.

The only suggestion that I would have would be that if you don't want babies, that maybe you shouldn't get a rooster.

Have fun with them

 

[Riven]

As long as you collect the eggs daily you won't have to worry about babies, but fertilized eggs gross some people out. You need to collect daily so they are fresh!

Make sure you have nesting boxes for them. Once chickens learn where their roost is you can let them out during the day and they will go back in before night fall, or you can have an enclosed pen. We just moved an old building that we're re-doing for our hen house. We should have the pen almost all done today. When it's done I'll post some pics!

Despite having a pea sized brain chickens can be fairly smart and entertaining! We call ours "here chick, chick, chick" and they follow us.

 

[beanjelly]

Thanks for the advice! Riven--that's what we were planning to do; we were told that if you collect the eggs daily and then refrigerate them, we wouldn't have babies. Do the fertilized eggs look/taste any different than unfertilized eggs?

And there are some nesting boxes already in the old coop; they just need to be fixed up a little bit.

I'd love to see some pics of your set-up! We're going to have an enclosed pen and let them free-roam.

 

[eroomlorac]

I would skip the rooster, too. Fertilized eggs sometimes will have blood in them if the eggs get missed a day or two. It is totally disgusting.

 

[Encantadora]

I just bought farm-fresh eggs yesterday! Most people who keep them and want organic eggs are sticklers for making them "free range." It seems that a mesh enclosure that is large enough for them to scavange is still considered "free range." And the eggs taste better.

 

[eroomlorac]

I just bought farm-fresh eggs yesterday! Most people who keep them and want organic eggs are sticklers for making them "free range." It seems that a mesh enclosure that is large enough for them to scavange is still considered "free range." And the eggs taste better.

My sister had chickens when she lived here in Illinois. Her chickens pecked around the barnyard all day long. Those eggs were the BEST! There is a big difference between store bought eggs and farm chicken eggs.

 

[Aneesa's Muse]

I have 3 standard Black Star hens and a bantam Salmon Faverolle rooster ..in the city! LOL The girls lay almost daily ..they're still young and catchin' on to the routine ..plus, they will probably moult soon ...so yeah.. anyhoo....

Check out Backyard Chickens and you will find a world of info on there ..from building the best coop, to protecting against predators, to meds and supplements, to ideas of what to do with all the eggs ..and so on and so on. It's a great site!


As for the fertilized vs. unfertilized egg ...I think you will be hard pressed to actually tell the difference in appearances or taste. People claim they can tell, but when they've been exposed to a blind challenge ..they never really know.


Enjoy your Chooks!!

 

[mapache315]

That's so awesome that you live on a summer camp! Kind of a random thought of what to do with the eggs, but the campers could design and build solar cookers and see who could cook the eggs the fastest.

 

[beanjelly]

That's so awesome that you live on a summer camp! Kind of a random thought of what to do with the eggs, but the campers could design and build solar cookers and see who could cook the eggs the fastest.

Yeah, I'm really lucky to have the set-up that I do. I get to live on-site with my husband, who also works for the same organization. It's where we met, and got married this last fall!!

And if we've got enough eggs--the campers will DEFINITELY be using them for something; whether it is for cooking, egg drops or solar cooking!!!

 

[Riven]

I'm hoping to get the pond filled tomorrow for the ducks and will try to get some pics. We have a fenced area for them, and they can go inside, etc. Eventually I will probably let them out a little each day, they are awesome for eating bugs!

I agree with the bit o' blood thing, but that's the only reason I think. We got a couple older layers at the auction this weekend, I got some barred rocks and some RI reds. The last bunch is one that someone bid on, but didn't pay for. So we got a rooster, but I don't think we'll keep him because we just want eggs for eating, etc.

My mom is grossed out by brown eggs! I like 'em.