BrooklynM 02:29 PM 11-01-2013
Does anyone have chickens? I grew up with chickens, but my dad always took care of the chickens and the coop. I serve a lot of eggs to the DCK and I'm shocked at the price of cage free organic eggs right now! I think it would be fun for the kids to see the chickens, but I'm not sure how much work it would be. My dad is a long ways away or I would just get eggs from him. Anyone have chickens? Are they expensive? A lot of work? How many do you have, etc?
Cradle2crayons 02:53 PM 11-01-2013
Originally Posted by BrooklynM:
Does anyone have chickens? I grew up with chickens, but my dad always took care of the chickens and the coop. I serve a lot of eggs to the DCK and I'm shocked at the price of cage free organic eggs right now! I think it would be fun for the kids to see the chickens, but I'm not sure how much work it would be. My dad is a long ways away or I would just get eggs from him. Anyone have chickens? Are they expensive? A lot of work? How many do you have, etc?
Memememememememeeeeeeeeee lol
Even though my dad's family owns a farm and I can get all the eggs I want from them, we raise our own. They aren't free range though because the dogs and cats will kill them. They have a HUGE penned area though.
The kids love them and really they beg to feed and water them. The start up is the hardest part. Deciding what kind you want how many you want, etc.
Also, the first few months after you get them. The babies have to be carefully watched, kept very warm, have somewhere to gather up and stay warm, heat lights, and pretty close monitoring.
After that, is the fun part. My kids all have heir favorites and the chickens a re very tame.
My husband built them a really nice roosting area that's off the ground and that's where they lay their eggs.
We currently have 22 hens and one rooster. The rooster isn't needed unless you plan to raise them, but in my experience, then hens lay better with a rooster around.
We get all he eggs we need and if we have extra, I take them to the family farm because they sell to the community here.
BrooklynM 03:03 PM 11-01-2013
Originally Posted by Cradle2crayons:
Memememememememeeeeeeeeee lol
Even though my dad's family owns a farm and I can get all the eggs I want from them, we raise our own. They aren't free range though because the dogs and cats will kill them. They have a HUGE penned area though.
The kids love them and really they beg to feed and water them. The start up is the hardest part. Deciding what kind you want how many you want, etc.
Also, the first few months after you get them. The babies have to be carefully watched, kept very warm, have somewhere to gather up and stay warm, heat lights, and pretty close monitoring.
After that, is the fun part. My kids all have heir favorites and the chickens a re very tame.
My husband built them a really nice roosting area that's off the ground and that's where they lay their eggs.
We currently have 22 hens and one rooster. The rooster isn't needed unless you plan to raise them, but in my experience, then hens lay better with a rooster around.
We get all he eggs we need and if we have extra, I take them to the family farm because they sell to the community here.
That's so cool! How many eggs on average do you think they each produce? My dad's rooster died and he never got another one because his neighbors had been complaining. I consider them free range if they have plenty of room to walk around in. I just hate seeing those tiny gross cages on tv. It makes me so sad. I'm thinking if I do this, maybe I will get them as chicks in the spring. Maybe Easter time, even! I live in California so the weather is pretty mild year round. I don't have much room in my backyard but I have enough for a few. My dad has those Easter chickens that lay different color eggs. Those are really cool. He loves them. He gets really attached to them. I think it would be really fun for the kids!
Cradle2crayons 03:12 PM 11-01-2013
Originally Posted by BrooklynM:
That's so cool! How many eggs on average do you think they each produce? My dad's rooster died and he never got another one because his neighbors had been complaining. I consider them free range if they have plenty of room to walk around in. I just hate seeing those tiny gross cages on tv. It makes me so sad. I'm thinking if I do this, maybe I will get them as chicks in the spring. Maybe Easter time, even! I live in California so the weather is pretty mild year round. I don't have much room in my backyard but I have enough for a few. My dad has those Easter chickens that lay different color eggs. Those are really cool. He loves them. He gets really attached to them. I think it would be really fun for the kids!
Each breed produces a different amount. We have Rhode Island reds, silver wyanodottes, and New Hampshire reds. They are the best laying in my experience. I had a couple of those rock bar chickens but a hawk took them to never land lol.
I haven't counted in a while, but mine give me at least five dozen a week or so... At least that's what I keep here and some weeks I give extras more than that to my family to sell. So I get plenty and more than we need.
The types of chickens I own give on average about 300 a year EACH chicken. Which is about an egg a day realistically.
These three breeds are also excellent meat chickens, which we also use them for. The ones who don't end up being good layers go into the freezer. My dad's family slaughters and sells also so they do that part for me in return for the extra eggs I give them. Also, if we let them raise a clutch which we do occasionally with a couple mamas who do a good job, the extra roosters become meat chickens because it's not okay to have more Than one rooster.
lizzardb85 08:33 AM 11-03-2013
We have about 30 free range chickens. The kids LOVE to feed them every day. It is part of our routine. The older kids are allowed to help collect eggs as well. Mcmurry hatchery has chicks you can order and watch them grow. My salmon favoreoles are my favorite. They are docile love the kids and have beards and five toes. Good luck, they are a ton of fun!
AnneCordelia 01:48 AM 11-04-2013
I have three easter egger chickens in my urban backyard. I get an egg a day from each. They are friendly and the kids love them!
Soccermom 05:24 AM 11-04-2013
I have chickens! The daycare kids love them. They help me feed them and collect the eggs in the mornings. They are not too much work really. You just have to make sure you feed them, give them water and collect the eggs everyday
Mine are free range so we let them out to play and they return to their pen at dusk all on their own.
You also have to clean out the pen every two weeks and put fresh wood shavings or hay.
crazydaycarelady 07:25 AM 11-04-2013
We had chickens and the kids and I all LOVED them! We need to get a better coop before we get more because we have fox in the area.
I can't say you will save money after you get a coop and feed, warming lights if you are in a cold climate, etc. BUT the eggs will be awesome! and it is fun collecting them and watching the chickens. They are very entertaining!
My3cents 10:44 AM 11-04-2013
yes and they are fun. Mine are not near the kids. We only have five but they are entertaining. They lay about an egg or two a day. We collect them every two to three days. Feed and hay and warming lights make this more then if you were to just buy your eggs, but the eggs are better and you know where they came from and it is just fun and not much work- Our Chickens are tame- They will sit so you will pet them. If your thinking about doing it I would say go for it~
coolconfidentme 11:00 AM 11-04-2013
I'm an EGG-oholic!!
Kelly 11:34 AM 11-04-2013
Wish I could but we're not allowed to in the city limits.
Live and Learn 01:55 PM 11-04-2013
We have 3 Barnevelders and 2 Easter Eggers.