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Discussion in 'Pets and Wildlife' started by Candace, Feb 19, 2010.

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  1. Feb 19, 2010 #1
    Candace

    Candace Kept Woman Supporting Member

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    Here are the 2 newest members of the clan. We'll be getting a couple more next year. They're very cute:>

    aimg534.imageshack.us_img534_8929_img0184t.jpg
     
  2. Feb 19, 2010 #2
    Jon

    Jon Mmmm... bulbophyllum...

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    When I was growing up we kept Rhodesian Reds.
     
  3. Feb 19, 2010 #3
    Alexis

    Alexis New Member

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    Cute! How many do you have? Do you keep them for eggs?
     
  4. Feb 19, 2010 #4
    Karen

    Karen Species nut

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    The chick got chicks!
    What fun!
     
  5. Feb 19, 2010 #5
    Candace

    Candace Kept Woman Supporting Member

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    These are Rhode Island Reds. We've only got these two and next year we'll probably get two more. Yes, we're going to be keeping them for eggs:>
     
  6. Feb 19, 2010 #6
    deweychop

    deweychop Almost house broken

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    I have a new house in the country and one of my future projects will be chickens. I joined a forum about chickens and I'm doing some studying and getting coop ideas before I move forward. When I was a young lad, I grew up around them. Good for you, I'm jealous
     
  7. Feb 19, 2010 #7
    Candace

    Candace Kept Woman Supporting Member

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    These are more urban chickens as we only have a little less than 1/2 acre. The new "movement" are people in the city raising chickens(no roosters). Our neighbors are excited about it and one was even going to share them with us when our fence blew down. But his wife got worried about our pond and the grandkids. So the fence is going back up and he's jealous:> We just found out that a neighbor down the street from us has 12 quail and 1 chicken in his 1/4 acre back yard. Again, no males so the noise is minimal. Pond and pool pumps, and my evap. cooler are louder. But, we'll have to deal with neighborhood cats...we'll see how that goes. The chicks won't be able to venture outside until they're much bigger.
     
  8. Feb 19, 2010 #8
    deweychop

    deweychop Almost house broken

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    My neighbors have roosters, and I love it when they cock-a-doodle-doo. We can't hear them inside which defintely helps. When the hens lay eggs they cackle like crazy. It's to the point now where I barely notice them anymore
     
  9. Feb 19, 2010 #9
    Mary Jane

    Mary Jane New Member

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    "I have a new house in the country..." Dew, what country?

    Candace, you are a very diversified chickadee..My sis in TN used to keep chickens, I loved going to the barn to help get the eggs.
     
  10. Feb 20, 2010 #10
    deweychop

    deweychop Almost house broken

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    MJ, you make me smile.

    I have a new house in rural america, baby!!! The dogs have land!!! (and snakes, bears, thorny vines, ticks, fire ants, pissed off racoons, feral cats, wild hogs, and a few other things I over looked) :) Soon they'll have chickens to try to torment
     
  11. Mar 12, 2010 #11
    Candace

    Candace Kept Woman Supporting Member

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    Here's a photo taken today. The girls have been moved out into the empty g.h. until their coop is finished. I snuck up on them as they were yodeling.
    aimg59.imageshack.us_img59_1125_img0232nh.jpg
     
  12. Mar 12, 2010 #12
    abaxter

    abaxter New Member

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    Good for you Candace. My SIL has 26 laying hens and the eggs are huge and wonderful...no hormones and no cage torture. She has Reds, Winedot and some white
    ones that someone gave her. She does have one gorgeous Winedot rooster strutting
    around, but all her chickens get a lot of human attention and are very gentle...even the
    cock-of-the-walk. I'm trying to convince DH that we should have about ten
    hens that we can free range during the day.
     
  13. Mar 12, 2010 #13
    Candace

    Candace Kept Woman Supporting Member

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    Yes, they become very tame if you spend time with them. These two come running to greet you since they associate us with food. If hubby sits on a low chair with them eventually they wind up walking all over his legs. You should try a few at first A. Though maybe spread out their ages a bit. You don't want 10 hens all the same age as they'll stop laying at the same time.
     
  14. Mar 12, 2010 #14
    Dale

    Dale New Member

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    "they become very tame if you spend time with them."

    Do you have to take them to the park and McDonald's and stuff like that?
     
  15. Mar 12, 2010 #15
    Candace

    Candace Kept Woman Supporting Member

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    Nah, they fall through the swing holes. But, it's spring and the snakes are waking up. We saw the first one in the yard, yesterday. I hope the snakes don't find entry into the g.h. That would be bad.
     
  16. Mar 12, 2010 #16
    Karen

    Karen Species nut

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    Cute Chicks!
    *waves*
    Hi Candace!
     
  17. Mar 13, 2010 #17
    Candace

    Candace Kept Woman Supporting Member

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    Hey Karen!
     
  18. Mar 17, 2010 #18
    Brant

    Brant dazed

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    i love me some chickens - it is what i do best

    RIReds are good layers of nice brown eggs, so cute when they are bitties !!!

    what are they a week apart in age ?

    You don't want 10 hens all the same age as they'll stop laying at the same time.

    a 5 watt bulb giving them at least 14 hours of "light" (sun & artificial) a day can keep a well fed RIR laying most of the year. all things being equal each hen will stop / start a bit randomly. They sync with light not age, once laying begins.
    if you go mixing ages too drastically you are asking for bullying, usually of the bloody messy kind. A hen is protective of chicks only when they are hers. the term "pecking order" came from chickens.
    Watch out for Hawks(day) and Owls(night) and of course Dogs. I never really have had issues with snakes, but it could happen.
    have fun !!
     
  19. Mar 17, 2010 #19
    Candace

    Candace Kept Woman Supporting Member

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    Thanks, Brant. I think they're about a week apart. They're doing well and we've almost got their forever home built. I think this weekend we'll be done with it. Next year's batch of babies will be kept separately.
     
  20. Mar 17, 2010 #20
    Brant

    Brant dazed

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    it is neat when they are bonded to you and are friendly, encourage that behavoir. It will make any time you need to handle them in the future much much easier. a chicken that does not want to be caught is fast and will FLY up and out faster than you would imagine. Clipping one wing helps negate that problem though.

    cracked corn and fresh alfalfa (grow your own alfalfa - a feed store may have seed)
    those 2 are like crack to a chicken .
    and of course a good layer crumble - Purina is pretty good.
     
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