The official "everything you wanted to know about chickens" thread

#76
#76
Obsessed said:
Show off.
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Chickens are cool

The different breeds are for different colored eggs. My Araucanas lay green shelled eggs, the Welsummees and Cuckoo Marans lay dark brown eggs,the White Leghorn lays white eggs, the others lay brown eggs but varied in size.

I left one breed off the list. Silver Lakenvelder
 
#77
#77
CountVolcula said:
Chickens are cool

The different breeds are for different colored eggs. My Araucanas lay green shelled eggs, the Welsummees and Cuckoo Marans lay dark brown eggs,the White Leghorn lays white eggs, the others lay brown eggs but varied in size.

I left one breed off the list. Silver Lakenvelder
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I hear the pink eggs are the most rare and expensive.
 
#80
#80
Obsessed said:
I hear the pink eggs are the most rare and expensive.
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The thing about Araucanas is they are born with the colored egg they will lay. So if they lay blue, they will always lay blue. There is no way to tell prior to the first egg
 
#81
#81
Now if you were talking chicken sh**, I am an expert after dealing w/ my brother in law. Chickens, not so much..
 
#82
#82
I have a sneaking suspicion Count and I would get along really well. That's an impressive flock bud.

How long have you been raising birds?
 
#83
#83
Hey I've got 2 of my little ones with fur/feathers still on their feet..... Am I doing something wrong?

They are now about 8" tall when upright, and fat.

And if I have a lil rooster ( I'm sure I do) when will he attempt to crow?
 
#85
#85
Good grief! I work with a guy who has chicken houses ( big thing here in my part of Georgia),the way we work, 3 days one week 4 the next he has time for it. That's all he talks about at work. He's like bubba from Forrest gump. Chicken this, and chicken that.
 
#86
#86
Obsessed said:
Bump for gramps
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:hi:

Good info in this thread. Granny is wanting a few chickens . Her chickens but I betcha I am the person that will get the honor of taking care of them. .

Last chickens I had were free range, throw them some corn, gather eggs and slaughter one for chicken and dumplings occasionally, now I get to build a pen and a coop etc.
 
#87
#87
Gramps said:
:hi:

Good info in this thread. Granny is wanting a few chickens . Her chickens but I betcha I am the person that will get the honor of taking care of them. .

Last chickens I had were free range, throw them some corn, gather eggs and slaughter one for chicken and dumplings occasionally, now I get to build a pen and a coop etc.
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Have you guys decided on a particular breed?
 
#88
#88
Obsessed said:
Have you guys decided on a particular breed?
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Not really. We are thinking about a combination of Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpington and a few Ameraucana for color eggs for the grandkids.
Any suggestions?


I don't know if I want to get them now and deal with them this winter or go ahead and build the coop and pen and wait until March/April to purchase the chickens. I think that may be best.
 
#89
#89
Don't know your property situation, but if you are in country without a dog, an electric fence is a must.

I've got coyote, fox, coon, Bob cat, mink, bald eagle, hawks, and owls. They will all wreak havoc on your chickens. And then there are the snakes.

To keep the BOP out, the pen is completely enclosed with chicken wire.

Don't forget to add crushed clamshell into their pen, it helps with digestion.
 
#90
#90
malinoisvol said:
Don't know your property situation, but if you are in country without a dog, an electric fence is a must.

I've got coyote, fox, coon, Bob cat, mink, bald eagle, hawks, and owls. They will all wreak havoc on your chickens. And then there are the snakes.

To keep the BOP out, the pen is completely enclosed with chicken wire.

Don't forget to add crushed clamshell into their pen, it helps with digestion.
Click to expand...


You enclose the floor?

My plans were to enclose the sides and top with 1/4" hardware cloth and bury about a foot of side wire in ground.
 
#91
#91
Hey Gramps,

My pen is enclosed on three sides and top by poultry fencing and ground is the floor. On the fourth side is an enclosure where they sleep, lay, and escape the weather (4x10, 8 high). The enclosure is 18 inches off the ground with a 2x2 slat floor for ventilation and ease of cleaning.
I have 28x80 door for me to access and a 18x18 opening for a poultry fenced window that I cover during cold months. Light and warmth are a chickens friend.
 
#92
#92
malinoisvol said:
Hey Gramps,

My pen is enclosed on three sides and top by poultry fencing and ground is the floor. On the fourth side is an enclosure where they sleep, lay, and escape the weather (4x10, 8 high). The enclosure is 18 inches off the ground with a 2x2 slat floor for ventilation and ease of cleaning.
I have 28x80 door for me to access and a 18x18 opening for a poultry fenced window that I cover during cold months. Light and warmth are a chickens friend.
Click to expand...


That is very similar to what I am planning to build. I was going to use 1/4" hardware cloth to help keep the preditor out instead of regular poultry fencing. I was going to use plywood for the floor of coop but I like your idea of a slat floor, I will switch to that.

How large is your pen? How many chickens?

Thanks for your help.
 
#93
#93
Gramps said:
That is very similar to what I am planning to build. I was going to use 1/4" hardware cloth to help keep the preditor out instead of regular poultry fencing. I was going to use plywood for the floor of coop but I like your idea of a slat floor, I will switch to that.

How large is your pen? How many chickens?

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...

My pen is 25x25x10. Your hardware wire buried in the ground is a great idea. One of these days when I upgrade the pen, I will also go this route.

I've had as many as 18 + chicks. I've been giving them away to family for their use and am currently down to 3 - getting ready to move pen to rest the soil and the fewer the better until I am done.
 
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