We're about to take the plunge. We've been reading up on them, asking everyone we encounter, generally learning like mad...
...and now, we're poised to order ours!
I started working on a hen house over spring break, building it (as always) of recycled and reclaimed materials. I think I spent 50 hours online just researching the design ideas for that! Ours is an A-frame design with exterior nesting boxes. The floor is elevated 20 inches off the ground. I am eager to finish construction, but I am still debating where to put it.
Chicken moat--see several previous entries on this. I've wanted to do a chicken moat since the 1980's. The latest hold up has been material costs, but I finally have a good supplier on chicken wire (cheap, used, industrial grade). I finally have a stock pile of utility poles. About all I'm waiting for now is confirmation we can get along w/o a tractor tiller--once the moat is built, it would be hard to get such an implement maneuvered around in the garden.
The chickens--my kids are crazy about chicks at every farm store. I know they grow up (both chicks and kids) but I think there's lots of opportunity there. I want to get the kids excited about some kind of animal husbandry, and chickens seem like a good starter.
We've shopped around locally, combed CraigsList, visited with some who own chickens...and it's always a different story. I think ultimately we'll just get'er done, buy some and start out. If it's a failure, we'll change up.
Last I knew, we were looking at an assortment of 'exotic' chickens to complement more traditional heavy layers.
Regardless, I want chicks on the ground by Easter!
2 comments:
Farm store chicks are seldom sexed, and usually you end up with too many roosters. Ok if you like to butcher. I would order online. They are better quality chicks, sexed, and they have a great variety with info on each breed.
Another point, don't want to be a downer but keep in mind that chicken feed has almost tripled in the last few years. They can be expensive to feed all winter, so don't get too many.
Have fun, chickens are my favorite thing.
You are right on all counts, Anonymous. We ordered pullets from Welp.com out of Iowa. We have a great lead from a buddy who gets bulk chicken feed at ten cents on the dollar (we'll need to fortify and add meds maybe once in a while). I am now a subscriber and member at BackYardChickens...keep the good advice coming, and thanks for reading!
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