Backyard chickens

[Chef]

I've got a few wellsummers. There eggs are almost chocolate in color.  

I’ve heard that… my long term or not so long term is to get a second coop and have the two coops connected by one run. The other one I would get some dual purpose birds and change that flock up once a year. If my kid can handle it


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[mowin]

2 minutes ago, Chef said:

I’ve heard that… my long term or not so long term is to get a second coop and have the two coops connected by one run. The other one I would get some dual purpose birds and change that flock up once a year. If my kid can handle it


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I've got two coops with separate runs. I keep one each flock for two yrs and alternate one every yr. 

I don't do my one processing.  Got a local guy that does it for $6 a bird. 

[cynthiafu]

My coop was on a platform  and they wondered  about the lawn on good days 

[cynthiafu]

I got a pair of ducks if you want them lolol they are only babies 

[Chef]

I got a pair of ducks if you want them lolol they are only babies 

Hahaha I think my wife would kill me


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[mowin]

Male ducks have different hardware then a rooster. They can seriously damage a hen. 

[The_Real_TCIII]

Im learning so much


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[BizCT]

Shoveling in sandals!

I hear WNY guys won’t even touch a shovel without steel toed boots


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[Lawdwaz]

How well do these chickens do in the winter?

[Chef]

How well do these chickens do in the winter?

Very well the Brahma is a cold hardy breed and lay all winter


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[ncountry]

39 minutes ago, Chef said:

Very well the Brahma is a cold hardy breed and lay all winter


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Remember to put a light in the coop . Ideally they have 12-16hrs of light a day to continue laying. Otherwise your egg #s will really drop off during the shorter days.

[Nomad]

2 hours ago, BizCT said:

Shoveling in sandals!

I hear WNY guys won’t even touch a shovel without steel toed boots


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Pretty much .  

[Robhuntandfish]

Im learning so much


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That eggs are like $2 at the store and don't require a shovel?

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[Nomad]

25 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

That eggs are like $2 at the store and don't require a shovel?

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I do though admire the self sufficient aspect of it though . I often think we should have built on this one  four acre chunk of our land , build a stocked pond, large garden , increase my canning , wood stove with an endless supply of firewood nearby , perhaps even solar panels. Deer well, they’re there too .

[crappyice]

That eggs are like $2 at the store and don't require a shovel?

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I go through the 5:5 dozen from Costco in 2 weeks…I need a full fledge farm to feed my animals


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[Skillet]

Chickens are great. Especially when you handle them often as chicks. They get real tame.

We have a mixed flock of 17 hens, and one rooster. He's a happy guy.

[Robhuntandfish]

I do though admire the self sufficient aspect of it though . I often think we should have built on this one  four acre chunk of our land , build a stocked pond, large garden , increase my canning , wood stove with an endless supply of firewood nearby , perhaps even solar panels. Deer well, they’re there too .

Couldn't agree more. I would love all that esp if I was retired. A couple of friends of mine have done chickens etc and they calculate the eggs should be golden by the time your done. Lol but I would love to have all that myself too.

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[ncountry]

24 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Couldn't agree more. I would love all that esp if I was retired. A couple of friends of mine have done chickens etc and they calculate the eggs should be golden by the time your done. Lol but I would love to have all that myself too.

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We had chickens for quite a few years when my kid was young . It would be her project, taking care of them collecting eggs etc..

She made out like a bandit selling 3-4 dozen eggs a day for 2-3$ a dozen.

We had more than that in chicken feed .lol. We know where the eggs where coming from and better than allowance(which she has never gotten..)

[Paula]

When I first got chicken my coop was made with pallets and a truck cap. 

I had 27 hens. When I was finally able to sell I couldn't keep up with the sales. They paid for all the food in winter and I hardly bought food in spring or summer, they were free range. 

They almost paid for the 10X12 shed I bought for them. 

I had fun with them, I ate a few

[cynthiafu]

16 hours ago, mowin said:

Male ducks have different hardware then a rooster. They can seriously damage a hen. 

I have a male duck drag a hen in the pool and almost drowned  her

[Just Lucky]

15 hours ago, ncountry said:

Remember to put a light in the coop . Ideally they have 12-16hrs of light a day to continue laying. Otherwise your egg #s will really drop off during the shorter days.

You actually should not do that. The chickens will still lay eggs if their strength is not needed to stay warm. Adding light during winter months is not beneficial to the birds health. 

[ncountry]

19 minutes ago, Just Lucky said:

You actually should not do that. The chickens will still lay eggs if their strength is not needed to stay warm. Adding light during winter months is not beneficial to the birds health. 

There are pros and cons....

https://www.strombergschickens.com/site/pros-and-cons-of-lighting-your-chicken-coop-in-winter/

[JJJWNY]

3 minutes ago, ncountry said:

There are pros and cons....

https://www.strombergschickens.com/site/pros-and-cons-of-lighting-your-chicken-coop-in-winter/

I just have a lamp with an 8 watt LED bulb on a timer that comes on early am through the winter months to give them the artificial light to keep them laying strong. Not saying I have never put a heat lamp in there when it was extremely cold, but it really is not necessary and haven't done that in years. If they are fully feathered they will survive the cold.

[Jeremy K]

What's interesting about back yard chickens ,if you don't use or get rid of the eggs you just scramble them up and feed them back to the chickens and that's weird .

[ncountry]

24 minutes ago, Jeremy K said:

What's interesting about back yard chickens ,if you don't use or get rid of the eggs you just scramble them up and feed them back to the chickens and that's weird .

They do have weird diets. In the past I really had to shew them away when cleaning fish. They loved fish parts..