Do you raise chickens?
By taface412
@taface412 (3175)
United States
April 23, 2009 10:03pm CST
Since my parents and I bought a decent sized property my father has wanted to buy chicks and raise them. My mom and I are not so hot on this idea. Me not so much because one I hate birds in general...except for the ones in the yard that I don't have to do anything with besides fill a feeder. I have heard they are dirty to keep...
My father is convinced I only know the bad things about birds. SO I am asking for anyone who has raised or are raising chickens to tell me the good things about them.
Like can they roam free in the yard and not be annoying?
Will my dogs take to them without chasing them off?
Will they stay away from my garden?
Are they clean or dirty?
I appreciate any info you can tell me from your own experiences.
Thanks guys.
1 person likes this
5 responses
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
24 Apr 09
I spent a lot of summers on a farm as a kid, chickens are nasty, no two ways about it. But, you get eggs from them, chicken and you can even sell them to other people. They kinda do their own thing and dogs won't chase anything they can catch so you should be okay.
@taface412 (3175)
• United States
24 Apr 09
I always thought they were nasty...but here's another question. Do they need to be cooped up. I have about 10-15 acres that is not feneced, but I live way off the main road and there are farmer fields right next to me on one side....so will that matter?
Thanks
@taface412 (3175)
• United States
30 Apr 09
Well, we got them and they are temporarily cooped makeshift wise LOL Making something more permanent soon.
And as long as they stay in coops that will be fine.
Thanks.
@mammalfeathers (19)
• United States
6 Nov 09
If you let them roam free and don't put them in a pen or anything, they will get into your garden. the chickens themselves are clean, but they use the bathroom where ever they are at that moment so that could get messy.
@dmrone (746)
• United States
28 Apr 09
My grandparents and parents raised chickens. My dad still raises chickens. They are not the cleanest, but they are not the nastiest. A pig will eat anything, and i do mean anything. A chicken coop smells. My dad has chickens that get pretty big, and hopefully soon i will be getting some of them to raise myself.
@jellymonty (2352)
•
30 Apr 09
oh raising chickens is a nasty job! I grew up on the farm and we used to be the local chicken supplier to the supermarkets and mini markets. We're talking early mornings, late nights, stink of chicken poo, constant survelliance on the chicks as they always made noise, and go mentally insane with them running around everywhere..
Not to mention the medical expenses involved as you have to be extra careful with chickens. one mishap and all of them get infected as they have a very low immune system.
If your dad wants to raise them as pets then well thats ok but you should be prepared to be baby sitting 24hrs a day! As they poo everyway and when they get bigger they peck at everything and well keep them well away from the dogs!
@marguicha (222999)
• Chile
24 Apr 09
I have a friend who lives on the country. When she moved there, the first thing to do was to start raising chicken. I remember the first time I went to see her eating those almost red yolk eggs. YUMMY!!!! But to raise chicken is a pest. It is very expensive and house chicken do not grow as those chixken you buy at the super. Of course you are not going to give them hormone ladden feed. But then they are skinny, tough and they don´t have the right size to be eaten until they are a year old. That means a lot of food. Besides, your dogs will kill them. The coop has to be kept clean but the dirt can be used as manure in the country.
I´d stick to veggies
