Posted on 04/07/2016 12:11:07 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Many urban homeowners increasingly desire to keep small flocks of chickens in their backyards, and with good cause. There is no reason every family in this country that can run a flock of chickens in their backyard should not. This perfectly logical and reasonable habit—backyard chicken farming—has been buried under a great deal of hipster elitism (from many of the backyard chicken farmers themselves) and sneering derision (from their critics). Please try to ignore these detractors. If you can play host to backyard chickens, you should.
It is, in many urban localities, easier said than done. This normal and praiseworthy practice, which has been gaining ground in many cities across the country, has come under fire from both pearl-clutching busybodies and incompetent health inspectors and animal welfare agents, all of whom are under the impression that backyard chicken farming is both frightening and dangerous....
(Excerpt) Read more at thefederalist.com ...
My Favorite Animal:
Our teacher asked what my favorite animal was, and I said, “Fried chicken.”
She said I wasn’t funny, but she couldn’t have been right, because everyone else laughed.
My parents told me to always tell the truth. I did. Fried chicken is my favorite animal.
I told my dad what happened, and he said my teacher was probably a member of PETA.
He said they love animals very much.
I do, too. Especially chicken, pork and beef. Anyway, my teacher sent me to the principal’s office.
I told him what happened, and he laughed, too. Then he told me not to do it again.
The next day in class my teacher asked me what my favorite live animal was.
I told her it was chicken. She asked me why, so I told her it was because you could make them into fried chicken.
She sent me back to the principal’s office. He laughed, and told me not to do it again.
I don’t understand. My parents taught me to be honest, but my teacher doesn’t like it when I am.
Today, my teacher asked me to tell her what famous person I admired most. I told her, “Colonel Sanders.”
Guess where I am now...
Guinea fowl are basically wild ancestor of chickens; the only problem is they make too much freaking noise, LOL!
I am waiting to get chickens again, until I have a suitable arrangement set up, i.e. raccoon proof. Had 25 of 25 chickens get pulled through chicken wire by raccoons.
My lack of amusement led to 5 raccoons meeting their end by crossbow bolts. Didn’t see a single raccoon after that for 6 months.
My pecan, fruit trees, and flowers have really produced this year due to the advantages of chickens. Of course, there is the added extra of fresh eggs every day.
Sounds like you have a chicken fetish.
I just got five Pekin ducks a few weeks ago; had chickens and ducks growing up and have a “wild” pair of Pekins hanging around the stream and thought it would be fun to get some more. I just wanted the eggs basically, since Pekins don’t normally brood (and are horrible mothers when they do), so that is all you get normally. But then I realized that if you mix in a few chicken hens they will sit on the duck eggs :) I think I will get some chickens next year and see what happens. I live in a pretty wild area, with a good number of predators, but the wild pair of Pekins have been here for the four years I’ve lived here and are thriving. I built them a duck house a month ago, but they haven’t used it yet.
Kramerica apartment-raised chickens are the way to go. Followed closely by Tyler Chicken.
Cute story. I had chickens and ducks growing up also; as a kid I slept downstairs where dog was so if he got up, I was out the door with a rifle/shotgun before I even woke up. I shot at plenty of weasels/skunks/foxes and the occasional bobcat. They never hurt the ducks, but they got in the chicken coop several times and killed dozens. I have tons of predators where I live now, including those damned hawks but a wild pair of Pekin ducks have been here since I moved here four years ago and have never been injured as far as I can tell. There is a large stream on the property, so they can swim/flap away pretty quick against the land based predators. Flash floods killed more of our ducks growing up than anything else; they panic and instead of heading for high ground they get in the water :(
My daughter has about 10 guinea fowl on her farm. Those are noisy birds! They also have dozens of chickens that roam free. Very soothing to sit and listen to the little chortles of the chickens. They come right up to us - we scoop them up and pat them.
They have ducks as well. Not quite as calm and friendly.
Let me understand, you got the hen, the chicken and the rooster. The rooster goes with the chicken. So, who’s having sex with the hen?
We’ve no interest in chickens (our neighbors have them, along with sheep and goats). We have recently begun raising rabbits- should have our first litter next week. Much quieter, and always in their cages, so no predator worries. Manure is all piled up in one location, and gardeners are always glad to get it.
Not in my town.
Town laws don’t allow farm animals. I would have a menagerie in my back yard if I could. And if the roosters did not scream at sunrise, I would go out and prod them. Just to have fun with the snobby neighbors!
When I was in college my summer job was delivering mail to the section 8 housing projects. There were chickens all over the place. They would use the cabinets in their kitchen as coops. I don’t know how they figured which chickens belonged in which duplex.
Did you hunt them at night, with bait or trap? Curious because I have a furtaker license in my state and have a lot of nocturnal predators (based on tracks), but the only time I have actually seen them is sitting out at night with night vision. My NV binoculars are okay but it's not something I can mount, so I'm curious how people do this. I guess a flashlight would work, but that would spook them, and I couldn't use a bow at the same time.
We have friends that live not far out of town on 3 acres. They have horses and chickens. The other day she told me she came home from one of the local feed stores with 30 chicks to add to her 50. I told her she is a chicken hoarder....but I’ll be over tomorrow for some eggs. lol
I take a couple of empty cartons and she trades them out for me. I rarely buy eggs anymore.
Backyard chickens will take care of your backyard tic problem
Is there a Ping List for anyone who has or is interested in raising backyard poultry?
It would be a great idea to share experiences and find ways to combat those pesky varmints that try to kill our feathered friends.
With me it is the mountain lions, bears, wolves, foxes and eagles, as well as coyotes. Not to mention 5 months of winter.
Oh ... and the spousal unit says no help from her!
Right now I have 13 hens, once Cal the wonder dog was taught to leave them alone we haven’t had any problems. The older ladies at church really love getting fresh eggs.
I’ve done both.
I did have a bit of fun outside with Russian nightvision scope mounted on my crossbow.
The surprising thing was how fast they died after being shot by crossbow. One tried to run away, but was pinned to the ground by the crossbow bolt. He ran in place for about 5 seconds and then expired.
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