I can keep chickens!!!!!!!

[Cag3db1rd]

I wanted to see what I could do, so, I went a googling. I'm pretty good at googling, but I don't think it's something that a person should brag about.... :P

Well, here's what I found:

SECTION 200. AGRICULTURAL ANIMALS--COWS, GOATS, SHEEP,
HOGS, HORSES, POULTRY AND RABBITS

E. Poultry kept in areas not zoned for agriculture shall not exceed six (6) adults
and fourteen (14) chicks under the age of eight (8) weeks, and must be kept under the
following conditions:
1. The fowl must be kept in a building which at its nearest point is no closer
than fifty (50) feet to any adjoining residence;
2. The floors of such building shall be of easily-cleanable construction, and shall
be maintained in a sanitary condition not offensive or dangerous to the public health by
routinely cleaning and properly disposing of the droppings; and
3. The outside openings of the building shall be screened to prevent the spread
of disease by flies and vermin.

G. Rabbits kept in areas not zoned for agriculture shall not exceed six (6) adults
and fourteen (14) young under the age of eight (8) weeks. They shall be kept under the
following conditions:
1. The rabbits must be kept in a building which at its nearest point is no closer
than fifty (50) feet to any adjoining residence;
2. The floors of such building shall be of easily-cleanable construction, and shall
be maintained in a sanitary condition not offensive or dangerous to the public health by
routinely cleaning and properly disposing of the droppings; and
3. The outside openings of the building shall be screened to prevent the spread
of disease by flies and vermin.

So, now I have options for eggs, down, meat, and hides. I guess it's time I started building...

Checking out that mypetchicken website now.

[atropa]

YAY!! I'm so excited to have mine on the way. Any idea what breed you're ordering?

[Cardinal]

I have gotten chicks from MurrayMcMurray hatcheries too.

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/prod...d_anvers_.html

[cecilia]

I have also gotten gotten chickens and turkeys from McMurray hatcheries. Was very pleased with the orders. Would strongly recommend this company to anyone who is considering buying poultry.

[summerthyme]

I agree that Murray McMurray is the best source I've found as well. Not the cheapest, but after some of the fiascos this year with a couple other hatcheries I was trying out, I'll probably be back with them.

Summerthyme

[Publius]

Ckickens are the easiest of the farm animals to keep but if you can use saw/dust
on the floor or wood chips it will keep the smell down and you will only have to clean it out once a year.

[Cag3db1rd]

can't use murraymcmurray. i can't have that many animals. i have to go thru somewhere that i can get a few chickens at a time.

but thanx for the information. i can pass that to a friend of mine who can have that many.

[atropa]

I ordered mine through mypetchicken.com. I don't know yet how the company is through personal experience, but I've read a lot of good reviews on some chicken forums. I ordered 6. With anything under 14 you pay extra for a heating thing they pack them with, but it just can't take on a bunch of birds the first time around. They were really nice and helpful, hope they turn out to be a good company. Here's the link:

http://www.mypetchicken.com/default.aspx

[HeliumAvid]

you might want to check the regs again. You probably can NOT keep roosters in the city limits. I had to call the city when my neighbor put 2 roosters in a pen in his back yard. The frigging things would start crowing at 5am and keep it up till sundown.... That was really crazy. The city did move very quickly on that and thankfully we have quiet mornings again. Chickens can probably be kept quiet, but watch out for those Roosters..

HeliumAvid

[Cag3db1rd]

I have no intentions of keeping roosters. from what i understand, i don't have to have them. i've been told that hens will lay eggs no matter what, but i will need a rooster if i want to increase numbers.

[Cardinal]

I have no intentions of keeping roosters. from what i understand, i don't have to have them. i've been told that hens will lay eggs no matter what, but i will need a rooster if i want to increase numbers.

Yes, hens will lay eggs no matter what, you only need a Roo if you want fertile eggs to hatch your own.
But beware, they cackle like crazy when they lay an egg.

[Cag3db1rd]

fertile eggs sound a little....disgusting...

[Christian for Israel]

fertile eggs sound a little....disgusting...

disgusting or not, it's the only way to get more chickens...

[Publius]

fertile eggs sound a little....disgusting...

People pay good money for fertile eggs as it's natures way.

[summerthyme]

Yep,... fertile eggs are in demand. But there isn't any noticable difference in them unless you don't gather them daily (or at least every three or four days!) and the hens begin to set on them. Other than that, you really can't tell if a fresh egg is fertile or not.

On the bedding... sawdust is good. Dry fall leaves are even better. I haven't bought anything for bedding, or used any straw or other bedding for my chickens for at least 20 years. I clean out the pens every autumn, just before the leaves start falling off the maple trees. Clean them right down to the bare concrete floor. Then I start packing in leaves- and I do mean PACKING. I'll fill the pen as high as I can- often nearly to the ceiling. A few heavy hens will pack those leaves down in a hurry... and then I add more. I keep it up until I run out of leaves or weather. In a couple of weeks, the hens will have them broken up and packed down into a wonderful, deep and loose layer anywhere from 1-2 feet deep. And that's it for the year, unless you have a waterer leak or some other disaster, or unless you really, really crowd your pens.

In fact, last year for the first time ever, we didn't get any leaves. 30"+ rain in September and October made raking and gathering leaves a complete impossibility. So my pens are going on TWO years without cleaning. And they are odorless, dry enough that you could kneel in them without getting your knees damp or dirty, and still fluffy enough that cleaning them will be as easy as ever. I have added some chopped paper from my paper shredder in the past months, because I had more birds than usual, but I'm not sure it really was needed. Even under the roosts stays perfectly dry and odor free! Sure beats scraping off roost boards and cleaning out stinky chicken pens every few weeks.

Summerthyme