I'm considering a small flock ... can you have only 2 or 3 chickens or do they get lonely without more. I am thinking about doing this next summer, but know absolutely zero. Please excuse me if this is the wrong place to be. I'm a city girl, with a husband who is a former farmer (crops and beef) who thinks this is a crazy idea. Our children are gone s this isn't about food so much as a fun project, get rid of the stupid Japanese beetles, and maybe impress my family with a great dinner at the end of the season.
How do I learn more? Is there a great book or online source to read about this? Our local craigslist sells semi mature chickens every spring. Am I allowed to just buy one? I live in in the township, but it is a neighborhood not a farm. Where do I go for advice?
dumb question from a potential newbie
This is the place for advice--because many of us are in the same boat!
Two or three chickens is fine--a lot of townships only allow that many. They don't do well alone, but with even one other chicken they are fine. Make sure those craigslist chickens are pullets and not roos! That is where I go to get rid of roos and so do a lot of other people.
My Chicken on line has a lot of good beginner info. I can give you a list of books when I get back from visiting a fellow chicken head (Commander ZZ). But other people may do it first! We are an enthusiastic bunch....crazed maybe, but enthusiastic.
Oh Duck_Toller - you are SO in the right place! Generally I would tell you to ignore Catscan because she is potentially certifiable, but in this case, she's right. Two or three chickens is just delightful, and that is what I started with. Fortunately, I now find myself with nearly 100, but that is not how it HAS to be! LOL! I just love 'em so much I couldn't stop! But, I have 8.5 acres in the country, so I have the room.
Chickens can be great fun, not only for the eggs, but for their antics, their entertainment value, their lap-sitting abilities (if you get the right ones) and they are, for many of us, quite therapeutic - like watching a tank of pretty fish!
I second Catscan - don't get just one. It won't be happy. Get 2 or 3. They will be a delight. You can learn loads here online with us - we are all chicken crazy - and there are some good books out there too. I started out with Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens and a nice basic book called "Choosing and Keeping Chickens" by Chris Graham, and although it's British, it's very pertinent to chicken keeping in general and tells you a lot about the different breeds. You could go to a Barnes & Noble or a Borders and hang out in the chicken section for a while and learn a lot.
Some chickens lay blue or green colored eggs which are fun and pretty. Many lay brown eggs and of course some lay white eggs. You don't need a rooster to have eggs (only FERTILE eggs, and if you don't want to have chicks, forget that bit).
Ask away, we are all eager to answer questions. But know that we are all a bit off our rocker. Especially Catscan.
Claire :-)
Welcome Duck! Yes, start off with a few and before you know it. You will be like the rest of us Chicken CRAZED!! ;)
Welcome Duck_Toller,
I just second what they all say. Only one would be lonely -- although I have a friend that says she had only one chicken while growing up and it did fine -- I had only two for a bit and they were happy as can be. I now have three and they are adjusting, the third is a newbie.
You are definitely in the right place. You can also check out Backyard Chicken online. Lots of information there, too.
Welcome Duck_Toller Yes a few chickens will do just fine they are only lonely when theres only one.
A roo and 3 or 4 hens will give you eggs and if you want meat you can raise them for that too.
I have never found a reason for not haveing chickens except where laws prevent it.
You can go on many web sites for info that pertain to raiseing chickens or you can just ask here.
We all have chickens in all breeds and colors and can help when your ready to become a chicken owner.
I'm Harmony and i raise Old English Game Bantams ,Ring neck Dove's and 3 different kinds of Pigeons.
Are you looking to let your chickens run loose in the back yard to controll beetles? Most small towns and cities allow you to keep a small number of hens. f you have close neighbors, you'll need a way to keep them in your yard as they can be pretty distructive in gardens. You will also need a small shelter and confined area to secure them at night for their own protection. I hope I'm not discouraging you, because I really love my little flock. I live in a very small town and have had no problems with my laying flock or the chickens I raise in the spring for meat, but I do make sure I keep them out of other yards.
Google mypetchicken, they have lots of info for the newbie.
Welcome Duck... I'm a newbie too.
I just wanted to add that there is no such thing as a dumb question... it's only dumb not to ask.
I hope you find all the info you are seeking and get chickens soon.. they are soooooooooooooo fun!
One reason I bought the silkies was, they cannot fly. I knew my neighbors around here wouldn't appreciate my chickens roaming the neighborhood. So that was one reason I chose silkies. The other reason was they are so cute.
Now, I am seeing all these other breeds of chickens and wondering what they are like. This really is contagious. If you think about it though, people have had chickens for thousands of years, we are just going back and finding our roots.
Maybe we need to get out of this stress filled life and go back to basics. Grow our own food.
Silkies are really wonderful birds, very tame and easy to contain, but I've found them to be real diggers. Some of mine have even dug their way under the fence. Does anyone else have that problem with them?
Didn't know silkies dug and now i know thanks jylgaskin.
Mine dig little holes in the yard and lay in them. Guess it's cooler there. They also do their dust baths I guess. They do seem to love to huddle down in the dirt.
My donkey digs holes too. He paws the ground with his little hooves until he has a nice hole to trip in. I guess he's looking for roots to eat.
Good info