Raising Chickens!

by jgnat 27 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Black Sheep

  HI JG,

  Ducks have very slippery shit. You really don't want them around your house.

  I had a very happy flock of hens laying very good eggs for many years, but when a dog killed the last of my flock I gave up. Very sad.

  They were a problem in my vege garden. I never managed to convince them that I was the ultimate authority when deciding when and if something was ready for consumption.

  I had a good layer that insisted on going to sleep on my shoulder while I was watching TV, but she was an exception. She was a gift from a Dubby who was leaving town. She is buried under a grapevine.

  Cheers

  Chris
• 

  cameo-d

  Ducks eggs taste different. Kind of gamey and greasy. I would much prefer chickens.

  I would like to have a pet chicken, one that could be more like a prissy little dog and would lay eggs. Maybe like this one:

  I imagine it would be a bit of trouble and half a day job if you have to bathe the whole flock of 'em. Doesn't show how to clean their ears, though.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9TDAL-17Qw

  If you are going to have a house chicken, I guess they will have to wear diapers.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JK769jVyl4

  And just like children, you have to consider their educational needs.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq5e0ft5d0I&NR=1

  A hobby should pay for itself. I see another roadside attraction in the making.
• 

  Black Sheep

  .... and that's another thing .....

  ..... Chickens are cute. Very cute.

  Unfortunately, if you don't eat your poultry, you don't get to raise many chickens before your yard is full.
• 

  Robdar

  Jgnat, welcome back

  I think your idea is a good one. Fresh, free range, chicken eggs are way better than the ones found in the grocery store. Our local farmers market offers eggs from free range chickens and although they are expensive, they are yummy. I guess happy and satisfied chickens produce tastier eggs.
• 

  designs

  Our neighbors have free range chickens (and 1 Rooster ) they come up the hill to our property every day and peck through the gardens. Great for keeping the snails and weeds out.
• 

  BurnTheShips

  I'd like to try keeping chickens for the eggs. I couldn't kill them myself and it's illegal to "slaughter" in our area. Have you seen the Eglu?

  Why spend all that money when you can make a Chicken Tractor for a fraction of the price?

  http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/tractors.html

  http://www.chickentractor.org/

  The nice thing is that you can move it around, the chickens get fresh weeds to eat, and fresh ground to scratch up. You can even put it in an area you want to plant veggies in. They'll weed it, eat all the bugs and weed seeds, and leave some fertilizer.

  I had two Muscovy ducks as a kid, by the way. I caught some wild ducklings and received the Wrath of the Mother Duck for it, we have them everywhere down here. They weren't near so bad as they are made out to be on this thread, although the eggs did taste different.

  BTS
• 

  zoiks

  Argh! My wife and daughters want chickens now. I think just some laying hens to start with. We have the space for it, but I would have to fence in the yard - we're in a small city and can't have chickens going over to the neighbors' houses.

  Also, our English Mastiff is all for it. He could probably fit a whole chicken in his mouth, and then some
• 

  Heaven

  Here's one of my all time favourite chickens ... er..um... I mean roosters: