He said he could pass me off to a manager if I wanted but they probably wouldn't do anything about it. I got a "Yeah, that happens." "You can't really tell yet." "You could butcher them I guess" and "What do you want me to do about it?". I explained the issue and asked what the remedy was. Guy at the ag desk couldn't have cared less. Wife noticed that two of the Salmons are getting black feathers which is an easy distinction that they are actually roos.įB customer service said to call the pick up store and they would straighten it out. We paid the extra for pullets because we're egg people more than we are chicken people. A local farm store (Farm and Fleet) offered a order system so we did that. In this case some Salmon Favorelles were among the breeds. Ordinarily we had just snagged whatever was available at the local TSC but this time she wanted some specific breeds. We researched available chicken coops and kits, looking at expert and customer reviews alike to determine which are the best and which spaces they work best for, from small patios to large backyards.Wife wanted to restock our coop this spring.
There are tons of chicken coops and chicken coop plans out there. Similarly, some coops feature nest boxes that pull out for easy cleaning. Easy-to-clean models typically include poop trays or removable floors beneath the roosting areas.
Adequate ventilation will also help keep your birds dryer and more comfortable. Chicken poop creates ammonia, which isn’t healthy for the chickens-or you-to breathe in. In colder climates, insulation is needed, but ventilation is also vital. In colder climates, chickens need to be able to fully cover their feet when they sleep, so individuals living in colder areas should avoid chicken coops with a bar or rounded perch, opting instead for those with a flat wooden option. Of course it’s a bummer to find frozen, broken eggs in your coop, but it’s even sadder to find your chickens' feet frozen to their perch or damaged because of it. In colder climates, chickens will need coops with insulation and heat, and in places prone to freezing, they'll need more than just a perch. They also need access to at least 8 to 10 square feet of roaming space, which is a particularly important consideration when rearing chickens in an urban environment or other small space. When it comes to the size of your coop, consider that each standard-sized chicken needs at least 3 square feet of space, although smaller breeds like bantams can survive with just 2 square feet of coop space apiece. While chickens are generally robust creatures, chicks do sometimes die, so it’s a smart idea to purchase a few extra chicks for your first brood. While cities and townships might be okay with chickens, many are not so friendly towards roosters, so it’s a good idea to select female birds. However, even the best hatcheries can only tell a chick’s sex about 90 percent of the time. When selecting chicks for your henhouse, you’ll want to get “sexed” chicks, or chicks that a hatchery has tried to ascertain the sex of. While a single chicken can produce somewhere between 200 and 300 eggs a year, chickens are social animals and do better in groups, so it's wise to consider getting at least two or three birds. Once you know that you can get chickens for your property, it's time to decide how many chickens you want. However, local ordinances, like HOAs, may have chicken restrictions, so make sure you research the laws and regulations of your particular community before investing in your own chicken coop. At about the same time, the Billings Backyard Hen Initiative ran a post about cities that allow hens, which you can check out here. Thankfully, for those interested in rearing chickens to produce eggs and fertilizer, the Department of Interior found in 2011 that 93 percent of the 150 most-populous cities in the U.S. Local Lawsīefore you start looking into buying your first chicks or pullets (hens under a year old), make sure you can raise them where you live. But before you start with a flock of your own, there are quite a few considerations to keep in mind. It’s estimated that upwards of 8 percent of households-about 13 million homeowners-have backyard chickens across the country. Raising backyard chickens is growing in popularity across the U.S., allowing people to produce their own food, reduce their household waste, and engage in more home-based hobbies.
We've rounded up the best chicken coops on the market, ranging from inexpensive models to veritable chicken palaces, each ideal for meeting the needs of everyone from urban farmers to rural hobbyists.
Whether you’ve raised chickens for years or are just starting to spread your wings with your first flock, picking the right chicken coop is essential when it comes to keeping your feathered friends happy.
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