Chickens, and things related

[dooleysm]

I have 2 sons, 3 years and 18 months. They like looking at the chickens, especially the little ones. We had an aggresive rooster for a while that liked to pick on the boys. I solved that problem with some delicious soup.

My chickens are all mutts. You never know what's going to hatch or what color eggs you'll get. Kind of neat, but I see your point too. I'd like to have some 'purebred' chickens just to know what I have.

There's a huge auction barn about an hour away. I ended up with most of my chickens from there. They are dirt cheap in the fall as people are paring down for the winter. I bought 10 chickens for $10 last fall.

I think you and your kids will have great fun with the chickens. They are a blast, and in my experience require less upkeep than a dog.

 

[mjfox6]

I plan on buying pullets, not straight run. Thats why I am hoping that the hatchery makes an error.... I am thinking of Buff Orpingtons. My kids are will soon be 3 and 5 years old. I need a friendly quiet bird.

I don't know why, but bantams don't get me excited. I want a big bird... Why, I don't know....

I would like to get one set and keep them pure breed, just so I don't have to wonder what is hatching. Easier to sell the chicks if I need to.... And I guess I have no use for tiny eggs...

With that said, I have started to can chicken, and I love it. So I assume the meat from these would be fine canned....

I originally only wanted to buy 10 birds, but to get the type i want, it looks like I need to buy 25... So I will have some meat....

I also have a chocolate Lab that will live about 200 feet from my coop.... So I might have to plan on a few missing.... Its the neighbors dog, and they only take it out once a week, to let it poop in my yard.... So this might be interesting.... We have 20 acres, thed they own .75.... And you would think it was the other way around. They have little respect for property... Sorry about the rant, but I need a loud rooster just to bug them

I also can mine. It tastes amazing heated up in some chicken gravy and poured over some mashed potatoes! I know what I'm having for dinner tonight now!

I used to have no use for bantams...until I got one. I like them way more than my big chickens now. I just eat two of their eggs to one big one. Just as tasty!

 

[dooleysm]

Yeah, the bantam eggs aren't that much smaller than a regular egg, plus they eat less, so the cost per egg is probably about the same. On the other hand, my big hens (which I think are a cross of barred rock, black orpington, and probably a few others, since some lay green eggs) lay eggs that are bigger than a store bought large. I have had friends and family saving their egg cartons for a while now for me to use. Many of my eggs are so big that I can't close the cartons around them.

 

[Mike Costello]

My wife's favorites are Buff Orpingtons because they are good layers and mothers and the meat is plump. She also has Rhode Island Reds for eggs primarily and Barred Rocks also for eggs and disposition. She also got a few black and brown Cochins for fun.
Last time around it was all Buff Orpingtons and one mystery chick that turned out to be a Black Star rooster. He was big but fairly mild in temperment. My BIL has them now and is still doing OK in eggs.

 

[nmu98]

well, I am starting to get materials for building. I started to think twice about treated lumber. The last thing I want is the chickens to eat arsnic.... even if it does not kill them, when I eat them I might get some........

So, Are you guys using treated or uintreated in the coop and pen?

 

[dmccarty]

....I started to think twice about treated lumber. The last thing I want is the chickens to eat arsnic.... even if it does not kill them, when I eat them I might get some........

So, Are you guys using treated or uintreated in the coop and pen?

While you might be able to still buy the old CCA pressure treated lumber I think the most common treatment is now ACQ(alkaline copper quaternary). Not sure you want to eat copper or whatever quaternary is but its not likely you would be eating arsenic anymore.

If it was me I would use PT as required and not worry what the birds did too much. If they do start pecking the wood you could always put up some metal to shield the wood.

Later,
Dan

 

[PineRidge]

The foundation and floor on our coop is PT lumber and the rest will be untreated lumber for what it's worth. I don't think the PT lumber would affect the chickens unless they developed a taste for a LOT of wood.

 

[nmu98]

The foundation and floor on our coop is PT lumber and the rest will be untreated lumber for what it's worth. I don't think the PT lumber would affect the chickens unless they developed a taste for a LOT of wood.

Your right the coop is the easy part. Most of the pressure treated is covered.


The way I planned my pen, I think I could use regular 2x4's and stain and seal them... but most likely, I should just do it right the first time..

 

[Mike Costello]

well, I am starting to get materials for building. I started to think twice about treated lumber. The last thing I want is the chickens to eat arsnic.... even if it does not kill them, when I eat them I might get some........

So, Are you guys using treated or uintreated in the coop and pen?

I've used PT lumber on my coops anywhere it will be in contact with the ground. The birds show no interest in wood. Now, toss a tomato worm into the pen... that's a different story!

 

[Tororider]

Same with me, where wood contacts ground, I used pt, otherwise I used regular dimensional.