Good Morning!

Don't feel bad Butch, i was thinking the exact same thing... i thought that was the only reason anyone put up with the damn things. That's why i don't have chickens, first time i woke up all hungover with the damn rooster going batshit cause the sun came up again today it would be chicken sandwiches for lunch lol
 
It varies seasonally. I fed chickens and collected eggs at my old farm house last year. Not my chickens. I'd say that you might get about 1/ day. You will get unfertilized eggs.


Its pretty easy.

You can get all sorts of pretty hens.

Somewhat of a food producing pet. Might be a fun match. Not so much personality or responsibility as a dog.

Rooster, in order to do their jobs, are assholes. Frank the rooster, at the farm, had one eye because he was going to try to tell a human a thing or two. I almost booted him, to put him in his place. I couldn't trust Dahlia alone with him.
 
They keep predators at bay. We had eagles and other raptors all around.

The chickens' owner said if the hens hid eggs, there would be Chicken Nuggets running around. Easy pickings for raptors. Lil' bite-sized snacks. An eagle could certainly have taken out any of the adult hens or Frank, but possibly with more risk of injury. For an eagle to lose an eye would be a likely death sentence, i think.
 
Did. Not. Know. That.

Many in my village keep chickens, we've flirted with the idea, as I'm the one who'll have to do all the unpleasant tasks.

I.e. Killing, cleaning etc I've vetoed it.
 
I've had heaps of chickens and other poultry, I liked bantams but they're a bit of trouble. Best layers are Isa Browns, they'll lay every day and don't go broody. And very quiet. Last ones I had layed for 3 years, they usually die not long after they stop laying. Bantams just keep living and eating and making a noise, but they're nice to have, unlike roosters, I can't stand roosters crowing.
 
Mine are isa browns. Just started laying right now, born dec.21st last year. Best time of the year to get some fresh young hens. It's been raining nonstop here otherwise I'd grab a couple of photos. I've got a big run and coop and for the most part they'll just stay in there. My run has a roof so no worry of predators from the sky, as well as no ground predators besides my dogs, because of my dogs.

Only room for one cock on this block, and that's me. Frig a rooster, no thanks.
 
Well, my buddy Charlie's coon dog got loose and did in 5 hens and his turkey yesterday...bad dog...

Then the Bull Terrier next door came over and finished off the old ground hog I watch in the morning, and dragged it up into my back yard and left it...
 
Dogs can be brutal. My big guys are to well behaved and lazy to bother chickens. They've had chickens before and I used to free range them a lot. Everyone loose the big guys wouldn't touch a chicken. But twice chickens flew into the dog kennel while loose and that was a different story when they were trespassing.

Protecting your chickens from predation is one of the main things. Chicken is easy prey.
 
We let our chickens free range. Predators get a few, but the eggs are better if they free range.

Getting a shipment of chicks tomorrow. Straight run heavy layers.....dual purpose breeds.

I reckon we will eat the roosters.

I wanted my wife to buy meat pullets and laying pullets.....no dice.

Usually the roosters get shotgunned.

Bantam roosters are another matter. I love those little bastards. Well, sometimes they get shotgunned too, but before that they are fun to watch.
 
I free ranged my last ones most all the time and predation wasn't an issue even though there's plenty of hawks/eagles around here. Just enough cover sticking around the buildings I guess? I hate that chickens wreak havoc on bark mulch.

I used to keep 25 so with 12 their run might be almost free range. About 16' by 40'.
 
We have had as many as 70. We cut back after we could not charge enough for the eggs to pay for the feed.

The people around here are funny, they wont spend more for fresh farm eggs than what they can buy the crappers at the store for.

We are down to 3 chickens now....time to stock up! Probably end up with a dozen layers, a dozen eating roosters and a dozen bantams.
 
How much do eggs go for there? Up here I can get $4/dozen for farm fresh all day long. Might charge $5 this time? Some people do.
 
That's crazy. I can only imagine what a nickel priced egg tastes like. Or what is or isn't in it to produce it and take it to market for such a low price.
 
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