They are a lot of work, I think the winter is the most work. You need to check on your chickens every day. Thank you for keeping me from making a big mistake. Animals such as raccoons, hawks, opossums, foxes and dogs should not be able to get into their run or coop. Layer feed is designed for laying-hens, not non-laying birds. Then the other day my neighbor gave me some more eggs, blue this time, and they had a peculiar flavor. A better diet, means better eggs. And there are many to find the right one for you. For several weeks I have been researching raising backyard chickens. My neighbors just got chickens about the same time my dogs starting itching. Animals such as raccoons, hawks, opossums, foxes and dogs should not be able to get into their run or coop. Would you be able to humanely kill your chicken if it got mauled by a predator? Chickens need a safe and secure henhouse. Almost anything is considered food. In a backyard flock, where we often have roosters and chicks, or keep older, non laying hens, feeding layer pellets can actually be very dangerous. I figured if I’m going to put all this time and money into a pet, it would be one that would give back. Talking to chicken owners is a great way to know the ups and downs of keeping them. Why You Should Not Keep Backyard Chickens, Prosthelytzing and Vilifying | Brooklyn Feed. If you have a dog, and you’re all crazy-balls over her diet like I am with mine, you’ll want to save your eggshells. Good post. I’ve been sitting on the fence (forgive the pun) for the last year thinking about getting chickens. You need to be able to keep your hens warm in the winter, cool in the summer. If you follow us on social media, you KNOW we have chickens. A certain prejudice against chickens, a whiff of class division, can trigger opposition. Raising Goats – The Complete How To Guide, What Do Quails Eat? Pingback: Prosthelytzing and Vilifying | Brooklyn Feed. Droppings will attract flies and will repel your friends. You must clean daily and beach the coop every 6 … Hi. Consider Costs. Even with automation like an automatic chicken coop door, you have to check in on them once in a while, feed and water them daily, and collect eggs at least once a day. . Can you tell me why one of my hens is now refusing to sleep in the coup with two others, instead sitting on the grass near my bedroom door. When you collect eggs from your own birds, you know you are getting free range, healthy eggs from healthy birds. They start getting their feathers in in about a week and turn into very awkward looking teenagers. Why you should not raise chickens 1) Chickens will destroy your landscaping. For example, an excellent breed that loves to stay in the coop during the winter because it does not like being in snow is the Standard Cochin. They can get bored, which leads to gruesome acts such as feather picking (Where they pull feathers out of their companions). Because some breeds of chickens prefer to be handled more then others they can be a joy to have as a first pet for a child. Still the girls did well, the work was minimal and the eggs amazing. Once they see blood, they pick even more, which can actually lead to cannibalism. (My husband is a man who when faced with a challenge wants to do the best job possible.) Ouch. I recommend visiting other coops and seeing them first hand. You have to keep fresh unfrozen water in the pen, and constantly change the bedding. You have to scrub down the coop, spray or dust in every crevice and spray or dust your birds. etc. Most important thing was building a Ft. Knox coop which eliminates a lot of worry. She’s affectionate and smart. Keeping chickens this past year has been a fun and educational experience for my whole family. Also, you do not have to have more then one if you buy them as a chick. However, I don’t think backyard chickens are for everyone. Many backyard hen owners are as reluctant to keep a non-productive hen as they are to turn her into chicken soup. They do all of this while providing great entertainment around the homestead! Mostly I would say the work has been minimal (my ten year old does most of it) and the rewards invaluable! Thanks for your input. Chicken feed can attract rodents. Have I lost you yet? My stepsons gave my husband a chicken for Father’s Day. Thanks for the real talk. I needed something friendly due to grandchildren. Thanks for your nice comment Liz. While we tractor our chickens to different places and feed them table scraps, we still have to supplement their diet with organic layer pellets. I agree people should know what they are getting themselves into beforehand versus mistreating or not properly caring for the animal. . Obviously these weren’t big enough cons to keep me from having chickens, but to some people they might be. We have compiled a list of all the reasons to not keep chickens. keep them as pets even though they are no longer productive 2) they poop A LOT. You now have an egg-eater, who will deliberately break eggs to eat. The pro’s of keeping backyard hens have been clearly and effectively put forth by the proponents: Chickens make good pets…they are personable, quiet, small and reasonably cute. . Also, if you have a covered chicken run with the coop in the run it will make it easier to take care of the coop and run( no snow to shovel or rain in the run). My husband said he wanted to raise chickens when we moved into our new house with large property. They all receive training as part of their course to treat birds. Bird droppings smell. Threads 472 Messages 67.9K. I grew up with chickens, so a know a lot about them, which is why I don’t have them: We like to travel. They poop everywhere. As a chicken/poultry breeder, even though there are drawback to having chickens, like any pet, they need everything that goes along with having them. Chickens like to eat chicken eggs also. Plain and simple. We now have a mixed flock of hens (14) a Rhode Island red rooster and a pretty nice henhouse that we built with heat and lights. No matter if you free range your birds and rely on your backyard chickens to fertilize your lawn for you or clean out their pen and coop and use their waste for fertilizer in your garden, your birds are an excellent supply of clean fertilizer. That means that backyard hens are often fed garden scraps, scratch, treats, as well as chicken feed and owners have the option to feed them organic feed if they wish to do so and to allow their birds to forage for bugs and other critters in their yards. What to feed them for optimal health and egg laying, including if you’re on a tight budget. Entertainment and Companionship. If you are looking at getting chickens but are not 100% sure, then this article is for you. What Exactly Is a Broody Hen and How to Stop It? I am in the middle of this battle and it is no fun! Chickens like to eat greens. Its so rewarding keeping chickens! Keeping backyard chickens is certainly not something that suits everyone. 1. For now I will admire my neighbors flock from a distance. . Chickens can live for about 10 years. Chickens need special diets for different stages of their lives. Have you ever considered if raising backyard chickens is right for you? It’s amazing how quickly they look like chickens and not babies. Also The National Poultry Association. However, raising chickens is not all wine and roses; there are some distasteful aspects you should consider before jumping into backyard chicken farming. Thanks for the “Big picture” refresher course. We do post about other things too!) 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