Raising Chickens

We've gotten chicks from feed stores a few times, but to really plug into the chicken game you got to find private breeders. Seems like you'll lose a few chicks and half end up being roosters from a feed store, so it's a crap shoot.

With a private breeder you can go buy laying hens already in action. We keep a few, and go get a few more when something finally gets a couple of them. Free range out in the country, it's going to happen. Don't get attached to them.

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You know of a place that sells them?

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anytime that i want to buy more than a handful, i have used Ideal Poultry LINK / They are located in Texas, and will ship to you via USPS. i usually get it next day. Their prices are resonable, and you can order them sexed, so you don't get the straight run headache of having to deal with 50% or more turning out to be roosters.
or try your locally owned feedstore. A lot of these have gotten away from straight run, and are only ordering pullets .
Hint, A good deal of these stores buy them from Ideal.

I got into raising them about 3 years ago. Bought all the equipment, and my uncle gave me 8 chicks. Spent a ton of time raising them. I let them free range in my back yard. Loved watching them peck for insects, and the kids loved trying to catch them. Keep in mind I live in the city. About 8 months in, an a-hole fox entered my back yard and bit the heads off of them. He didn't even eat one. I was disappointed. Would have killed him if I could have.

I'm in the market for some laying age Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds myself.

haha funnt this thread is here. i was looking at getting 6 hens to have in the back yard for fun.

do i need a coop? build or buy?
do they have to stay fenced in? or just let them roam in the yard?
how big of fenced in area do i need if it has to ge fenced?

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do i need a coop?

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Yes. They need a place to go at night. You need a dry, secure coop with a roost bar and nesting boxes.

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build or buy?

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The ones you get on Tractor Supply or on the internet are cramped and cheap. I went down to Star, MS to "Star Discount Furniture" and had the guy build me the basics to accomodate 8-10 hens. He charged me $220. Then, I put wire on it, and siding, and PVC roofing material. That part was easy. Total cost was maybe $300-325. Depends on how handy you are.

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do they have to stay fenced in? or just let them roam in the yard?

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You need a fence to keep the neighborhood dogs out. Just depends on if you're rural or urban. And if you want Free Range or not. I have a coop where they can come and go at will, and they roam around the backyard. My yard just has a 6' privacy fence. If I had more hens, or more space, I would basically build a quarter acre deer pen 8' high and let them roam around in that.

We just acquired a set of three with a coop. Picked them up from my cousin who no longer had time for them last week. We are getting 2 eggs a day out of the three hens. Haven't gotten three eggs / day yet so one of them needs to start putting out.

We don't have a fenced yard right now, so I took some of the old chainlink and some T posts and made a 15x8 pen next to the coop. I'll move it when I'm ready to plant the garden.

Came home yesterday and none of them were in the pen. All 3 were pecking away in the yard.

The Tractor Supply by the house has Animal Swap days every first Sunday of the month. Good place to go to buy hens that are already laying

Make sure to get plenty of coon traps if you live in the country. Even if the chickens are fenced in. Them damn coons are some clever bastards.