[Johngoboom]

As the price of groceries has officially reached the "dang that's expensive" level the wife and I have decided to help offset the cost by getting some laying hens for eggs. I have to build the coop today (or at least get a good start on it).

I want to build it big enough that in the future if we want to raise meat chickens, they have enough room too.

Anybody here raise chickens???

Sheepdog: If you wouldn't mind, I need you to keep the raccoons out the coop. Good luck solider!

 

[Bountyhunter]

:lol: :lol:

 

[Natalie]

Johngoboom the chicken farmer - yeah, that's good. The eggs don't come out 'clean' ya know. You'll also need a good looking rooster. Woo-hoo!! Keep us posted cause this has the makings of some fun.

 

[Natalie]

P.S. To Farmer John: Sheepdog's supposed to watch sheep not chickens but maybe he won't notice the difference. :lol:

 

[Terry_P]

He'll divide up the eggs with the racoons. Why fight.

My parents raised chickens one year and they grew them big before we put them in the freezer. I put 25 in the freezer and they were the outstanding. The only part I had in it other than dividing up the cost and eating them was in the head chopping. We had an assembly line that worked well for the butchering.

 

[sheepdog]

In Texas, our chickens fight off the ***** theirselves..."a .410 in every coop" is their motto...what kinda wimpy chickens you raisin'??????

 

[Johngoboom]

:lol:

I got a good start on the coop today, and hope to finish it up this week. I got all the framing done, and just need to add the sheathing, the roofing, and the doors. The basic structure is all done. I worked on it at my dad's house, he has a nice chop box saw which makes things go a lot smoother.

Then I'll set the post for the fence, get the fence up, and then add the birds. I'm thinking just 3 or 4 for now. Well see how it goes and then maybe add a few more.

I don't think we'll have a rooster. The hens don't really need one unless your planning on hatching the eggs.

The coop is about 4'x4' and about 5' tall. Plenty big for the few birds we'll have.

NATALIE: You sound just like my dad, he think this whole thing is pretty funny too.

 

[Bountyhunter]

This thread makes me think, E-I-E-I-O.

 

[Natalie]

:lol:
NATALIE: You sound just like my dad, he think this whole thing is pretty funny too.

I would want a rooster. They're the coolest. Actually, I'm just messin' with ya. I honestly think it's going to be a fun adventure. You two (your wife & you) have great enthusiasm. Hang onto it because it's a precious gift.

 

[sheepdog]

"Roostered" eggs are noticeably better than lonely hen eggs....trust me..... be sure to get them a dish and let them watch Fox News...gotta give 'em something to cluck about, ya know!!!

 

[sheepdog]

If you're gonna raise "meat" chickens...let them roam the place and eat bugs and worms....feed chickens aren't near as good.....and you may want to play "dial-a-worm"....take a 110v wire and connect the hot side to a nail or spike....water the ground stick the spike in, and plug it in...in about 5 minutes, you'll have a herd of worms come up....(remember to unplug it before the chickens show up....)...won't work from a GFI plug....the kind that trips the circuit....Grandpa used to use his "worm wire" before we went fishing...surprising how many worms we have........boy, this turned back the clock for me......

 

[mrb]

my first wifes granny let her chickens run in the yard....if one of um got hit by a car..you knew what was for supper that evening !!!. Pea's and dumplims to go with it !!!!

 

[Bountyhunter]

my first wifes granny let her chickens run in the yard....if one of um got hit by a car..you knew what was for supper that evening !!!. Pea's and dumplims to go with it !!!!

:lol:

 

[sheepdog]

...and chase 'em out in the road regularly!!!!! Love farm fresh chicken..... :twisted:

 

[Natalie]

Never have I tasted farm fresh chicken. Our chicken comes from the meat market and is featherless, headless and footless. Doesn't look like a chicken at all. I've always wanted to get some feet because my grandma said they made the best soup. They give it more color and thicken the broth.

I do remember my grandma chasing a chicken around in her backyard so that she could decapitate it. I was very young and it freaked me out when the chicken was still running minus its head & blood spurting all over.

So much in this thread. How to catch worms for fishing, the roosters role in life, better eggs, assembly line work, range chickens vs coup chickens. Amazing.

 

[sheepdog]

Yeah, chicken feet add more flavor...depending on what they'd been scratching in just before giving their all for our supper!!! Why do you marvel at threads like this? I know you've heard folks say they know just enough about something to be dangerous....well, that's us..... :?

 

[Bountyhunter]

Yeah it sounds like us. :lol: