Hi - I have a few basic questions before I attempt this whole chicken raising thing:

1. how many chickens do you need to get 1/2-1 dozen eggs per week?

2. do you need a rooster if you only want hens for laying eggs?

3. Is it ok to mix breeds of hens/chickens? I am thinking of getting RI Reds and Barred Ply. Rocks.

4. What type & highth(sp?) fencing do you recommend? Our neighbor has free roaming dogs that practically live in our yard.

Thank you for your help!
Dave

1) at least 3 hens per 2 eggs per day so 3+. More than three if you don't whant to have to constantly replace hens.

2) no

3) yes

4) something your hens can fit through with an electric wire at the top and on the base. Put the wire on the outside. Not sure about how tall

YoYo

Your fencing needs to be able to keep the dogs and other predators out at all times, and tall enough and tight enough to keep your hens in at all times. If they fly over the fence, then the dogs get them anyway. Different breeds have different flying capacities. Generally, heavier breeds don't fly as well as lighter ones. Many of the little bantam breeds fly like birds, and could not be kept in without a top on the run area. If your space and resource are limited, you should probably consider putting a top on anyway. Dogs dig and scratch. When you build your compound, keep this in mind. If you put an electric wire outside close to the ground, it has to be kept clear of weeds, grass, snow, etc., to remain effective.

If you build a snug house but don't have a timer light in it in the winter time (I'm assuming you are in the Northern hemisphere and not too far south), most birds will quit laying in the winter, then resume when the weather begins to warm up. Chickens lay in cycles. Carefully timing the arrival of new chicks can help prevent gaps in production, especially in a very small flock. Good luck.

re: birds quitting laying in winter. I bought my pullets in September, and they have just started laying - in December, when we have the least daylight hours! I don't understand this at all, was assuming we would have to wait until Spring for them to start! I don't think my girls have read the book I left in their house on how to be a chicken! But I am not complaining!

The internal clock chickens have drives them to begin laying when the alarm goes off, usually about 4 1/2 to five months after hatch. Without additional light here north of 45 degrees north, this is delayed a little, and reduced also. If conditions are less favorable in terms of cold, drafts, feed, and other stresses, then this initial production can be completely shut off until spring. We have pullets beginning to lay now, too, and they are in with the other hens and have early morning light in order to keep them going right into summer and fall. Good luck!

RE: Fencing

Just an idea: I noticed that a farm down the road uses the 4'x6' chain link pannels with their small coop. I see these used mostly for dog pens and larger animals. They probably are expensive and wouldnt work well with chicks but thats what I have seen so far.

The chickens I've had all were rather home-bound. My fence (in my old house and here) was between 4-6' tall. My chickens in my old house never even attempted flying over. A few of mine at my new house have gotten over, but they hated it. They aren't the brightest of animals and they could never figure out how to get BACK. They'd get pretty frantic, wanting to go back to the rest of the flock, when I'd finally help them out.

Well, my coop is made out of chain link fence ( for dog pens)and is very strong. for added protection I have netting over the top which keeps chickens from flying out and keeps hawks from swooping down and catching my little banties. I also have netting over my Standard sized chickens' pen.
I have 2 of each breed of Buff Orpingtons, Barred rocks, Black Australorps, cochins, and brahmas. They have just started laying and I am getting between 5-7 eggs a day.But I don't think that the brahmas and cochins have started laying yet. Anyway, they are all in one pen and are happy. I have heard that RIR are flighty and sometimes mean, but you should definately get Barred Rocks. Hope this helps-
chickenluver

I own 5 breeds of hens and my RIR's are the friendliest. I think it just depends on the chicken.

Cochins are known for beginning to lay later than other breeds. I don't know about Brahmas, but maybe someone who knows them can tell you when to expect some eggs. Our RIRs are the friendliest and gentlest birds we have ever had, but one hen likes to tear pieces out of my hand when I reach under her to check for eggs.

The way Chickenluver described his or her pens is how I have mine too. One difference is that I use large chicken wire to cover everything. I didn't have my pens covered in the beginning, but even the heaviest of chickens could not resist roosting in my apple tree. If they flew black into the right pens in the mornings, everything was fine. But if they flew into the dogs' pen, it was a stupid disaster. I only let that happen once. Each of my pens is 17 ft by 23 ft. I have learned that I have to put bricks or rocks around the base of the chain link to keep anything from squeezing out or in. Chain link fence does not work for baby chicks. They go into the next pen and get pecked to death. While the hen is setting, I fix fine mesh chicken wire around her so that she and her babies have a place of their own.

As for hens laying in the winter, my hens don't know they're not supposed to. I offer no artificial light, but they just keep on laying except during hot, dry periods.

Hi there has any one got the answer ? I have 11 hens and 2 cockerals in a free range flock Why have they stopped laying it is Summer in NZ They laid really well in the spring but now have vertually stopped. They have claen nest baxes and plenty of food and fresh water. They are not laying away as I havnt found any nests

I know very little about chickens and how to raise them, but I'm willing to learn. I'm planning to show my chickens with our school's FFA. I need to know what chickens are best for a beginning shower. How many chickens I should raise? What I should feed them?
How much should I feed them? Where should I keep them? Should I keep them each in their own separate coop or combine the coops? Please help me.

Ashley, Personal help, rather than a few discussion page words, or even books, is best. Is there someone in your area that raises Poultry? Ask at your local Feed Store (you need to know those people!) for names of people who purchase poultry feed. Visit their places and see how they house and feed their birds. Talk about quantity, and breeds. You will probably want what are called "production" birds for FFA, rather than just beautiful chickens that catch your fancy. And you will want to research sources of healthy birds (probably chicks) to start with. If your Fairs or Exhibitions are in August, you barely have time to raise chicks to exhibition age, if you start next month! So get going, and ask your FFA leader and County Agent for folders and material about Poultry Projects. Good luck, CJR

Hi, this may be the dumbest letter you have ever gotten. While at work we were discussing the
survivor show and the chickens. We were talking about why they killed the rooster first. THen
we started wondering...How often do hens lay? every day? how many eggs? How often does a
hen need to be fertilized to lay a fertilized egg? Once? Once a week? We did not know how dumb we were until we started thinking about chickens.
Thanks
P.S. we are all city born and raised

Well, I love Australia, but not Survivors--I did see a bit of the obtaining of the chickens! Roosters are not needed for egg laying!!! Roosters crow and provide fertile eggs--otherwise not needed! That is all they do. Hens lay eggs--that is what they do. Hens will lay an egg every day or two, if properly fed and cared for. The eggs you buy are not fertilized--those hens have never seen a rooster. The Survivors will not be around long enough to hatch eggs, if that was their objective. And in their setting, the hens are unlikely to lay many eggs, anyway--trauma and change of home, is not a setting that a hen will feel comfortable. Not dumb at all, am just sorry that so many "city born" cannot experience the joy of natural things (city parks are wonderful, but not the same) and the peace and slower pace that farm living (with livestock of all kinds) can provide. And sorrier still that that kind of peace is disappearing under subdivisions and commercial developments on the best soils and locations for healthy food production. Forgive me for throwing in this last part. CJR

Survivor is a is proof of how many people in the US are stuopid, pritive, and how they enjoy watching animals be tortured.

I did not know they tortured animals on the survivor show. I do not watch it and I still think the entire premise of the show is pretty lame. Anyway, I thank you for your comments despite your rudeness.

I was a city girl who moved to the country at the tender age of 14. I will NEVER live in the city again! I am also new to raising chickens. I have two girls, ages 4 and 6, and we are having the best time!! They have been involved in every step, from picking which breed to own {after much research, they chose RIR and Barred Rocks}, to helping to build the cages. Nothing can compare to the lesson learned when you are responsible for another life form's health and well-being. The best part is that we have been able to cover a wide range of subjects such as biology, ecology, mathematics{measuring the materials to build the coop, and measuring feed}, social behaviors, cooking{they love boiled eggs!}, and even the dreaded topic of sexuality. I recommend to EVERYONE to get into raising some type of farm animal, especially if they have children!

I'm moving onto 16 acres in a few weeks. Raising 14 chicks now, which I plan to free range. 3 Questions:
1. I need to get a dog (keep the coyotes out & alert me when I have visitors) and I don't want her to kill my chickens. Should I get a puppy or a full grown?
2. I want a lab--is that a good breed for keeping free-ranging chickens?
3. I'm constructing the chicken area now. I'm planning to cover the top completely to keep bald eagles, cats, deer, elk, etc., out of the cage at night. Can I simply cover with chicken wire?
Thanks!

Labrador is not my favorite breed of dogs. They are ?gluttons. They eat a lot because it is in their genes to build up a layer of fat to resist cold water. You have to keep them on an extremely severe diet all their lives otherwise they grow fat and lazy.
Also, because there was so much demand for Labradors, here in Europe (don't know where you are) many are degenerates so have a lot of health problems and develop tumors, hip diplegia, etc.
In general, they are easy to dominate, so easy to train, that's why they are so popular.
Although it is better to buy a dog as a puppy so you can train it to your own needs, I would never trust a puppy with chickens as it would think them being playmates.
In my opinion, considering different breeds, Labrador would be a good choice if you can handle the diet which will be harder on you than on the dog.
If you decide to buy one, best have a good vet check it first! (and check the parents!)
Good luck, anny.

Lnida

1: puppy, you need to teach it to leave the chickens alone

2: dunno

3: yes

>>3. I'm constructing the chicken area now. I'm planning to cover the top completely to keep bald eagles, cats, deer, elk, etc., out of the cage at night. Can I simply cover with chicken wire?
Thanks! <<


You have been given some fairly good info but I must say from experience about the covering for a cage the best thing to do is build a coop that is completely critter proof. I have lost chickens to rats, snakes and coons. Not because I didn't cover the pens but because they were able to get through the chicken wire. They tend to go after them at night when the chickens are roosting as its easier on the predator and as well as the facts that the predators usually hunt at night whn humans are not around. That is why I suggest a well built coop for your feathered friends to spend the night in. It will also serve for the hens to get in to lay their eggs and a place for them to get out of the sun during the hot summer days.

As far as a dog goes...any breed will work for your intended purposes but as a breeder of German Shepherds I do lean towards that breed myself. Ours are great around the chickens and I do suggest a pup so that you can teach them to leave the chickens alone as well as to have them grow attached to you and not try to teach an older dog who it now has to obey.

Don't ever trust a dachshund around chickens. They will do anything they can to kill them.

I'm a beginner. I am looking for a plan to build a coop to house 4 to 6 chickens. Something large enough to stand in to clean easily. I also need to know how to set up perches and nesting boxes. We would keep a fence around them although perhaps if our labrador can be trained not to harm them they would be able to roam. Either way they will have plenty of room. I want to build the coop myself. If anyone has a plan/pictures I would really appreciate the help. Thanks. Ferdi

Hello everyone. I'm sure you have all seen these questions before as I am a beginner and I have beginner type questions, but if you wouldn't mind answering anyway I'd be grateful. My son and I want to raise egg layers, we live in Northern Minnesota on 20 acres of woods surrounded by mostly woods, thus many predators. We also have a dog (Chow and blue healer mix) and 2 cats. Do you have any advise on coops, how to keep them from predators, pests, and pets. Any certain breed of chicken hardier for our weather? Better egg layers? My son would like to start his own business selling eggs. I have been doing some research but would like to get advise from exprienced chickeners.Thanx-slatekone

You should plan to insulate your coop against the cold, and provide for ventilation to keep from trapping moisture. In the summer you will want the windows open and protected against flies and mosquitoes. For predators, you must either restrict your birds to an area where the dog (trained to respect chickens, of course) can keep them at bay at all times during the day, or fenced to keep out killers. They must be enclosed at night in a predator-proof coop. Screen is only for small stuff. It takes hardware cloth and sometimes heavier stuff to keep out bigger vermin.
We are close to your latitude but further east a little. We have had good luck with Black Australorps and production layers together, and we now have Rhode Island Reds. In their snug coop with the roost hood in place in the winter time, they have done very well and laid well right through the cold weather.
For the record, our hens pay for themselves and provide us all the eggs we can use, but we don't make lots of money on eggs. There is more money to be made in raising quality broilers if you are willing to dress them yourself or if there is a dressing facility nearby. It's wonderful that you are willing to help your son start a business. Show him how to keep good books so he can tell whether he's actually making money or not. Good luck!

Thankyou Dr. Bruce for answering my post. I wasn't planning on insulating my coop, what kind of insulation would you recommend? Amd I have never heard of Black Australorps! It will be fun to research these two breeds which you describe. Forgive me for sounding totally dumb, but what do you mean by production layers? May I ask what size your coop is for how many birds? We are planning a coop 3ft. deep, 6ft. high on one side and a sloped roof to 4ft. high on the other for 6 birds. I was thinking of having it raised with a droppings pit, but then I worry about rodents and drafts. Any comments? Thanks--Kate

Our production layers were Highland 55 White Leghorns from Murray McMurray, but this hatchery does not offer them any more. They always sold a production layer called The Pearl, and they still have them.
For insulation I mostly use 1" rigid foam insulation, but this must be covered with paneling or other chicken-proof covering because chickens love to eat foam. I have part of the walls covered with white plastic-coated bathroom paneling, and filled the space in the wall with cedar sawdust. The foam works well and takes up less space. The sawdust also works well, but it settles each year and has to be refilled a little each fall. The insulation on the warm side should have a vapor barrier because under certain conditions moisture will condense there. This is why it is important to have adequate ventilation in your northern chicken coop in the winter.
You don't list the width of your planned coop, so I can't tell if it will be big enough or not, but the rule is to allow 4 square feet of floor space per bird with standard breeds. For six birds you should have 24 square feet of space beyond the area taken up by feed barrels, water fountains, etc. The space under nests can count toward your living area.
Six feet to four feet on your shed roof will be okay, but very little of this will be accessible without stooping over. On the other hand, it's important in the winter not to have too much space that is warmed up but inaccessible to the birds. Our building for 21 birds is 8X12, with a 7' front wall and 4' back wall. The roost is on the north side against the 4' wall, and the roost hood goes over this area in the winter time. There is insulation between the rafters to hold the heat that rises against the roof decking. If you use the key word search to the left, you should be able to find the discussions describing how the roost hood works and how to build it. Mine comes out in the spring, and goes back in to the coop in December.
Our building has a treated plywood floor on 2X6 treated floor joists, and these rest on 4X6 treated runners that allow the building to be moved with a tractor. There is an air space between the joists and the ground. We deep bed in the winter time, so there is no insulation on the floor, but in severe winters we put straw bales around the outside edge of the building to keep the wind from blowing underneath. This bedding has to be cleaned out and fresh bedding put in several times each winter. Make sure you have a door large enough to allow comfortable cleaning of the building. We have an insulated steel exterior door that we bought with a dent in it. A lumber yard might have something like this for a bargain price if you shop around. Ours (without hardware) was $15. I put OSB reverse board-and-batten siding on the outside, and used 1/2 plywood for the roof decking. Screened windows are on the south side, along with the door. There is a floor-to-rafter door on the back side, hinged to be tightly closed in the winter, but always open in the summer, and the opening is covered with screen and 1/4-inch hardware cloth. This gives cross ventilation in the warm weather. Together, the windows keep out flies and mosquitoes pretty well, too. A fly strip will catch the flies that come in when the door is open to allow the birds access to their range.
Sounds like a little piece of paradise you have up there in the north woods. Best of luck with your birds.

I am wondering if anyone can help me. I am wanting to find how to "create a new conversation" but can't seem to find out where to do this. The questions that I would like help with are regarding the set up of a coop for free ranging chickens. We are using an older fully lined shed (4 metres by 4 metres and about 4 metres high) as our coop for approx. 20 brown shaver chickens(NZ). The coop has a very old vinyl floor, is there something that I can use to seal the floor with, without it being toxin to the chickens? I have read that it is a good idea to put lime under the straw/shavings. Is this ordinary garden lime? Do we have to provide ventilation on more than one side? How many nesting boxes would we need, and do the nesting boxes have to be raised up or away from the ventilation? Where abouts should we put the food and water? What sort of containers should we use for the food and water? I have read that it is good to have a ramp outside and a removable raised passageway like structure inside the coop to remove dirt from the birds feet. Do you think this would help? I am sorry, I know there are alot of questions to answer but I want to get it right for the chickens. Any help would be appreciated.

I can answer just one of your questions: choose the topic and scroll all the way down on the conversations list.

Just click on the topics box on the left, and go all the way to the bottom of that list. The box there says "Create new conversation." Click that and you can begin a new string.
Yes, if you want to put lime under your bedding, use garden or agricultural lime. This will only slightly delay the need to change bedding once it begins to build up.
Ventilation depends on your climate. It would probably be better to have cross ventilation available when youw want it, but be able to close it off when the weather is cold. It's good to have a small vent panel high up in the house to allow removal of excess moisture in the winter time.
Water should be supplied in a metal or plastic fountain that supplies more water as the birds drink it. You can make homemade feeders, but a hanging gravity feeder is nice because it can be adjusted to the depth of bedding, keeping the hens from wasting so much feed. The feed and water should be where they can see it with first light in the morning. Don't put it in the darkest corner. Ours is right in front of the window.
Chickens don't seem to track in much dirt from the outside, but we have a ramp to the hen door because it's easier to train them to use a ramp than to hop up to a ledge. We cut grooves on a 2X10 to give them better traction.
For 20 hens, I would use a battery nest of about 10 units, but many people get by with only a few. I like to have space for all the hens who want to be on the nest at the same time. With our 21 hens, sometimes 8 or 9 nests have a hen in them at the peak laying time in the morning.
Hope this helps.

Thank you for your prompt reply to my questions, your response has been very helpful. I have followed your instructions regarding finding where to "create a new conversation" and I am afraid that I do not have this heading in the "Topics" page. I thought that maybe I was mistaken, so I asked my husband(computer programmer) to search also, but neither of us has found it. This really isn't so much of an issue to me but I thought you may want to know in case others have the same problem.
Thanks again for the help.

Vicki,
Step 1 : you go to the "Topics" page,
Step 2 : click on the topic you choose,
Step 3 : scroll all the way down the list,
Step 4 : click on the "Create a new ..." bar.
Hope it works this time. Anny

Anny
Thank you very mucch for your help. I have found the "create a new topic" now.
Best wishes
Vicki

Hi,

My husband and I are rather new to the chicken raising thing.My husband and his father raised chickens when he was a boy but he remembers very little about the egg laying process. So this brings me to my first question. How long will it take before they start to lay. We have 24 chickens, a mix of Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds. We purchased them at the very beginning of May and they were about 2-3 days old. We are feeding them crumbles and scratch. They are in a good sized pen although we do let them out during the day to roam and they return on their own at night. It was an old wooden frame garage with a dirt floor and we penned in the front. We put up some roost for them. Although some of them prefer some old wooden shelves that are in there. We also purchased a 10 hole galvanized nest box for them. It is hung on the wall approx. 2ft from the ground. Right now they don't get in the nest at all, which brings me to my second question. Will instinct bring them to these nest to lay? We keep straw in the nest for them. We also keep their pen clean and fresh clean water and food 24 hours a day. I hope you can help and answer one or both of the questions I had. Also if anyone has some tips for us it would be appreciated.

Thanks from Tx.

Brrirfamily,
Your chickens will probably start laying at 5-6 months old. Some may instinctively use the nesting boxes, some may lay on those shelves or on the ground. Someone suggested to me that I put some wooden or realistic looking plastic eggs or even golf balls in the nesting boxes to stimulate them to use them. The nesting boxes should not be in a really brightly lit area. Sounds like you are doing a good job to me, but I only started in February! So I don't have much experience myself. There are some good books (and some not so good) available. Check your local library or feed store. The book by Gail Damerow on raising chicken's is excellent.
Good Luck,
Janet

With luck, and if you purchased good laying stock, your hens should begin to lay just about the time they are five months old. Leghorns will often lay a little earlier than this. Golf balls or wooden eggs in the nests help give them the idea that they should lay in there, but some may want to lay on the floor or elsewhere. Be patient, and they will eventually all lay in the nests. The advice above is good about darkening the nest area. Hens like to think they are hiding and invisible when they lay. Good luck.

Thank you both for answering my question you were both helpful.
Cari
brrirfamily

Wow! I love The Coop! Ok, this may be a silly
question, but I've read several posts which
mention people picking up their hens to move
them, doctor them, etc. If I get anywhere near my
hens with my hands they go into a complete panic!
I've raised them from day old, and I used to sit in
the brooding pen with them and pick them up
regularly when they were chicks, but they always
screamed their poor heads off when I held them
so I gave up fearing I was traumatizing them. Have
I done something wrong? It's not that I want to
walk around with a chicken under each arm all the
time, but I do worry about having to doctor them
should they ever hurt themselves. I'm a new
chicken owner so I would greatly appreciate any
advice! Thanks!

Cotey, some chickens get very tame and others never will. You can try hand feeding them treats they love, that might make them more confident. But don't worry, if ever you need to handle them for any reason, you can just pick them off the roost at night.

Thanks, Anny, they do seem more calm when I
check on them in their room at night. I appreciate
the advice!

Cotey, I know the experts on this board will scorn, but... a good trick to make chickens tame very quickly is to let them run out of food for a couple hours. Soon as they see you coming with food they'd come running. Good luck, Anny.