The Chicken Club (The Flock)

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Comment by Joshua & Donna Hill on April 3, 2010 at 12:23pm

Sad News...Our Reds were attacked by our dog. They all died. I gave them names and was very attached. Our new batch of Faverolles are here and doing well. We have secured them properly now. The new chicks don't have names and are not handled as much as the old ones. They are so adorable. At least we learned a lesson before the faverolles got here. It could have been worse. It could have been the Reds & Faverolles.
Anyway, Just a reminder to double check your chicks safety against other pets.
Good luck at the Unleashing.

Comment by Jeffrey Utter on March 30, 2010 at 11:42pm

I have three very gentlemanly, but verile roosters I'm willing to rent out for anyone wanting chicks, but not the continual expense or noise of the big guys. I have a Barred Rock, Buff Orphington and Americana. You can have them for a week at $10/session.

Comment by Chris Wolf on March 25, 2010 at 4:30pm

Careful not to throw chickens who don't know each other in together for demo at the Great Unleashing! It could end up as the Great Undoing for one or more chickens, and a slightly-too-realistic demo for passersby about the dark side of chickens!

On a different subject... does anyone have a chicken coop or know someone who can throw one together? I have a very sweet mentally handicapped neighbor man who badly wants to have chickens, and my handy boyfriend is busy building other coops for other people. Any leads would be appreciated. B'gak!

Comment by Kate Clark on March 20, 2010 at 9:42am

Ohhhh! I like that idea! I'll go by there today and check it out. I have not heard back from Christie about bringing hers...I can bring a couple of my girls, but they are pretty, um, standard. Anyone have a couple of fancy types or a couple hens and a rooster they could bring for a while?

Comment by Jamie Jedinak on March 20, 2010 at 12:43am

Kate, The Restore has a cool Chicken tractor, perhaps you can borrow it for visual aid as well as the hens......

Comment by Alys Kennedy on March 19, 2010 at 7:15pm

Hello all you chicken folk! I talked to Parker at Hohl's Feed and Seed today about feeding chickens and learned something I thought would be good to share. He stated that the layer feed available is/was designed to the specifications of factory raised chickens, which are not kept for much more than a year. He stated that therefore it does not have sufficient protien in it for a backyard chicken that is being expected to live and lay eggs longer than that. Therefore, he suggested/recommended that a backyard chicken be fed chick starter, which is far higher in protien, and also that things like cooked potatoes, cottage cheese, and/or cooked pasta be added to their diets. Personally, I would recommend whole wheat, which I feed my girls occasionally rather than the pasta. Parker stated that if fed in that manner their health would visably improve - brighter combs, better featherage, richer eggs, and longevity. So, that is my news for the day.

Comment by Kate Clark on March 11, 2010 at 7:31pm

So, we have Parker from Hohls who will be "staffing" the chicken booth at the Unleashing. And I think Christie is bringing a couple chickens...what else would be eye catching there? Any suggestions welcome!

Comment by Alys Kennedy on March 11, 2010 at 11:33am

Hi Roberta, well, chickens can fly, and mostly it depends on the type of chicken as to how high they can fly....the ones that can fly highest of course are banties, and/or any light weight chicken...so, if you get some of the heavier breeds you most likely would not have too much difficulty...I should have clarified this in my first post! And, I suspect it also depends on the individual chicken, as I have seen chickens not go over a 2 1/2 foot fence situation. So, you kind of have to go by the chickens you have - not by what all of us are telling you - and you will find out as you go what you will need. As for the 20 x 20 foot pen, it mostly depends on how many chickens you put in it. That would be a good size if you just had a small flock and could allow them out occasionally. I have seen chickens raised in much, much smaller spaces and they do adapt....that said, it is healthier for them if they have adequate space. According to the books I have read you should allow 10 sq feet of fenced run for each heavy breed chicken , 8 square feet for light breeds and 4 square feet for bantams. If you do a small run and want a very light weight chicken, such as a bantam, or like my Hamburgs, you can install netting over the area if it is not to big an area. So, the reality is there are many variables and you have to just go with the flow!! And, keep asking questions.

Comment by Roberta Owen on March 10, 2010 at 7:33pm

I re-read my post... please excuse my bad grammar in the first paragraph! Oops. :)

Comment by Roberta Owen on March 10, 2010 at 7:31pm

Alys, I think that is one of my concerns that I have been having different feedback from - some say that most chickens can't fly and they "flutter" but if you have a 7ft fence, you're safe. Others, like you, say this is not always true. I'm wondering how I could prevent that from happening (I have two little boys so me and two little boys chasing after chickens in the middle of the neighborhood is exactly what I have in mind, and want to prevent from happening!) :) As for the gardens, yes! So true. And while these gardens are an attempt for a sustainable lifestyle, we've also incorporated it into a pretty "whimsical" look, so chicken wire around it will look kinda funky (it's seriously all around the garden, sporadically chosen, etc). :) Kate, your idea sounds pretty good - also sounds manageable. What do you guys think if I had a 20x20ft "pen" for them and then, as Alys mentioned, let them out for short periods of time (we're outside for the most part, so watching them during this time is no problem) ... I just fee that a 20x20 space isn't fair for them. Thoughts?

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