Anyone own a chicken (or more =P)
- Thread starter Secret
- Start date
wrathofautumn
Member
Poink said:
HEIL ROOSTER! 8D
Unbrokenkarma
Member
Oh, I loooove chooks. Always good to have a couple about. They are stoopid, but lovely. And they actually would make great house pets, if they could be house trained. Bantam ones that is.
We always seem to have them (althought not for the last 2 years. Hmmmm, once we're done renting
) And I don't want to rain on your parade, but there is no way you would be able to make any kind of profit on selling eggs/chicks etc.
Because hens are so easy and cheap to keep, plus a good layer will lay one egg a day every day for years, there is zero demand for it. To make anything, you'd have to be a chicken farmer, working with hundreds to thousands of birds. You would even have trouble giving away the eggs if you had, say even, 4 good layers.
However, the up side is, because they are so easy and cheap to keep, you don't have to sell any chook by-products Once you have a coup for them to roost in, you're set. A hen dosen't eat more than maybe 30-40c of feed a day, and if you're yard is fenced, they will keep the bugs low in all your gardens and you're plants wil be happy.
Oh, and don't even bother with a rooster. They are, generally speaking, aggressive, loud and they will fertalize your eggs and you will have chicks. Chicks are hard to get rid of - so just buy 2/3 few day old chicks, if you want to experience that. When they grow up, it's out into the yard, and you have friendly, happy hens.
Good luck, and sorry about the rant
We always seem to have them (althought not for the last 2 years. Hmmmm, once we're done renting
) And I don't want to rain on your parade, but there is no way you would be able to make any kind of profit on selling eggs/chicks etc. Because hens are so easy and cheap to keep, plus a good layer will lay one egg a day every day for years, there is zero demand for it. To make anything, you'd have to be a chicken farmer, working with hundreds to thousands of birds. You would even have trouble giving away the eggs if you had, say even, 4 good layers.
However, the up side is, because they are so easy and cheap to keep, you don't have to sell any chook by-products
Once you have a coup for them to roost in, you're set. A hen dosen't eat more than maybe 30-40c of feed a day, and if you're yard is fenced, they will keep the bugs low in all your gardens and you're plants wil be happy. Oh, and don't even bother with a rooster. They are, generally speaking, aggressive, loud and they will fertalize your eggs and you will have chicks. Chicks are hard to get rid of - so just buy 2/3 few day old chicks, if you want to experience that. When they grow up, it's out into the yard, and you have friendly, happy hens.
Good luck, and sorry about the rant
Chickens suck if you don't have the facilities to keep them. They aren't very hardy animals and are very unsanitary
My uncle had a rooster at one point. Very nice bird, almost like a dog.. for a few months, then it became ornery and would try and bite people. One day, the rooster went missing and the next everyone was invited down for chicken dinner >_>
NOO. He didn't slaughter his pet, he took it to some other person who could take care of it... and bought a nice chicken dinner as a joke.
Anyway, chickens are... okay I guess. Lots of work though.
My uncle had a rooster at one point. Very nice bird, almost like a dog.. for a few months, then it became ornery and would try and bite people. One day, the rooster went missing and the next everyone was invited down for chicken dinner >_>
NOO. He didn't slaughter his pet, he took it to some other person who could take care of it... and bought a nice chicken dinner as a joke.
Anyway, chickens are... okay I guess. Lots of work though.
wrathofautumn
Member
HaTcH said:Chickens suck if you don't have the facilities to keep them. They aren't very hardy animals and are very unsanitary
My uncle had a rooster at one point. Very nice bird, almost like a dog.. for a few months, then it became ornery and would try and bite people. One day, the rooster went missing and the next everyone was invited down for chicken dinner >_>
NOO. He didn't slaughter his pet, he took it to some other person who could take care of it... and bought a nice chicken dinner as a joke.
Anyway, chickens are... okay I guess. Lots of work though.
Lol! That was some good joke there! XD I bet everyone was freaking out over it.
balt-lightning
Member
chickens, and most farm animals are so incredibly cheap though, we have got a few chickens here,because its a good place to farm them. Next door to us also has some. Mum isn't linked with any place to sell them, but there so cute and tasty X3~
But, we payed 25p for a fully grown chicken, 50p for the rooster. And it went on like that..
..maybe we got them from odd places? <.<
But, we payed 25p for a fully grown chicken, 50p for the rooster. And it went on like that..
..maybe we got them from odd places? <.<
Well, I can't afford that. I wouldn't mind just pets, but I can't afford that, either.
my parents are losing their house and I don't want to be stuck with nothing. I need something fun and yet profitable to help me out.
So if chickens would lead to FAIL.... what would help out?
before you say 'get a real job'... I tried. no one hires me. And if they did, the jobs in this town are only getting crappier. I've asked around and everyone is cutting down their pay and hours. It's pointless to even try. lol.
my parents are losing their house and I don't want to be stuck with nothing. I need something fun and yet profitable to help me out.
So if chickens would lead to FAIL.... what would help out?
before you say 'get a real job'... I tried. no one hires me. And if they did, the jobs in this town are only getting crappier. I've asked around and everyone is cutting down their pay and hours. It's pointless to even try. lol.
writer4furr
Member
If you seriously want to try to break even, get exotic breeds of chickens. You MIGHT make enough to offset the feed bill. You need a secure enclosure, and you'd need quality birds, including a rooster.
You get eggs from hens with or without a rooster. Without a rooster(obviously) you will only get infertile eggs.
I raised several different breeds for years. Cochins(bantam or normal) are great pets. They are great for setting eggs so you wouldn't need a incubator. I incubated eggs using a heatpad, several towels and fertile eggs. Generally got 70% hatch rate that way. You have to turn the eggs twice a day, and you need to keep the humidity right too.
You should get out and try for a job, sitting there and moaning isn't going to help! Get out and show that you'd be THE person for the job. Apply for everything.
If your parents won't have the house, then where would you be putting the chickens? I might have misread, but you need to be sure that you have space for them. Roomy enclosures and regular cleaning of the bedding will keep the mess and smell to a minimum(just like your kitty litter box, if you don't clean up after your pet, it stinks).
Tortoises are great pets, just be sure you have space and proper equipment for them too.
Chickens are pretty simple to care for, but like any live pet, they DO have requirements. I'd be glad to answer anything for you. I loved having them.
You get eggs from hens with or without a rooster. Without a rooster(obviously) you will only get infertile eggs.
I raised several different breeds for years. Cochins(bantam or normal) are great pets. They are great for setting eggs so you wouldn't need a incubator. I incubated eggs using a heatpad, several towels and fertile eggs. Generally got 70% hatch rate that way. You have to turn the eggs twice a day, and you need to keep the humidity right too.
You should get out and try for a job, sitting there and moaning isn't going to help! Get out and show that you'd be THE person for the job. Apply for everything.
If your parents won't have the house, then where would you be putting the chickens? I might have misread, but you need to be sure that you have space for them. Roomy enclosures and regular cleaning of the bedding will keep the mess and smell to a minimum(just like your kitty litter box, if you don't clean up after your pet, it stinks).
Tortoises are great pets, just be sure you have space and proper equipment for them too.
Chickens are pretty simple to care for, but like any live pet, they DO have requirements. I'd be glad to answer anything for you. I loved having them.
