[babe]

cool pet chickens ... time and effort ... 'train' them to follow my lead? Is that even possible?

oh, and on a whimsical note. Ive been thinking (not strongly yet) of getting a goat. Will a couple of chickens happily share a barn/shed with a goat?

im afraid i agree with grannie and poogle,

1. just because it seems to be the IN thing right now, thats not a good enough reason to have them.

2. time and effort doesnt come into it, i think i can safely say that everyone on here who keeps chickens, doesnt see caring for them as an EFFORT. we actually like chickens (alot) and as for time, i like nothing better than watching mine, its fun not a chore.

3. if you want to train something...get a tamagochi, and let the chickens just be chickens, and do what chickens do.

4. and as for the goat, if you cant afford or be bothered to feed a chook, you sure cant afford to feed a goat.

[babypoogle]

And goats eat ANYTHING and EVERYTHING.  Vets love goats.  Retrieving part-digested underwear and crisp packets pays for annual holiday.

[JHarmes]

Wow, alot of people quick to judge another person based on a few innocent questions on an obscure messaging board. No worries, i forgive you.

"Pardon me for being thick here, but isn't the point of owning animals the joy of caring for them???"

Maybe, but for me it would be the joy of knowing the animals are having a happy existence. Forgive me for not knowing if a chicken would be happiest finding its own food, pecking around for worms or whether they actually like what was/is probably a boring regular diet of store bought grain. Forgive me for not selfishly wanting chickens for their eggs and so not minding if I artificially beef up their calcium levels for strong shells. Forgive me for not automatically knowing to what degree your average chicken has been domesticated to the extent that worms need to be pulled out by a vet.

There are more animals than chickens and some need less care and attention than others. I just wanted to know where abouts chickens are on that spectrum. For all I know to my original question there might have been an answer along the lines of, "Most breeds of chickens would need to be feed by you daily but there are wilder breeds that will probably only need feeding in the winter and the occasional treats."

"There is nothing I love more than being outside with my chooks, chucking them handfuls of mash or corn. If I was just going to let them roam at will, there would be no point in having them." Well, if it turned out chickens were happiest roaming at will the point in having them might be a selfless gift of happy existence received and enjoyed by the chickens themselves.

Set your minds at ease. The points of my questions are to ascertain just what chickens need. Was i supposed to just pull this information out of my bum? There's a lot of information out there but many specific questions are missing. I want to ask whether they'll be alright in the winter or will I have to provide heating, but perhaps I shouldn't since you'll probably assume I want them to freeze rather than asking the question out of a desire to keep them warm enough in winter.

Would I be right in thinking you're all middle aged women? Maybe I'm a little outside your cultures and we're just misunderstanding each other. Please rest assured I love all living things - and my expression of that love does not just rest on making myself happy. Indeed my love for reality extends to all non-living things too. Universal love will set us free.

As for this 'projects' thing. For me that concept embodies every activity I partake in that enlarges my 'world' - and whenever I start a new 'project', actually well before I start - even in making the decision to start a new project - I like to get as much information to know just what is involved. Surely these, my lines of questioning, should be indicative of a caring desire - one rooted in a truly symbiotic payoff between my abilities and needs and any chickens abilities and needs to live in this world happily.

Please don't miss understand me again, I'm not saying these things out of any negative feelings towards your disparaging remarks (albeit, "From what you are saying JH, I'd say forget the chooks, and everything else living, as you sound like someone who tends to get bored easily!" is rather rude and presumptive). But rather out of love for all of you who have kindly answered my questions and a desire not to leave you thinking a couple of chickens are about to encounter some terrifying, neglected existence. They're not. You said chickens need to be manually feed. So if i got them then manually feed I would. I'm not someone who gets bored easily. Rather I am someone whose activities in this world are not limited to just caring for lovely chickens.

So, with those caveats in mind I have another question before (or in deciding to) embark/ing on this 'project'. There is an artificial pond nearish the shed i would convert. With a little extra effort I could get the fence to encompass it. My question is; will chickens appreciate a pond in their enclosure. Would they like to drink from it or splash about in it or are they afraid of water. The pond is quite still, but I have a spare water pump i could use to make a waterfall if stagnant water is an issue. Plus, my winter temperature question.

Thanks in advance. Try not to imagine monsters so easily in future. You'll lead happier lives.

Peace.

[daveinmanc]

i read this with interest the other day and it reminded me of all the daft questions i asked about getting ducks before i actually got them.

i think the postwriter may just have come across to some of you in a different way than it did to me, i figured here's another just starting off like i did a while back and not having a clue where to start but wanting to start, and  wanting to arm themselves with as much information before embarking on something they dont know about.

i'm glad the people that responded to me didn't jump down my throat at my questions i asked the way they have with the postwriter cos i wouldn't be here posting now if they had  . . . . .

[babe]

or maybe, between us in the past few weeks we've had several people on here lose chickens.

and we are all feeling a little over protective.

and as for the middle aged women comment.... up ya bum  

[GrannieAnnie]

I'm sorry if I annnoyed you JH, but your choice of words wasn't the best I'm afraid, and you made me see red the way you were talking about chook keeping.

Some of us are middle aged women, and some of us are young women, some of us are even MEN!!!!   .  some have only 2 or 3 chickens, some of us have 300!  But whatever, we all care about them and our other animals, and to me at least, you just came across as someone who has 'projects', but not someone who would care for his animals.  Even the post title was enough to get us mad!!!!!  But if I was wrong, then I apologise!

And although I don't like saying it, we do sometimes get idiots join this forum, just because they like winding people up!  Hope you are not one of them!

And sorry, but this is not an obscure messaging board!  It has taken John a lot of money, time and efforts over the past few years to build this site to what it is now, and many of us have been 'virtual' or 'real' friends for over 2 years now.

But if you really feel that you would like to keep chickens, no animal is really cheap to keep.  They will love rummaging around your 3.5 acres and woodland, but you must make sure that foxes and stoats and other animals can't get to them, which does mean fencing, which as you know isn't cheap.  You mentioned that you had already fenced off an area for veg growing, why did you fence it off?  What were you trying to keep out?  If its only rabbits, that's okay, but like I said, your chooks will also need fencing off from predators.  Forget the pond, chooks don't swim, at least I've never seen it, but they do drink water, and although stagnant water isn't good for them, mine do drink out of puddles!

If you want to use the pond, you could try a couple of ducks, and goats can be hard work, I know, I've kept them! and their vets bills are even higher than chooks!!!  

It may also be a good idea to put your rough location in your profile, because the answers to some questions are region or country specific.  We had one lad talking about picking his tomatoes in the iddle of our winter, then we found out he lives in Australia!!!!

So don't let me put you off, but try talking to us normally rather than sounding like a book!  Sorry again, perhaps you always talk like that??

[babypoogle]

Would I be right in thinking you're all middle aged women? Maybe I'm a little outside your cultures and we're just misunderstanding each other.

       

[Wildeone]

Are you really young JH?   (like under 18 )?

You must think  long term about chickens because they live for around 6-7 years.  If you're living at home at the moment what happens when you move on!?

Please don't be put off asking anymore questions it seems things have got off on the wrong foot slightly but i logged on 10 months ago to ask a courgette question and now i'm awaiting some chooks that will arrive next week!  And its only through the knowledge and paitence of the people on this forum that i feel armed and ready to go!

[John]

Before you take on the responsibility of any living creature, you need to know what you are doing. You become their god with the power of life and death. You need to provide for them and they provide eggs and or meat for you.

You won't make much of a saving on the price of eggs in the shops, but you will enjoy the finest quality.

If you are serious, invest a few pounds in a good book Starting with Chickens

We may be obscure - although you found us - but we prefer quality to quantity.  So relax, you can be amongst friends here, learn a lot and teach a bit too

[slowef]

A couple of points I wanted to add:

The run needs to have a top as well as sides if they are to be left in it and strong and the Mesh  dug into the ground to at least 10-12 inches to stop a fox burrowing we concreted ours too just to be on the safe side.  If the ground has no grass/greenstuff you will have to feed them or they will not get the nutrition they need.

Can you visit twice a day at least to feed, water, let them out and put them away?

Regardless of whether you are ill, poor weather of rain, sun, snow and winds it still HAS to be done, missing a day is not an option unless you can afford expensive watering and feeding systems and automaitc timed door openers.  Even then I would want to check them to see all was ok

s
x

[babypoogle]

This middle-aged woman considers herself thoroughly chastened.  You did, indeed, ask pertinent questions as to the care of chickens and was greeted with non-too-friendly a reply.  It was certainly not the way to greet and welcome a new member to the forum.

However my points still stand.  Maybe it was unintentional but in your post you came accross as a bit of a flittergibbet - and if there is one thing that makes my blood boil it is people who take on the responsibilty of animals lightly.  Shelters all over the UK are full of unwanted pets.

That does not mean you are one of those people and I therefore aplogise for infering that you were.

I am no expert on poultry having only kept them for 6 weeks.  However, since deciding I wanted them in September I have read every book and webpage known to man in order to ascertain exactly what was required.  I still have lots of questions - this forum is wealth of information and, fortunately for me, I have always received a friendly response to my enquiries.

You deserve likewise.  But you must take into account that every one of us here is a devout chicken lover and any hint of cruelty, neglect etc is going to raise hackles.

You have my apologies.

Poogle.

P.S This is a family forum so please do not use foul language.  I'm sure it was a slip of the tongue, you being cultured and all that.

[Ruby Red]

I laughed so much at your reply. I feel sorry for you that you had to resort to that but what a repost. You certainly saw us off. lol.I apologize too for my terse reply perhaps I was a bit a***y. You sound a real cool dude and are you sure youre only growing veggies.    :shock:  Still giggling here :!:

[Aunt Sally]

He is funny isn't he Ruby  

[spizanne]

Hi JH, and welcome. Put them in their place didn't you? Your chooks would probably survive if you didn't feed them as such but they probably wouldn't be very healthy as the others have said they need grit, oyster shell etc. The other big thing with feeding them is that they become tame, they come to you when you go in the field and yes, they will follow you to where you put the food so you don't spend hours chasing them, they can be trained to follow you.  A goat? Goats and chooks mix just fine, just watch the goat doesn't pinch all the chicken feed though. The goat will looooove the woodland too, is your garden rough ground, i.e nettles, thistles etc. they don't actually like grass very much, brambles etc are the best, however serious fencing is needed for goats, the best is mains electric if you can. I have a goat, a pony, chooks, a dog and cats, and a full time job with a half hour journey each way. To be honest I spend 15 minutes in the morning feeding all the beasties ( the pony has no teeth so has to be fed ) the dog and cats get fed at teatime as well. I have small fox proof runs for the chooks so I don't shut them in at night cos they're already in. Sundays Iclean out the chook houses and move them, takes an hour, so not as time consuming as some make out, although I must admit I do sit and watch the chooks at weekends, sooooooo relaxing. The goat has her feet trimmed by me twice a year so no cost, I do not worm my goat or pony, 20 years on the same ground with no outsiders there are no worms in the ground Vets bills are minimal if your animals are well cared for, and you can always take out insurance for a couple pounds a week with the NFU So go for it and have fun

[spizanne]

And goats eat ANYTHING and EVERYTHING.  Vets love goats.  Retrieving part-digested underwear and crisp packets pays for annual holiday.

Sorry babypoogle but actually goats are quite fussy about what they eat, they love brambles, thistles, roses, chicken feed, docks, nettles etc. they do not eat grass, under wear, washing off the line,etc. the only time I have had to call the vet to my goats over the last 20  years was when one got liver fluke which she caught off the neighbours sheep when they broke into my field. Unfortunately it was not curable and I lost her