I lost a few over the last 10 years and I was very attached to most of them, as they were to me. My #1 favorite bird would jump off the roost at night, trying to find me in the dark, if she heard me walking about. She wanted to be held all the time. I miss that bird.
I have a yellow hen like this She doesn't look for me in the dark but she fallows me in the yard and pecks at the back of my legs and jumps at me to pick her up She also climbs onto things near my bedroom window and makes a bunch of noise to wake me up
Best thing i ever did. I love my beautiful baby girl. She constantly kicks dirt and hay into her fresh water, and she screams at my window at 6am BUT I WOULDN'T CHANGE IT FOR THE WORLD.
I had chickens for many years, just because I loved them. The fresh eggs were a bonus. I finally sat down and listed out the pros and cons. Sadly, there were more cons for me to keep raising them. I can actually save around $75/month while still buying all the organic free ranged eggs we need locally without the work of it. Given that I don't move as well as I used to, this makes better sense and allows me to concentrate on my garden instead. Great video! Most folks grab up chicks without a plan in place and not knowing everything involved with raising them.
And the snap of a chickens neck. Just get ready for the horror that is. It part of the cycle though. Just know that and be ready.for that day. Good luck
It is nice we have one and had chickens. But mink kept getting our chickens and we lost them all in the end. Buy or build a good coop. Stone, brick or concrete outer walls are best in keeping out predators.
As a proud chicken owner, these concerns are valid but not nearly as bad as you make it. They're the sweetest birds, cleaning the run and coop is easy if you build the coop correctly, and they actually spend hours each day preening themselves. The positives outweigh the negatives
We love having fresh eggs everyday, but many people romanticize the idea of having chickens. Cleaning the coop and run is not pleasant.Finding someone to care for them when you travel can sometimes be difficult. Thanks for sharing!
instead of cleaning the coop, I harvest the turds for my much needed compost piles. I take the same approach to mowing the lawn, I am not mowing the lawn, I am harvesting grass to throw in the chicken runs, I even offer to harvest the neighbors lawns.
I love our little flock of 8 chickens, and I am attached. So, is my husband. But, we'll have to do what has to be done when the time comes. Plus, chickens can be SO MEAN to one another! And, that rooster of ours, seems like he at times "rapes" the poor hens when they don't want to put out! LOL But, all in all, we enjoy watching those little creatures forage about in our back yard. We love them - meaness and all. :-)
IMHO.. it's all about timing. When the kids were small and I wasn't really going anywhere anyway... having a homestead with Horses, dogs, cats, chickens, turkeys, ducks ... etc. I just loved it all. It taught the kids responsibility and discipline... not to mention farm fresh eggs and free range happy meat. Fresh herbs and veggies.. Now that the kids are all grown and we travel.. it makes no sense to have animals and gardens... but ... a Time for every Season. I do miss them all sometimes though. Chickens don't take a LOT of time... but you really need to be there for them. Great Points, thanks
I love my chickens, i keep them in my backyard and because they have so much space, there isn't much cleaning needed other than their coup, which is only used at night, the biggest drawbacks for me though are 1. They'll tear up any garden you try to have 2. They'll eat all the grass 3. They make little pits everywhere to dirt bathe 4. Sometimes they won't lay eggs in their egg house and the dogs will eat them Otherwise they're fun to have c:
Thanks for the info Brad. We've had chickens for several years and love having them. I've been able to get some of them to live 8 to 10 years. We have French Marans now and so far this has been my favorite breed. Eggs are delicious! Sharon in Virginia.
Attachment? I get being attached to a dog or something of a higher intelligence, but a chicken? My brain doesn’t compute this. This doesn’t mean that you have to be cruel to various animal life forms, it just doesn’t do the same thing emotionally for me. Do you cry when a spider dies that’s been living in the corner wall for several months? What about a pet goldfish which can live for years. When it dies do you cry and get emotional? I don’t get how a chicken is different. It’s an animal bred/designed for food purposes that sustains human/animal life.
Perhaps you've never had a chicken as a pet, but they really do make very sweet companion animals when treated as such. Animals don't exist solely to feed humans. Our chickens enjoy our companionship, and vice versa. They run to us when we come near and "ask" to be held, sitting and clucking gently while being pet. Nothing like a spider; that's a strange comparison! Chickens are a joy!
We like being home so it’s not a problem. That said, we are set up so that they can be self sufficient for a week. But we do have someone lined up to collect eggs and check water/feed/poop.
My 30 birds free range 12 acres. And I’m setting up a 55 gallon waterer. In the summer time I don’t feed them they do just all right with the grass and bugs. But I do understand most people don’t live in an area where they can free range birds. Winter time can suck until I get a nice coop built the water in the 55 gallon drum might not freeze and I do feed them everyday in the winter. I clean the coop about 3 times a year but all I need to clean is right under there roost everything else stays pretty clean.
My mixed breed bantams are over 10 years old and still look great.. and even laying eggs. I don't need to clean the chickens pen.. because its a movable run with wire bottom so all the poop falls out to fertilise the lawn... they also free range all day and only roost in the coop so mostly poop randomly over the entire land. I designed the feeds to hold over a weeks worth and food and water. So only top them up once a week and can easily leave them a week if I want a holiday.
I had to feed a hundred or so chickens on our farm when I was a kid before supper. And if supper that day happened to be chicken, then there was even more work to do.
My family used to live on a two and a half acre plot of land and I had Nigerian Dwarf goats and a small flock of chickens. Between the two we had a pretty steady supply of milk and eggs. I am definitely not afraid to get dirty and didn't travel since I also had to take care of my goats. We didn't eat any of our chickens but the ones past egg bearing age still earned their way by eating all the bugs and keeping snakes out of the yard. We also had some ducks for a while but they just up and disappeared one day...
I love my chickens. They are my excuse not to travel, but the real reason is ------- I don't want to spend money on traveling and then come home tired. Shhh don't tell anybody. Watched shared liked
I used to have some hens, I miss them. Not for homesteading, just as pets and for eggs. Well worth any negatives. Gave them to a local farm when I had to move.
I love chickens, I have 20 of them! My chickens have a big coop for all of them so it wouldn't be a problem for us going on vacation. I don't mind getting in the dirt, I would rather do that than not clean their coop. I understand what your trying to say because there are problems for some people with chickens. But what I say is " If you don't like your chickens or annoyed with the things you can't do, than don't have them". It's simple. Anyway, another great video, you guys are awesome! Xx
I absolutely love my tiny bantam chickens!! My first one was wild and decided to nest in my backyard, one day, so I captured her and made her my pet and my wife named her Lupita! My son wanted her to have a "husband", so he got his grandma to buy a rooster. Next thing we knew Lupita was feeling broody and eventually hatched 2 of her eggs! On is a white hen we named Abigale (Abby for short) who as an adult is even smaller than Lupita, and the other egg became a rooster we named Alex who grew to be bigger than his father! We absolutely love our 4 little chickens, and we'll never eat them! We don't even go looking for the eggs they lay outside, and we bring them in every night. I don't even want to think about eating ANY chicken, ever! I still do eat chicken, though, but I try not to think of my chickens when I do, lol. I'll never eat my pet chickens! :)
I've looked forward to seeing my chickens each day. Even my roos had great personalities! Yes we have lost one from time to time but that's part of being on a farm. We pay due reverence to it. It's not nearly as bad as you are making it out to be.
I keep about 8 chickens, and have for years. My acreage is incredibly well-fenced, in particular against coyotes and neighborhood dogs. Another negative to owning chickens is how many predators want your chickens for lunch. Be prepared to create secure housing and runs for your girls. I also have livestock guardian dogs, I highly recommend you look into a few of those. My chickens live to about 7-8 years, but I am very involved in feeding them the right foods and taking very good care of them. I do not eat my chickens, ever. Their poop and by-products are INCREDIBLY good for any gardener/farmer, and I have saved thousands of dollars over the years by using chicken poop/bedding as mulch, fertilizer, you name it. Companionship is exceptional. My girls (and the ducks/geese) roam around the farm/nursery/general area with me every day. They are friendly, well adjusted, good at getting onto bugs, and great at scratching up soil in preparation for planting, clearing. They are great alarm systems, day or night. When they pass, I bury their bodies close to trees or landscape plants. A great supply of nitrogen and other products for the longevity of the plants.
Some of the points in this post seem overly vague, specifically “you can’t travel” I mean let’s be specific about it. If you have large enough automatic feeders and watering spigots/sources and clean the coup and clean bedding/hay amply prior to a short trip, could you not be gone for up to 5-7 days without it being the end of the world? Sure at the 5-7 day mark you would need someone to come over and remove eggs and check on them / refill water food sources but if you have a large enough coup and enclosed run- what would prevent you from being gone for say 14-17 days assuming you could have someone check in on them and perform the above tasks once every 5-7 days. I don’t own chickens yet so I’m not claiming to be an expert but from those I’ve spoken with locally (NE) that is an accurate summation of traveling if you own chickens, not just “you can’t travel or you have to be there twice a day every day”. Can anyone expand or comment on this.
I don't travel much, but I do spend time with my chickens. The cleaning isn't an issue, I'm used to it. They are fun to raise though and the eggs are good. Got attached to one after her bunch were killed, she's been my buddy since.
you missed one........ They work hard to get into gardens. Once there they will eat the best of you vegetables. On the other hand, when it is time to turn over to a new crop or the end of the year, they will work just as hard to clean you garden beds as in our video. I have 12 chicken and they eat all of my cabbage when they managed to get in to my cabbage patch. On the other hand they do great on eating bugs. Tall plants they would eat the bottom leaves and the bugs. I would get back my vegetables in the best buttery good eggs imaginable.
The hardest part about having chickens for me, is that I get attached to them, and they do tend to come and go. When they get sick, its not like you can take them to the vet (our local vet doesn't do chickens). If they need to be put down, you've got to do it yourself, and that is heartbreaking. Its also heartbreaking when you discover that a predator has somehow gotten in and mauled them. They are such a joy though. I love how they accompany me whenever I'm out gardening, weeding, or landscaping. They get so excited when they find bugs and grubs in the yard.
I took a couple of mine to the vet( new birds and I didn't want them to pass on their sickness). $60 and it didn't help. I cured them myself with home remedies.
I feed and water with double the amount that they need. Instead of 3 gallons, provide 6 in two separate waterers. Instead of 12 pounds of feed, give them 24 in two feeders. The only daily maintenance is opening and closing the coop door, they live in a fenced yard. Don't name your chickens, ever ,ever, ever. Maybe only descriptions like the Brown one or the Hen with the wonky foot. Not Chewbaca or Snow White. Certainly not Jeff. We spread pine shavings and shovel it out when it's stinky, usually adding a second bail after a few weeks. My dog walker will tend to the chickens when we go out of town. Wear muck boots when entering the coop or yard where they live, never wear the muck boots into your home or areas you want to keep clean. Chicken dust is gross, wash up after every visit.
i have three chickens, i love them, they are very funny , they are my babies i have two cats as well, they tickle me the way they scoot around the chickens,
You might add expense to that list. Of course the farm fresh eggs are amazing, but I think you could buy eggs cheaper. And if you need to get electric fencing to keep them protected, or want to buy a ready-made coop because you lack carpentry skills, they can be a pretty hefty investment in the beginning. And then you have to keep them safe from predators. I'm new to chickens and hoping I can be a good "chicken tender."
I have 15 of them and never get dirty.I go out there twice a day on cold days and when it warms up I'll let them out most of the day.Easy to take care of....Like cats.....Have four of them....Two Barn cats and two indoor cats.------No mice!! PS:I had to put down one the other week....I don't eat them....Just the eggs...
I have 20 chickens 3 turkeys 4 Ginnys 2 ducks. They got their own 2 acre yard that is fenced all the way around. The hard thing is they don't go in at night ,they all go sleep right next to the dog all lined up on the fence.except for the ducks and Turkeys stay on the ground.
#4 which was attachment is exactly me I love my chickens, I go to school and if we have to draw something I always draw them. Oh and you said they generally don’t live to 5 years that’s only being a bad owner cuz my old ones (they have died now) but they lived for 11 years and my current hens are 8 years and still alive, and we don’t feed them bad stuff so
HEMP HUSK Help with smell. you will not need to clean the coop as much at least a year. I would grow some dwarf Berry bushes for the chicken that drop lots of Berry's on the ground. Hemp seeds are great to put in the feed as well.
4) We all get attached but we all have to learn to accept loses. 3) I believe I'm willing to be dirty. Likely use their deposits as fertilizer. 2) I could hire a sitter. 1) I'm like a time clock. And eggs is something I'm forward to.
Our chickens ducks and geese are kept free range. They have about 3 acres to roam on and my wife and I don't really have to clean much except for the water troughs because the geese and ducks swim in them. I love the eggs. I've only ate 1 rooster. I butchered him because he was an Ahole. They are very relaxing to watch. Much like an aquarium.
Most people with a backyard, should have chickens. In a suburban setting, a small coop has great rewards. Befriend your neighbors, give them fresh eggs, invite them in to your backyard to see the chickens. Share a glass of wine in the late afternoon. Soon your backyard will be pest free. Your flowers will grown bigger, stronger, better. Etc, etc, etc.
For the travel problem, couldn't you set up some automation to open the coop door, and provide food and water? Wireless camera may help too, like a Ring, with an intercom. Just a thought, may not work for everyone.
I am probably not going to get chickens. I was watching video for a week now feeling out exactly what the involvement is. Your video helped me decide but I was pretty much there anyway. I’m not getting chickens. I don’t have the few minutes every day. I’m usually late for work and late to come home to take care of elderly parents. You video is not about the values chickens give to people. Reading the comments it seems people misunderstood your video. I imagine a lot of people that raise chickens end up owning chickens other people simply couldn’t care for. Your video helps prevent people getting chickens that shouldn’t have got the, without careful consideration. Kudos to you and your thoughtful video. My intention for getting them to start with is from watching our country destroyed from within and I don’t know how bad the destruction will reach as far as food availability in the next two or three years.
Well said sir. I grew up taking care of the little rascals. I like them. I can imitate chicken sounds very well, it's hard to tell the difference between me and the chickens ha ha.
My hens used to fight over 1 spot to lay eggs even though we had made a spot for each hen Now they just lay on the ground underneath the bedding on gravel Birds
Sensible advice for people who do not weigh the pros and cons ; and land themselves in situation they can't deal with . Principal reason for . You love animals and want to know the eggs you eat comes for unstressed happy well cared for Chickens.
I have 7 golden comets. They are great. In addition to what everyone else has said, I hate having to watch out for hawks. So far have been lucky and was home to scare them away but you never know when one will drop in especially during the colder months when it maybe hard for them to find food. I like to let my chickens "free range" and there are places for them to hide in the yard so we accept the risk.
I had chickens. I thought I had put down enough food and water for the weekend. I got home to find they were out of food and water. They were okay but I felt terrible. I don't have chickens anymore
all those reasons do not apply to me! I love Chickens! I never travel, did that in my 20's and 30's... Dirt? no problem, my business is dirty! I have a nursery, Attachment? Nope not a big deal to me, animals come and go... and I have too many chickens to get attached... and cleaning up after them? I need compostable materials, its not clean up, ITS A HARVEST!
i have chickens and get attached to them(not overly attached but i did name some of them) ! i dont eat the birds anyway just the eggs so why not? i clean up after them and not alot of work for me as i dont keep them in overcrowded conditions! my quail are much more work than the chickens!
John Liberty bless you John. I hatched chickens in my classroom and gave them to my daughter. She had a lovely yard but was within city limits. Boy did they stink and make noise , but the kids were so thrilled
Don't get chickens if you cant snap a chickens neck. It's the reality and the horror you have to get used to if you own them. Even if you don't want to eat them. They get injured and diseased sometimes. It's mercy sometimes to speed them along to chicken heaven. But it something you should really think about if you are capable of doing.
You show some beautiful chickens. Looks so nice when they work on the garden. The video shows one thing and the commentary another. Both true. Thank you for the video.
Do not get chickens if there are city ordinances that say you can't. If you have neighbors make sure you let them know.. chickens are loud. Don't matter if it's a roo or just hens. Neighbors report you for noise, city will make new ordinance banning them. Make sure your house insurance don't have a no livestock or poultry clause. Roof gets blown off, adjuster comes out and sees chickens and your denied. Do your research.
I loved my bantams. But when my two favorite hens were killed by a fox and a dog - I threw in the idea of keeping chickens. I have 3 bantam roosters and 2 guinea hens left. When they are gone. No more chickens. Chickens lives are fragile, they are always in danger of raccoons, possums, marauding neighbor dogs, fox and coyote. The odd are stacked against them. Unless you keep them in virtual lockdown they are at risk. But that’s no fun for the chicken.
KAT depends entirely on where you live, our chickens have no problems in our backyard, coop stays open all the time and they do their own thing in the garden. Only real threats would be birds of prey (which they can hide under bushes) or cats when they're sleeping (our room is less that 10m from their coop so we'd hear any commotion)
I have 12 birds and it takes 10 minutes a day. I don't clean anything but the laying boxes because I have mesh under the roosts. Feed, water, pet, gather eggs, and move the tractor. They get fresh grass every day which is good for them and cuts my feed cost.
Oh Yea... those huge Meat Birds are another whole Rodeo. LOL They are like dinosaurs with feathers... Smelly eating machines with zero personality... which.. is probably a good thing since you EAT them. I think if I ever raise chickens again I will get a nice middle of the road chicken... like a Rhode Island Red... good BOTH for eggs and a decent size to eat. One year we raised 3 Bronze Medallion Turkeys. They got SO HUGE, and the Tom was very aggressive... ! so I said "Never Again"... UNTIL we ate them! LOL OMG were they tasty. ... and happy and healthy up till the end. Only problem was... we had to cut them in half with a band saw just to fit 1/2 of one in the oven. It was a BIG oven! LOL
I've retired in rural Cambodia and chickens are just part of the life. No one thinks of them as pets though, they treat them like we do fish. They don't have pets here. All animals are considered farm animals. Dogs and cats have jobs, and when they die they don't mourn them. Some people still eat them. It's taken me a while to get my head around it being a Canadian softie, but that's their way. That said, we throw live lobsters into boiling water, and force feed ducks and geese to harvest their freakishly large fatty livers, so we're hardly in a position to judge.
Yeah, we had chickens when I was a kid, and #4 Attachment was the big thing for me. Many had names and followed us around like dogs. "You can name 'em, but you're gonna eat 'em," and we did - most of them, but Daddy never made us kids attend or perform the killing. There were a few pets that lived many years. I could tell ya some stories!
I love this video, some of those do apply to me but we got a couple chickens anyways. This does make me more aware of all the challenges involved though. I don't travel, I do form attachments, getting dirty doesn't bother me much as I can just take a shower after.
They poop everywhere if you let them loose, and sometimes they carry a lot of chicken or bird diseases some times even skin irritation...but it's not a lot of work... You get fresh egg and always have meat walking arround in your yard
Treat your chickens as you would treat your pet dogs, cats. Don't be cruel. Take great care of them, and be responsible if they need vet care. Of course, cleaning is a must and that's common sense. If you think you will not be able to treat chickens responsibly and compassionately, then please do not own any.
What about the most important issue and that’s “noise” for people who live in cities. In San Diego it’s legal to have 3 in city limits but they’re LOUD from the videos I’ve seen.
I love keeping chickens but as you say it is not all roses when you have them. I think you forgot that they might get sick and have to be culled or have health issues like red mites etc which requires a lot of attention and also dealing with predators like cats and foxes or vermin like mice and rats. If you can cope with all of this then chickens are for you but once you get them then you are tied to caring for them seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year and so that means going out in all weathers to top up feed and water, or up to four times a day water changes when the weather is freezing their water.
Well i watched this video after I got chickens and I got my first egg a week ago and have been getting them ever sence but there not laying every day but you also have to take a lot of efort to build a chicken coop so they stay safe and can actually get the eggs and stuff
My concerns are culling when necessary, predators and their aftermath (many where we live), concerns about treating health issues that may arise correctly.
Raccoons killed some of my pretty Millie De Fleur Duccle chickens and a Golden Seabright. For some reason it hurts more when they kill an ornamental breed. But those raccoons no longer exist due to being trapped, Honey seems to be a great bait. Never catch my cats with Honey.
Your chickens look very healthy. Do you have a pre-arranged ranging area? How do you deal w/predators? I lost my chickens to hawks & foxes. I used to let em range around the house but they have no sense. They go literally EVERY where & have no sense of danger. (Until it hits em then it's too late) Who knows maybe I'll get some again someday. Right though it is a full commitment. But we did enjoy the eggs. But... When they're older they are NO good for food. Tough as leather... Voice of experience here.
you don't get that dirty I own 12 so i know I also have a set up that I can leave for 3 weeks most work possible for a day is fill food/water clean out bedding 5 min every three weeks I do spend a lot of extra time playing though
There are many reasons to have chickens in the house! One thing is that we help reduce the mass of livestock which is bad for both humans and chickens!
The biggest negative I find is the cost of feed, also the initial cost of the infrastructure. That being said I still supplement their food with such things as black soldier flies and wild greens or fruit and veggies which we grow. They do not pay for themselves but the fresh eggs and knowing what they eat along the joy of watching them makes it all worthwhile !!!
I lost a few over the last 10 years and I was very attached to most of them, as they were to me. My #1 favorite bird would jump off the roost at night, trying to find me in the dark, if she heard me walking about. She wanted to be held all the time. I miss that bird.
I have a yellow hen like this
She doesn't look for me in the dark but she fallows me in the yard and pecks at the back of my legs and jumps at me to pick her up
She also climbs onto things near my bedroom window and makes a bunch of noise to wake me up
Only one of my Rhode Island reds care about me, the rest treat me like one of their poops, they tried to eat my hair
💔 so sorry. Sweet bird. I get very attached. Heart wrenching when any of my babies pass.
🥺
I love how you provide a large area for your chicken children to roam, scratch around and play. They look so happy and healthy.
Best thing i ever did. I love my beautiful baby girl. She constantly kicks dirt and hay into her fresh water, and she screams at my window at 6am BUT I WOULDN'T CHANGE IT FOR THE WORLD.
I had chickens for many years, just because I loved them. The fresh eggs were a bonus. I finally sat down and listed out the pros and cons. Sadly, there were more cons for me to keep raising them. I can actually save around $75/month while still buying all the organic free ranged eggs we need locally without the work of it. Given that I don't move as well as I used to, this makes better sense and allows me to concentrate on my garden instead. Great video! Most folks grab up chicks without a plan in place and not knowing everything involved with raising them.
My dream is to be able to buy a couple
Acres and have a hobby farm. Closing my eyes, I can feel the contentment.
Shane Ellis u can do it I did
And the snap of a chickens neck. Just get ready for the horror that is. It part of the cycle though. Just know that and be ready.for that day. Good luck
@@mccollumparkfarmersmarket7836 Why would there neck snap?
Mine too. But we need to start small, I just bought a chicken coop next is chickens. Then a garden. GOD will bless us if we put in the work.
It is nice we have one and had chickens. But mink kept getting our chickens and we lost them all in the end. Buy or build a good coop. Stone, brick or concrete outer walls are best in keeping out predators.
As a proud chicken owner, these concerns are valid but not nearly as bad as you make it. They're the sweetest birds, cleaning the run and coop is easy if you build the coop correctly, and they actually spend hours each day preening themselves. The positives outweigh the negatives
Chickens live for 10 years or more when taken care of. My Rooster lived for 14 years until he got sick.
if you want chickens to live longer, personally i think is what they eat and there enviroment
they live longer but are not as productive so many end them from the flock!
My husbands aunt had 18 years old chicken. True story😃
We love having fresh eggs everyday, but many people romanticize the idea of having chickens. Cleaning the coop and run is not pleasant.Finding someone to care for them when you travel can sometimes be difficult. Thanks for sharing!
instead of cleaning the coop, I harvest the turds for my much needed compost piles. I take the same approach to mowing the lawn, I am not mowing the lawn, I am harvesting grass to throw in the chicken runs, I even offer to harvest the neighbors lawns.
Prepper Potpourri mo
John Liberty I guess i should harvest their recycle bins too
I love our little flock of 8 chickens, and I am attached. So, is my husband. But, we'll have to do what has to be done when the time comes. Plus, chickens can be SO MEAN to one another! And, that rooster of ours, seems like he at times "rapes" the poor hens when they don't want to put out! LOL But, all in all, we enjoy watching those little creatures forage about in our back yard. We love them - meaness and all. :-)
IMHO.. it's all about timing. When the kids were small and I wasn't really going anywhere anyway... having a homestead with Horses, dogs, cats, chickens, turkeys, ducks ... etc. I just loved it all. It taught the kids responsibility and discipline... not to mention farm fresh eggs and free range happy meat. Fresh herbs and veggies..
Now that the kids are all grown and we travel.. it makes no sense to have animals and gardens... but ... a Time for every Season. I do miss them all sometimes though.
Chickens don't take a LOT of time... but you really need to be there for them.
Great Points, thanks
Faith Rada
Life is funny , many people start farms later in life for a change ❤️
I love my chickens, i keep them in my backyard and because they have so much space, there isn't much cleaning needed other than their coup, which is only used at night, the biggest drawbacks for me though are
1. They'll tear up any garden you try to have
2. They'll eat all the grass
3. They make little pits everywhere to dirt bathe
4. Sometimes they won't lay eggs in their egg house and the dogs will eat them
Otherwise they're fun to have c:
Me : wanting a chicken
Also me : *im going to pretend I didn’t hear that*
Thanks for the info Brad. We've had chickens for several years and love having them. I've been able to get some of them to live 8 to 10 years. We have French Marans now and so far this has been my favorite breed. Eggs are delicious! Sharon in Virginia.
Possible negative : develop an obsession 😂
isa gendron very true indeed!
Same
yes I have an attachment problem...don't mind dirt and stuff...getting my first chickens today...I am scared shitless..and exited at the same time.
Just have someone else snap their necks when ready the first few times.
Scared of what.
Good grief
Stay in the suburbs and watch the Voice.
thebarbiewithmuscle Do you have instagram? I wanna follow your progress
Attachment? I get being attached to a dog or something of a higher intelligence, but a chicken? My brain doesn’t compute this. This doesn’t mean that you have to be cruel to various animal life forms, it just doesn’t do the same thing emotionally for me. Do you cry when a spider dies that’s been living in the corner wall for several months? What about a pet goldfish which can live for years. When it dies do you cry and get emotional? I don’t get how a chicken is different. It’s an animal bred/designed for food purposes that sustains human/animal life.
Perhaps you've never had a chicken as a pet, but they really do make very sweet companion animals when treated as such. Animals don't exist solely to feed humans. Our chickens enjoy our companionship, and vice versa. They run to us when we come near and "ask" to be held, sitting and clucking gently while being pet. Nothing like a spider; that's a strange comparison! Chickens are a joy!
We like being home so it’s not a problem. That said, we are set up so that they can be self sufficient for a week. But we do have someone lined up to collect eggs and check water/feed/poop.
My 30 birds free range 12 acres. And I’m setting up a 55 gallon waterer. In the summer time I don’t feed them they do just all right with the grass and bugs. But I do understand most people don’t live in an area where they can free range birds. Winter time can suck until I get a nice coop built the water in the 55 gallon drum might not freeze and I do feed them everyday in the winter. I clean the coop about 3 times a year but all I need to clean is right under there roost everything else stays pretty clean.
My mixed breed bantams are over 10 years old and still look great.. and even laying eggs.
I don't need to clean the chickens pen.. because its a movable run with wire bottom so all the poop falls out to fertilise the lawn... they also free range all day and only roost in the coop so mostly poop randomly over the entire land.
I designed the feeds to hold over a weeks worth and food and water. So only top them up once a week and can easily leave them a week if I want a holiday.
I had to feed a hundred or so chickens on our farm when I was a kid before supper. And if supper that day happened to be chicken, then there was even more work to do.
It is nice to hear someone talk about the "real" side of country life and animal husbandry.
My family used to live on a two and a half acre plot of land and I had Nigerian Dwarf goats and a small flock of chickens. Between the two we had a pretty steady supply of milk and eggs. I am definitely not afraid to get dirty and didn't travel since I also had to take care of my goats. We didn't eat any of our chickens but the ones past egg bearing age still earned their way by eating all the bugs and keeping snakes out of the yard. We also had some ducks for a while but they just up and disappeared one day...
I love my chickens. They are my excuse not to travel, but the real reason is ------- I don't want to spend money on traveling and then come home tired. Shhh don't tell anybody. Watched shared liked
Name checks out.
Yes i think the same ❤️
I used to have some hens, I miss them. Not for homesteading, just as pets and for eggs. Well worth any negatives. Gave them to a local farm when I had to move.
I love chickens, I have 20 of them! My chickens have a big coop for all of them so it wouldn't be a problem for us going on vacation. I don't mind getting in the dirt, I would rather do that than not clean their coop. I understand what your trying to say because there are problems for some people with chickens. But what I say is " If you don't like your chickens or annoyed with the things you can't do, than don't have them". It's simple. Anyway, another great video, you guys are awesome! Xx
I absolutely love my tiny bantam chickens!! My first one was wild and decided to nest in my backyard, one day, so I captured her and made her my pet and my wife named her Lupita! My son wanted her to have a "husband", so he got his grandma to buy a rooster. Next thing we knew Lupita was feeling broody and eventually hatched 2 of her eggs! On is a white hen we named Abigale (Abby for short) who as an adult is even smaller than Lupita, and the other egg became a rooster we named Alex who grew to be bigger than his father! We absolutely love our 4 little chickens, and we'll never eat them! We don't even go looking for the eggs they lay outside, and we bring them in every night. I don't even want to think about eating ANY chicken, ever! I still do eat chicken, though, but I try not to think of my chickens when I do, lol. I'll never eat my pet chickens! :)
I plan on getting chickens, becoming attached to them, enjoying their eggs, and then loving them in my chicken soup.
I've looked forward to seeing my chickens each day. Even my roos had great personalities! Yes we have lost one from time to time but that's part of being on a farm. We pay due reverence to it. It's not nearly as bad as you are making it out to be.
I keep about 8 chickens, and have for years. My acreage is incredibly well-fenced, in particular against coyotes and neighborhood dogs. Another negative to owning chickens is how many predators want your chickens for lunch. Be prepared to create secure housing and runs for your girls. I also have livestock guardian dogs, I highly recommend you look into a few of those.
My chickens live to about 7-8 years, but I am very involved in feeding them the right foods and taking very good care of them. I do not eat my chickens, ever.
Their poop and by-products are INCREDIBLY good for any gardener/farmer, and I have saved thousands of dollars over the years by using chicken poop/bedding as mulch, fertilizer, you name it.
Companionship is exceptional. My girls (and the ducks/geese) roam around the farm/nursery/general area with me every day. They are friendly, well adjusted, good at getting onto bugs, and great at scratching up soil in preparation for planting, clearing. They are great alarm systems, day or night.
When they pass, I bury their bodies close to trees or landscape plants. A great supply of nitrogen and other products for the longevity of the plants.
Some of the points in this post seem overly vague, specifically “you can’t travel” I mean let’s be specific about it. If you have large enough automatic feeders and watering spigots/sources and clean the coup and clean bedding/hay amply prior to a short trip, could you not be gone for up to 5-7 days without it being the end of the world? Sure at the 5-7 day mark you would need someone to come over and remove eggs and check on them / refill water food sources but if you have a large enough coup and enclosed run- what would prevent you from being gone for say 14-17 days assuming you could have someone check in on them and perform the above tasks once every 5-7 days. I don’t own chickens yet so I’m not claiming to be an expert but from those I’ve spoken with locally (NE) that is an accurate summation of traveling if you own chickens, not just “you can’t travel or you have to be there twice a day every day”. Can anyone expand or comment on this.
I don't travel much, but I do spend time with my chickens. The cleaning isn't an issue, I'm used to it. They are fun to raise though and the eggs are good. Got attached to one after her bunch were killed, she's been my buddy since.
you missed one........ They work hard to get into gardens. Once there they will eat the best of you vegetables. On the other hand, when it is time to turn over to a new crop or the end of the year, they will work just as hard to clean you garden beds as in our video. I have 12 chicken and they eat all of my cabbage when they managed to get in to my cabbage patch. On the other hand they do great on eating bugs. Tall plants they would eat the bottom leaves and the bugs. I would get back my vegetables in the best buttery good eggs imaginable.
Had 80, now 45 & 5 chicks. 3 hens setting. 👍
The hardest part about having chickens for me, is that I get attached to them, and they do tend to come and go. When they get sick, its not like you can take them to the vet (our local vet doesn't do chickens). If they need to be put down, you've got to do it yourself, and that is heartbreaking. Its also heartbreaking when you discover that a predator has somehow gotten in and mauled them. They are such a joy though. I love how they accompany me whenever I'm out gardening, weeding, or landscaping. They get so excited when they find bugs and grubs in the yard.
I took a couple of mine to the vet( new birds and I didn't want them to pass on their sickness). $60 and it didn't help. I cured them myself with home remedies.
You forgot to add startup costs, namely the coop!😊
I feed and water with double the amount that they need. Instead of 3 gallons, provide 6 in two separate waterers. Instead of 12 pounds of feed, give them 24 in two feeders. The only daily maintenance is opening and closing the coop door, they live in a fenced yard. Don't name your chickens, ever ,ever, ever. Maybe only descriptions like the Brown one or the Hen with the wonky foot. Not Chewbaca or Snow White. Certainly not Jeff. We spread pine shavings and shovel it out when it's stinky, usually adding a second bail after a few weeks. My dog walker will tend to the chickens when we go out of town. Wear muck boots when entering the coop or yard where they live, never wear the muck boots into your home or areas you want to keep clean. Chicken dust is gross, wash up after every visit.
i have three chickens, i love them, they are very funny , they are my babies i have two cats as well, they tickle me the way they scoot around the chickens,
You might add expense to that list. Of course the farm fresh eggs are amazing, but I think you could buy eggs cheaper. And if you need to get electric fencing to keep them protected, or want to buy a ready-made coop because you lack carpentry skills, they can be a pretty hefty investment in the beginning. And then you have to keep them safe from predators. I'm new to chickens and hoping I can be a good "chicken tender."
I have 15 of them and never get dirty.I go out there twice a day on cold days and when it warms up I'll let them out most of the day.Easy to take care of....Like cats.....Have four of them....Two Barn cats and two indoor cats.------No mice!!
PS:I had to put down one the other week....I don't eat them....Just the eggs...
I have 20 chickens 3 turkeys 4 Ginnys 2 ducks. They got their own 2 acre yard that is fenced all the way around. The hard thing is they don't go in at night ,they all go sleep right next to the dog all lined up on the fence.except for the ducks and Turkeys stay on the ground.
#4 which was attachment is exactly me I love my chickens, I go to school and if we have to draw something I always draw them. Oh and you said they generally don’t live to 5 years that’s only being a bad owner cuz my old ones (they have died now) but they lived for 11 years and my current hens are 8 years and still alive, and we don’t feed them bad stuff so
HEMP HUSK Help with smell. you will not need to clean the coop as much at least a year. I would grow some dwarf Berry bushes for the chicken that drop lots of Berry's on the ground. Hemp seeds are great to put in the feed as well.
Who said it would be easy every thing in life has negatives work is never done
On travel you can travel automatic water , auto feeder .
4) We all get attached but we all have to learn to accept loses.
3) I believe I'm willing to be dirty. Likely use their deposits as fertilizer.
2) I could hire a sitter.
1) I'm like a time clock. And eggs is something I'm forward to.
Our chickens ducks and geese are kept free range. They have about 3 acres to roam on and my wife and I don't really have to clean much except for the water troughs because the geese and ducks swim in them. I love the eggs. I've only ate 1 rooster. I butchered him because he was an Ahole. They are very relaxing to watch. Much like an aquarium.
If you pick the right breed, Provide good nutrition and care for it well a chicken can live an average of 7-12 years. The oldest being 15
Most people with a backyard, should have chickens. In a suburban setting, a small coop has great rewards. Befriend your neighbors, give them fresh eggs, invite them in to your backyard to see the chickens. Share a glass of wine in the late afternoon. Soon your backyard will be pest free. Your flowers will grown bigger, stronger, better.
Etc, etc, etc.
:)
Awesome vid. Chickens are a must for a garden and homestead.
For the travel problem, couldn't you set up some automation to open the coop door, and provide food and water? Wireless camera may help too, like a Ring, with an intercom. Just a thought, may not work for everyone.
Great impartial video. Just what I was looking for. Thank you.
I am probably not going to get chickens. I was watching video for a week now feeling out exactly what the involvement is. Your video helped me decide but I was pretty much there anyway. I’m not getting chickens. I don’t have the few minutes every day. I’m usually late for work and late to come home to take care of elderly parents. You video is not about the values chickens give to people. Reading the comments it seems people misunderstood your video. I imagine a lot of people that raise chickens end up owning chickens other people simply couldn’t care for. Your video helps prevent people getting chickens that shouldn’t have got the, without careful consideration. Kudos to you and your thoughtful video. My intention for getting them to start with is from watching our country destroyed from within and I don’t know how bad the destruction will reach as far as food availability in the next two or three years.
Well said sir. I grew up taking care of the little rascals. I like them. I can imitate chicken sounds very well, it's hard to tell the difference between me and the chickens ha ha.
I mimick mine.
To be honest all of the reasons to not have Chickens can be used as reasons to live in a tiny apartment in the middle of the City. There you go.
Yes that is right
Gotta love CHICKENS! I am 63 years late owning them…Thanking the Lord for 37 RESCUES!
I am happier than I’ve been in years
My HOA allows us to have up to 4 chickens... gosh I'm so tempted to get some ♡
My hens used to fight over 1 spot to lay eggs even though we had made a spot for each hen
Now they just lay on the ground underneath the bedding on gravel
Birds
Chickens are AWESOME they are great pets
Boy imma farmer boy because these reasons ain't really discouraging me
Sensible advice for people who do not weigh the pros and cons ; and land themselves in situation they can't deal with . Principal reason for . You love animals and want to know the eggs you eat comes for unstressed happy well cared for Chickens.
I have 7 golden comets. They are great. In addition to what everyone else has said, I hate having to watch out for hawks. So far have been lucky and was home to scare them away but you never know when one will drop in especially during the colder months when it maybe hard for them to find food. I like to let my chickens "free range" and there are places for them to hide in the yard so we accept the risk.
I had chickens. I thought I had put down enough food and water for the weekend. I got home to find they were out of food and water. They were okay but I felt terrible. I don't have chickens anymore
I have three chickens 🐓 Lucy Zoe and nibbly they are very nice
alex acquaah aw, I love chickens 🐓
all those reasons do not apply to me! I love Chickens! I never travel, did that in my 20's and 30's... Dirt? no problem, my business is dirty! I have a nursery, Attachment? Nope not a big deal to me, animals come and go... and I have too many chickens to get attached... and cleaning up after them? I need compostable materials, its not clean up, ITS A HARVEST!
i have chickens and get attached to them(not overly attached but i did name some of them) ! i dont eat the birds anyway just the eggs so why not? i clean up after them and not alot of work for me as i dont keep them in overcrowded conditions! my quail are much more work than the chickens!
cateyes, do you know the definition of bragging? how about the definition of empathy? you should learn what words mean before you use them.
John Liberty Exactly
John Liberty bless you John. I hatched chickens in my classroom and gave them to my daughter. She had a lovely yard but was within city limits. Boy did they stink and make noise , but the kids were so thrilled
I have spent months researching into constructing coops and discovered an awesome website at coop magic tactic (google it if you are interested)
Don't get chickens if you cant snap a chickens neck. It's the reality and the horror you have to get used to if you own them. Even if you don't want to eat them. They get injured and diseased sometimes. It's mercy sometimes to speed them along to chicken heaven. But it something you should really think about if you are capable of doing.
Good addition, thanks Reed.
You show some beautiful chickens. Looks so nice when they work on the garden. The video shows one thing and the commentary another. Both true. Thank you for the video.
Do not get chickens if there are city ordinances that say you can't. If you have neighbors make sure you let them know.. chickens are loud. Don't matter if it's a roo or just hens. Neighbors report you for noise, city will make new ordinance banning them. Make sure your house insurance don't have a no livestock or poultry clause. Roof gets blown off, adjuster comes out and sees chickens and your denied. Do your research.
I loved my bantams. But when my two favorite hens were killed by a fox and a dog - I threw in the idea of keeping chickens. I have 3 bantam roosters and 2 guinea hens left. When they are gone. No more chickens. Chickens lives are fragile, they are always in danger of raccoons, possums, marauding neighbor dogs, fox and coyote. The odd are stacked against them. Unless you keep them in virtual lockdown they are at risk. But that’s no fun for the chicken.
KAT depends entirely on where you live, our chickens have no problems in our backyard, coop stays open all the time and they do their own thing in the garden.
Only real threats would be birds of prey (which they can hide under bushes) or cats when they're sleeping (our room is less that 10m from their coop so we'd hear any commotion)
Mine are kept in a 12x20 coop with a 40x40 run, haven't closed the door between the coop and run since I built it
I love chickens , they are soo adorable and cute❤
I have 12 birds and it takes 10 minutes a day. I don't clean anything but the laying boxes because I have mesh under the roosts.
Feed, water, pet, gather eggs, and move the tractor. They get fresh grass every day which is good for them and cuts my feed cost.
I love my silkies, all 3 of them, but my meat birds (who only stay for 3 months) are very work intensive, but delicious.
Oh Yea... those huge Meat Birds are another whole Rodeo. LOL They are like dinosaurs with feathers... Smelly eating machines with zero personality... which.. is probably a good thing since you EAT them.
I think if I ever raise chickens again I will get a nice middle of the road chicken... like a Rhode Island Red... good BOTH for eggs and a decent size to eat.
One year we raised 3 Bronze Medallion Turkeys. They got SO HUGE, and the Tom was very aggressive... ! so I said "Never Again"... UNTIL we ate them! LOL OMG were they tasty. ... and happy and healthy up till the end.
Only problem was... we had to cut them in half with a band saw just to fit 1/2 of one in the oven. It was a BIG oven! LOL
Silkies are the dumbest of all chickens.
Faith Rada Get you a few orpingtons!
I've retired in rural Cambodia and chickens are just part of the life. No one thinks of them as pets though, they treat them like we do fish. They don't have pets here. All animals are considered farm animals. Dogs and cats have jobs, and when they die they don't mourn them. Some people still eat them. It's taken me a while to get my head around it being a Canadian softie, but that's their way. That said, we throw live lobsters into boiling water, and force feed ducks and geese to harvest their freakishly large fatty livers, so we're hardly in a position to judge.
I've had no problem with these beautiful intelligent birds since I was a kid.
Yeah, we had chickens when I was a kid, and #4 Attachment was the big thing for me. Many had names and followed us around like dogs. "You can name 'em, but you're gonna eat 'em," and we did - most of them, but Daddy never made us kids attend or perform the killing. There were a few pets that lived many years. I could tell ya some stories!
I love this video, some of those do apply to me but we got a couple chickens anyways. This does make me more aware of all the challenges involved though. I don't travel, I do form attachments, getting dirty doesn't bother me much as I can just take a shower after.
They poop everywhere if you let them loose, and sometimes they carry a lot of chicken or bird diseases some times even skin irritation...but it's not a lot of work...
You get fresh egg and always have meat walking arround in your yard
Treat your chickens as you would treat your pet dogs, cats. Don't be cruel. Take great care of them, and be responsible if they need vet care. Of course, cleaning is a must and that's common sense.
If you think you will not be able to treat chickens responsibly and compassionately, then please do not own any.
I have 20 ladies, a big coop and bigger run. Using the deep litter in the coop, I haven't cleaned the coop in almost 4 years and no smell at all
What about the most important issue and that’s “noise” for people who live in cities. In San Diego it’s legal to have 3 in city limits but they’re LOUD from the videos I’ve seen.
Very good advice
Chickens must be cared for properly
Guy: Why you should not buy chicken
Also him: *has chicken*
My brain: *INTENSIEFS*
I love keeping chickens but as you say it is not all roses when you have them. I think you forgot that they might get sick and have to be culled or have health issues like red mites etc which requires a lot of attention and also dealing with predators like cats and foxes or vermin like mice and rats. If you can cope with all of this then chickens are for you but once you get them then you are tied to caring for them seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year and so that means going out in all weathers to top up feed and water, or up to four times a day water changes when the weather is freezing their water.
Im too chicken to have chickens
Well i watched this video after I got chickens and I got my first egg a week ago and have been getting them ever sence but there not laying every day but you also have to take a lot of efort to build a chicken coop so they stay safe and can actually get the eggs and stuff
Wow those are a very healthy beautiful chickens / can’t said the same for commercial farming chickens that can’t even walk around
Noise. I don't mind chicken noise, but not everybody feels that way. The two australorps I have now are the mouthiest little gals I've ever had!
That was true greetings from the philippines
My chickens are the best think that ever happened to me lol
Well done. Agree 100%.
True story, I am traveling a lot and I would love to have checkin how is possible
These are useful. I was nervous before watching. Thanks
My concerns are culling when necessary, predators and their aftermath (many where we live), concerns about treating health issues that may arise correctly.
Raccoons killed some of my pretty Millie De Fleur Duccle chickens and a Golden Seabright. For some reason it hurts more when they kill an ornamental breed. But those raccoons no longer exist due to being trapped, Honey seems to be a great bait. Never catch my cats with Honey.
I loved having eggs but I also loved watching the chickens interact with my rabbit was awesome
Your chickens look very healthy. Do you have a pre-arranged ranging area? How do you deal w/predators? I lost my chickens to hawks & foxes. I used to let em range around the house but they have no sense. They go literally EVERY where & have no sense of danger. (Until it hits em then it's too late)
Who knows maybe I'll get some again someday. Right though it is a full commitment. But we did enjoy the eggs. But... When they're older they are NO good for food. Tough as leather... Voice of experience here.
Thanks, I do wonder sometimes.
Wow very good video thank you for share+
I would also add, lack of space, you need at least a backyard, they need a bigger coop than rabbits, despite what tractor supply tries to tell you.
you don't get that dirty I own 12 so i know I also have a set up that I can leave for 3 weeks most work possible for a day is fill food/water clean out bedding 5 min every three weeks I do spend a lot of extra time playing though
My neighbors are giving me chickens
They might have watched your video lol
I give my neighbors eggs . Lol
If you don't have chickens your not farming, people get attached to calves too but sooner or later they end up in the freezer.
There are many reasons to have chickens in the house! One thing is that we help reduce the mass of livestock which is bad for both humans and chickens!
The biggest negative I find is the cost of feed, also the initial cost of the infrastructure. That being said I still supplement their food with such things as black soldier flies and wild greens or fruit and veggies which we grow. They do not pay for themselves but the fresh eggs and knowing what they eat along the joy of watching them makes it all worthwhile !!!
I 100% totally agree with you.
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