Bring On The Birds

Nick and M building our coop.

So, to be perfectly honest this isn't exactly recent. If only would have gotten this blog idea before we got the girls (the hens, that is).

So a couple of weeks ago, out of the blue, Nick decided he was ok with having chickens. Now, keep in mind that he has to be quite tired of me asking for animals and very well could have just agreed  so I would leave him alone. My theory is that he agreed because we have been watching the new show on History ,  Doomsday Preppers. And he has gotten an idea for just how interesting and useful chickens can be. Anywho, I just asked and he said yes. Hooray!

I have some slight experience with chickens already. As a kid we ordered some chicks, raised them in our bathroom and then sent them out to a family friends farm to live out the rest of their days. Right after Nick and I got married I even hatched out a baby chick from one of our original chickens in our basement. I don't really remember why, the chicken wasn't sitting for some reason. But, the moral of that story is -I have always had a love of chickens, but not quite enough experience to be an urban chicken farmer.

Step one- A coop and run. After examining many homemade coops online we decided it would ultimately be much more cost effective for us to just buy a small coop meant for urban farmers. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm sure many people with the skill set and proper supplies could build a great coop for less than we spent. We, however, are not those people. We were fortunate enough to find exactly what we were looking for, at a great price, at our local farm supply store. For pre-made coops you can expect to spend anywhere from $150-$1000+. To start up our entire lil chicken farm we spent approximately $275. *Read on to see how it breaks down.*

The finished product

It was finished a little after dark. I didn't want to cheat and wait until morning to get a picture, so we are stuck with this semi dark one. This coop is specifically designed for a flock of up to four chickens. It has ,what we refer to as the Hen Hose, which has a roost in it and then two nesting boxes with a roof that lifts up for easy access to eggs. Right outside of the house is a ramp to get to the small enclosed area (aka. a run). It is actually decently heavy, and since our whole back yard is fenced in (with a privacy fence) we did not need to stake it down. I should say, we have not needed to yet. If you did not have a fenced in back yard or knew you were prone to getting chicken predators in your yard I would suggest staking that puppy down.

All together for the coop- $215 with tax.

Feeder and Waterer

Next you need a feeder and waterer,food,and grit.  If you are starting with chicks you will also need a heat lamp and separate feeders for when they are small. For our small flock of 3 we got these small quart sized feeders and waterers. These last us about 2-3 days of food and water, but the water may need cleaned or dumped out once a day. They are messy birds. They are also clumsy and may knock over their feeders and or waterers. We got some coated clothesline wire to wire them to the fence. We have not yet done this.....and with no ill effects.  For their feed- We got a big ol' bag of Layer Feed Mix from our local farm supply store along with a another big ol' bag of cracked corn. (As soon as I can find a local supplier of organic feed we plan to switch.) We also bought a huge Tupperware tote to keep it in( a garbage can would also work nicely). Nick poured both 50lb bags in the tote and mixed well. I am told this amount of food (the smallest amount I could purchase) would last us approximately a year. That's right, a YEAR. You will also need some grit. This is small ground up rocks that the birds need to digest their food. You can also purchase this at a farm supply store, pet shop, etc, or make your own. If you plan on letting your chickens free range you may not need it all as they will find rocks on their own. To be on the safe side I got a small box and sprinkle it on their food , like you would salt on your food, and sprinkle a little on the ground inside the run.

Feeder and waterer- $10

Layer mix-$13

Cracked corn- $12

Grit- $2

Tote- $15

 

Strawberry Shortcake inside the Hen House

Really at this point all you need is your chickens. You can purchase chicks from local farmers, farm supply stores, or order online for  really cheap. Like 50 cents a chick cheap. Or you can buy hens. We chose to get hens. Mainly because we have a new baby. I dont' particularly want to take care of more babies.We got lucky and were given 3, one year old, hens. You can expect to pay $5-$30+ for hens. There are so many different breeds and so many different farmers it is hard to put an exact price on hens. Check out your local classifieds or Craig's List.

This picture was taken before their wings were clipped and before I  got the guts to touch them. And yes, we did name our chickens. I know, I know, probably not a good idea. Especially since they only lay for around 3 years......And yes we do plan on eating them. I told myself I would not be allowed to have chickens unless I did it right. No free room and board - they lay eggs or they are dinner. I'll keep ya updated on how that goes for us....

Just got their wings clipped- First time exploring the yard

So, another thing- you are actually going to have to touch your chickens.....

If you raise them from chicks I would imagine this would be much easier. But,as you know, we got full grown hens. And, if you have never looked a chicken in eye before, you don't know what scary is. I should also include the fact that I got a good pair of leather palmed gloves to touch my chickens- $12. And as long as we are being honest, I was still horrified. But, after the first few days I began petting them with a gloved hand. (and no they don't really love being petted, at least not yet anyway!) I soon discovered that if I  planned on letting our chickens free range in our yard they would need their wings clipped. So, like anyone  living in our day and age, I googled "how to clip chicken wings." After watching a few youtube videos I decided I could do this. So me and M went out with gloves, a chair, and some kitchen shears. I have to say, I am quite proud of myself. I caught each chicken and successfully, and correctly, clipped their wings.(er,  didn't even think to take a picture! Bummer!) But, now our girls can free range! I feel like this was truly my first step towards self sufficiency.