A Quick Thought About Eggs
EGGS: I may have to go get them in the rain today, but at least I don’t have to worry about this recall.
Laying hens are one of the easiest animals to take care of. I spend way more time tending to my dogs and cats than my chickens.
Why anyone with a little bit of land, even a quarter-acre, doesn’t keep their own chickens, I’ll never understand. Unless, of course, it has to do with those pesky city laws, and HOA regulations.
By the way, I know I haven’t been writing much lately, but now that summer is winding down I will have more time. Stay tuned for some great videos showing the hand-powered oil extractor and grain mill in action.
You are so right! We are in the process of making plans for our coop in Raleigh, NC. Our subdivision does not forbid it, so we are very lucky. The county puts on a Tour D’Coop every year for the past 5 years to showcase backyard chickens in Wake county!
A funny thing happened to us the other night. My husband entertained a co-worker for dinner and his wife and I were chatting. She was going on about how they buy free-range beef and get eggs from the farmer’s market, but when I said we were planning to get hens for our yard, her face fell off. She became quite disgusted. It was so funny!
We look forward to our own eggs.
I was thinking this very thing when I heard about the recall. I hope the backyard chicken people will use the recall as ammunition against their anti-chicken city laws.
I know it’s wildly expensive but next spring I’m buying myself a birthday present of and ‘Eglu” and two chickens. Hope the winter passes very quickly.
I live in the country, and am not familiar with why cities would have no-chicken laws. Is it because they bark constantly, or because they jump fences to climb trees and eat native birdlife?
We have 3 chickens, and they really are the easiest to care for. They can be pesky if they get into your landscaping, or cruise over to the neighbors and eat their newly planted corn, but for the most part, they are nice to have around. (The neighbor actually likes them because they keep the bugs out of the garden)
They produce three eggs per day (like clockwork), and that is more than enough for our family of three, with some to give away at the end of each week.
What about the cost of feeding the chickens will they produce more than what it cost to feed them ? I think if your grain feeding them it cost more to feed them than what they produce than if you were to go buy the eggs at the store. Unless, you can supplement their food with your own food scraps. The spring can bring a lot of animals that would like to kill off your chickens due to the chicks are running around. I think that more info on ways about setting up a protective areas would be good maybe worm casting could help with feeding the chickens I’m not sure I just remember it cost me more to feed and protect my chickens,turkeys ,ducks,phesants, and guines than it did to just run to the store and buy the eggs. And, eventually I lost them all to Mink ,raccoons, snakes and other animals. To feed them with out feed you can’t keep them cooped up. I also had a large garden to help feed them in the summer I might add but I didn’t have a root cellar to store items in maybe if I would of had one I could of had more food stored for the winter months to feed them instead of useing grain. I know some of you know how to deal with these problems but others might experince the same problems I faced.
John B.: what kind of chickens do you have. My three are not like clockwork, don’t lay when it’s too hot, when it’s too cold, when they are molting, etc…maybe 125-150 each per year.
The Unforlorn: I live in Denver, CO and we don’t know either why we can’t keep chickens, w/out a permit at least!!! Apparently, in Denver, one can keep up to FIFTY pigeons w/out a permit, can have dogs way bigger than I’ll ever be, have cats who come pee in my children’s sand box, but no chickens! I, personally, was not about to keep with stupid laws (I can barely handle the semi-ok ones) so I have 2 chickens in my backyard and I cannot wait for the day when animal control comes knocking on my door. I will not go down w/out a fight and that will be the incentive for me to mobilize the troops and have this stupid law changed for good.
I have 3 hens. Little chicks running around are not an option if you don’t have roosters. My girls are very low maintenance. I let them free range in a fenced in yard most days. They do not jump fence. Predators (and I am backed up to a forest) are not a problem, but I have proofed my run. The girls are low maintenance and fun to have and beneficial to my garden and yard. 1 buff orp. and 2 speckled sussex.
I was informed by my city that it is illegal to own chickens or rabbits. Rather than argue with that sort of thinking I promptly placed my home on the market. I now reside on a 40 acre homestead that has no restrictions. Now I own 42 chickens,1 rooster,10 cattle 2 goats,1 horse.I believe that I traded for better neighbors.
David – Now THAT is what I call voting with your dollars! Good for you!