CookieCows

We have an empty chicken coop that we have to fill up again with chickens. Have to fix a spot in the floor as a predator got in and .... well we don't have chickens anymore. But ours were free ranging too and I have seen the roosters with mice more than once. Really surprised me!! We raised them for eggs and meat but being free range, they were pretty tough.

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modenacart

What do you have on your microfarm? I plan on getting three chickens this year. I wish I could get more animals but I live in a neighborhood. I am streching just getting the chickens because they are not allowed but my neighbors behind me and to my left don't mind and I don't care what the guy to the right of me thinks. He just complains all the time.

I have thought of buying organic food, but in the past it has not been well contolled. It used to be that companies would call food organic and it would just be dirty. I don't know of the regulations have gotten better.

Taylor

Go for it modenacart. If they tell you no, then at least you tried!

Richard

If you have read the book "The $64 Tomato", it pretty much covers my experiences with pesticides, etc.

For specific information on pest/disease control methods I've tried, see http://www.plantsthatproduce.com/gui...tervention.pdf

For application rates of "organic" fertilizers and others, see http://www.plantsthatproduce.com/col...ertilizers.pdf

Before you put agricultural animals in your yard that is not zoned for them, discreetly find out what the fine is for not having a permit. In some cities it is $10,000.

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modenacart

I am getting the chickens. I have already built the chicken house. I just need to finish painting and putting up the hardware cloth. I will order the chickens in about 3 weeks or so. I plan on getting a Australorp, http://www.mypetchicken.com/Australorp-B14.aspx , a Faverolle, http://www.mypetchicken.com/Faverolle-B47.aspx , and a Plymouth Rock, http://www.mypetchicken.com/Plymouth_Rock-B85.aspx, and a Polish, http://www.mypetchicken.com/Polish-B91.aspx , for fun because they are so crazy looking. The Plymount Rock is going to be the striped one.

I live in the county, its just the covenants and we don't have a commity. They would have to take me to court and I would have to get rid of the chickens.

Taylor

Cool! Hopefully, his neighbors would have the decency to tell him No before the authorities would, Richard. I don't think it is a big deal. We had to call on our neighbors for having a Rooster though, because it was SO loud. We live in the city, and they had chickens, pigs, and goats on a one acre plot! So...it is possible.

I like the look of the Australorp, but I am just going by looks. What advantages does it have? Are these for eating or eggs?

Taylor

modenacart

They are for eggs and for fun.

Taylor

BTW modenacart,
Pictures would be nice, when you feel is right.

Taylor

So Cool. 5 eggs per week from Australorp X 3 is 15...thats all our family of 4 would need.

modenacart

We eat boiled eggs almost everyday. I currently get them from a farmer right down the road for $1 a dozen, which is really hard to beat, but I thought it would be fun raising the chickens. My wife also wants some pigmy goats, but that might be taking it too far for our neighborhood.

I don't have pictures of the chicks because I don't have them yet, but I have some of the chicken house.

Taylor

That is a really hard price to beat.

Please post them.

modenacart

Here are the pictures of the house.






I still have some painting to do.

Richard

That's a really great coup. When I lived on 40 acres in northern CA, we had chickens. The Plymouths were my favorite eggs. There was also an Australian Heeler (dog) on the property, and to satisfy its herding instincts it would "corral" the chickens into an arbitrary circle near the coup. The dog also tried to corral the cats, but that didn't work so well.

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Taylor

That's very professional, and should not be a big issue. it looks like no noise would escape...

My solution: The one neighbor who complains, give him or her a banana pup and a few eggs!

modenacart

I resorted to not talking to him, I will give the eggs to the neighbors I like. The first day we moved in he came over and harrassed us before he even asked our names. You have to love people like that I guess.

The chickens are going to walk the yard and go into the house at night. Its going to be fun training the dogs to respect them, but I think the biggest challenge is keeping the bird of prey away.

I was we had a 40 acre farm, but my wife doesn't like the idea of living too far from town.

mskitty38583

white rock chickens lay the best tasting eggs!

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CookieCows

That is such a beautiful chicken coop!!

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modenacart

Thanks, I have tried to keep it below the fence line and not too ugly. I hope this keeps the neighbors a bit happier.

mskitty38583

as long as it is not unsightly...tell your naighbors to bite the banana. and to keep their noses on their side of the fence. people like that just make want to.....ill leave it at that. i think it is an absoulte dreamy little coop. it looks like a doll house.

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Taylor

Keep us updated with its progress and when the chicks arrive. Where are you buying them from?