Chickens in town

[deleted member]

Yes. The hutterite option is much smarter. I don't think you can justify the hassle and expense for a few Birds and eggs. I've got a neighbor and they do hundreds of broilers. Get em aprilish and butcher before fall. They got all the equipment for bleeding, plucking, etc... and make a big party out of the process. That might make it pencil out. Otherwise, it certainly isn't lucrative. Devils lake area, ghost.

 

[guywhofishes]

Great info everyone. When I move to my next place just out of town I'm hoping to have ducks for butchering and chickens for eggs/butchering.

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I might take one or two e. About where are you located?

ask kdm about raising ducks first - ha ha ha

 

[Allen]

I wouldn't mind some chickens, does anyone know how long they can be without care? I assume a long weekend away would be no problem.

I can easily leave mine for 4 days at a time with no issues. Once I get to being gone for 5 or more days, I have a friend come out to check on them and take the eggs. I just don't like leaving the eggs in the henhouse for that long. Prefer 1-2 days, but have no real issue with 3 days unless it's really hot out. Then they get kind of watery.

They will die on day 3 without food and water, so you need to make sure what you put out for them will take them well past the time you are going to be gone.

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Jersey Giants and Americana's are also good birds that lay large eggs. Gentle, unless you are a stray mouse or garter snake. KDM nailed it when he called them velociraptors, let's just say we are all damn lucky there aren't 8 ft tall chickens in them there woods!

Chinese silkies are about the most gentle little freaks of nature around, but they also lay really small eggs.

I have also had Wyandotte(s). Skittish bitches! May not have the best socialization, but the Jerseys and Americana varieties just seem less nervous.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Ive considered getting a few silkies just to keep the crickets/bug population down in my yard. My GF isnt hot on the idea of chickens tho. Ive heard silkies are about the most garden friendly also, not very destructive. According to my research, in bismarck you can have 2 chickens kept as 'pets' but any more and you risk your neighbors complaining resulting in a possible fine.

 

[Allen]

I guess I didn't really pay attention to which of my birds were hell on the garden. They will absolutely destroy a number of things. Broccoli, lettuce, strawberries, green beans, peas, etc. They did tend to leave the taters, melons, pumpkins, cukes, and pepper plants alone.

 

[johnr]

I am not a fan of farm animals residing intown.

I think if you want chickens, that's a live in the country mindset. No offense to you in town chicken guys.

 

[Twitch]

If you have chickens in town are they still farm fresh eggs or???:;:huh

perhaps I should have put this in the nean delson thread

 

[svnmag]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAfmfCArUgA

 

[KDM]

ask kdm about raising ducks first - ha ha ha

Raising ducks SUCKS!! What a mess and for what you get on the backside, I'd rather let Mom Nature raise the ducks and I just harvest in the fall. (Grin)

 

[Account Deleted]

They just aren't the same though. Don't get me wrong. I love me some wild duck but they just don't have the same flavor.

 

[Davy Crockett]

We never raised any ducks but we had tame geese and they were good to have around , They stayed away from the house but very territorial and mean. They put the run on just about anything and everybody that came around the barn. I don't remember ever loosing any chickens to critters after we got the geese. Our gander was no good , We had them for at least 20 years and they only produced 3 chicks. I always wanted to get a few turkeys but my Dad grew up with them and he said no way , They crap all over everything.

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[dean nelson]

KDM nailed it when he called them velociraptors, let's just say we are all damn lucky there aren't 8 ft tall chickens in them there woods!

Yep a bunch of these running around would be freaky!
https://youtu.be/6Vqs2ZOOirk

 

[svnmag]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMwrc1nlSCA

 

[svnmag]

Yep a bunch of these running around would be freaky!
https://youtu.be/6Vqs2ZOOirk

That could be a great hunt for a large bore shotgun, pistol or fast twist AR. That pic makes me want to stalk them with an aluminum baseball bat. Cook those effers in a pit or treat like grass-fed beef.

 

[Kickemup]

Raising ducks SUCKS!! What a mess and for what you get on the backside, I'd rather let Mom Nature raise the ducks and I just harvest in the fall. (Grin)

I do miss those duck eggs. They were nummy.

 

[johnr]

The yolks are too orangy, I prefer a caged, sweat shop birds eggs.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I prefer the flavor of cage free eggs personally, but dont like the price...

 

[deleted member]

i much prefer our chicken eggs to store bought. they have nice dark yolks and actual flavor. they have to be gathered almost daily though or they can go bad if you have a sitting hen that doesn't like to leave them cause she will keep them too warm.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Do they produce through the winter? Need liquid water or will they eat snow?

 

[KDM]

Need water throughout the winter and 12 hours of daylight and they will continue to lay. Change the water daily using warm water keeps it from freezing longer. You need to collect the eggs a bit more on the spot or they can and will freeze. We keep the coop at about 20-30 degrees F and haven't had any problems with eggs or the chickens yet. Biggest issue has been the moisture buildup on the coop walls and ceiling from their breath. You need good ventilation or you get a mold and ice problem.