Cockadoodledooooo

[Duchesse]

On another thread Mom from Missouri mentioned that she bought 12 hens and sells the eggs.

Is there anyone else here who raises livestock? If so what kind?


I live in the city but I have a good size yard that is private. I've been considering raising one or two dozen chickens, fryers, 25 chicks for $10.00. I am considering this to have something to do, a hobby. Of course I'm going to eat them too.LOL I heard that chickens are easy to raise.

With a chick chick here, and a chick chick there, here a chick, there a chick, everywhere a chick chick.....

[boefixepa]

Check with HOA or city ordinance. Both is my area forbid 'barnyard' animals.

If that's not a problem - go for it.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I'm an earthworm herder, does that count? I feed and increase the population of earthworms in my garden and compost so that they will feed the soil, so that the plants will grow.

Poultry are illegal in my city, but I've been aware of a couple of people over the years who kept some. It becomes quite obvious when you hear that cockledoodle do.

Rabbits might be a good alternative for some, I think they are even legal in my city.

Just fifty feet from my house there is a building that was converted human dwelling. It used to be a large chicken coop, back in the days when the other buidling on the lot was a corner grocery store. You'd never guess it started off as a chicken coop, but once I found out about it, I could only think of it as "the chicken coop house."

[Duchesse]

In NYC some people raise pigeons on the roof in tenement buildings. Since I have my own private yard, I just thought I have some fun and get some good chicken out the deal.

[PRICEPLUS]

Always best to check the rules before it becomes a hassle.

[pearlieq]

I agree--check the local ordinances before investing anything. I guarantee a neighbor WILL report you. Chickens are hard to hide!

[Duchesse]

I'll just eat the evidence. LOL

[poundwise]

We have some friends who, after years of urban living, have a home and land out in the country. They are raising chickens, mainly just because they want to, and we now get free eggs; usually more than we need.

Nice.

Now, I just need friends who raise cattle and we'll be set.

[LuxLiving]

Howdy poundwise, allow me to introduce myself...

and our Watusi cattle.

[Duchesse]

Years ago when I went to Jamaica and visited my husbands' family, he had a nephew who raised chickens. When he went a bought the chicks they were so cute and soft that I stayed outside all day watching them. You can get chicks at Easter time at many pet shops in NYC. I'm going to check the city ordinances first . If there is no restriction I'm going to get a dozen chicks and try it .


I can make curry chicken, jerk chicken, barbecue chicken, chicken soup, herb chicken, tandoori chicken, chicken caccitore, chicken alfredo, fried chicken, baked chicken, stewed chicken.......

[scfr]

I'm interested in in raising chickens myself (after we relocate, if we live in an area where it's allowed), tho I'd do it just for the eggs as I don't have the stomach for butchering. I do know you have to wait awhile before they start laying (maybe someone who raises them already can fill us in) so you have some outlay in terms of housing and feeding before you start to reap the rewards.

[Ima saver]

I had chickens once in florida. I could not eat them when they quit laying, so I gave them away. I would not mind having one or two. I did have ducks. They were beautiful but so messy.

[Coleroo]

My granny (dad's mom, born in 1912) had chickens and a big hen house up until she died a few years ago. She lived in the "city" subburbs but had been there 50 years (back when it wasn't city), so her chickens (and goats!) were grandfathered in. Some of my favorite memories was of going with her to pick up the eggs way in the back. She always had 10 - 20 hens and a rooster or two. They sure were messy though.. their poops is too slimy and very hard to walk through.. lol. I would love to do the chicken thing, but even though we live less than quarter of a mile away from where she lived, our city wouldnt let farm animals live here now even though our half acre is really private in the back.

[LuxLiving]

I was raised on an egg farm - meaning we had them by the tens of thousands as we supplied all the groceries, restaraunts and hospitals for miles around w/eggs. I shudder when someone mentions raising chickens. Up at dawn to gather eggs and feed. Home from school to repeat the process. Caged chickens farther than the eye can see. More chicken to eat than one could want and I am now allergic to cooked eggs (but not baked ones). Cutting your foot on chicken manure -- Gaaaaaaaaaaa!

Although we have the space and no gvt-al restrictions the answer is - None for me thanks. Funny, but our current house had an eggs for sign sale in the attic and a roost left here after we bought. I had nightmares.

[Duchesse]

I guess if you look at it like that!

I have no intention of going at this in such a large scale. In fact I'm not interested in layers. After six weeks from what I've heared, it's time to cook chicken. If possible, I would raise 12-24 chickens for my personal use. I may share a few with family but that would be 2 or 3 per household. I can freeze them as well.

[rob62521]

Originally Posted by poundwise

We have some friends who, after years of urban living, have a home and land out in the country. They are raising chickens, mainly just because they want to, and we now get free eggs; usually more than we need.

Nice.

Now, I just need friends who raise cattle and we'll be set.

Any maybe some friends who have a big garden and good by grocery store!

[mom-from-missouri]

We also do cattle, horses (but not for horse meat!!), rabbits, turkey, swine, ducks, geese... If you can't handle the butchering, take them to your local buther. We can take in 12, he will butcher all adn we get to keep 6 at no charge, and he takes 6 for the fees. I have not wintered my chickens, but will when I get a better chicken setup.

[kv968]

Originally Posted by Duchesse

Years ago when I went to Jamaica and visited my husbands' family, he had a nephew who raised chickens. When he went a bought the chicks they were so cute and soft that I stayed outside all day watching them. You can get chicks at Easter time at many pet shops in NYC. I'm going to check the city ordinances first . If there is no restriction I'm going to get a dozen chicks and try it .


I can make curry chicken, jerk chicken, barbecue chicken, chicken soup, herb chicken, tandoori chicken, chicken caccitore, chicken alfredo, fried chicken, baked chicken, stewed chicken.......

Easy there Bubba

Here's a section from the NYC's Animal Care & Control Health Code:

"§ 161.19. Keeping of live poultry and rabbits.
(a) No person shall keep a live rooster, duck, goose or turkey in a built-up portion of the City.
(b) A person who holds a permit to keep for sale or sell live rabbits or poultry shall keep them in coops and runways and prevent them from being at large. Coops shall be whitewashed or otherwise treated in a manner approved by the Department at least once a year and at such other times as the Department may direct in order to keep them clean. Coops, runways and the surrounding area shall be kept clean."

Sounds as if you could keep some chickens running around. Although you had better make sure you're ready to give some chicken dishes to the neighbors because they may be not too pleased

[mom-from-missouri]

Actually, hens are not that noisy, unless they get excited (dog, cat, or bragging over a just laid egg). The roosters on the other hand, can be very loud, esp an hour before dawn till whenever they finally decide that the rest of the world knows its morning. For some roosters thats an hour after sun up, and for others they never shut up till they roost that night.
It is not necessary to have a rooster unless you want to increase your flock (or to drive your neighboors batty). Hens will lay with or without the rooster. You can keep 1 or 2 hens in a good sized rabbit hutch, or you can have a larger pen. My set up is a 8 x 12 dog pen. The top and bottom have chicken wire over it. Every few days I just pull it over a few feet. The chickens can peck thru the chicken wire on the bottom to eat bugs, but nothing can crawl under it to get in--except snakes, and we don't have any snakes around here, except down at the pond.

[Duchesse]

Originally Posted by mom-from-missouri

We also do cattle, horses (but not for horse meat!!), rabbits, turkey, swine, ducks, geese... If you can't handle the butchering, take them to your local buther. We can take in 12, he will butcher all adn we get to keep 6 at no charge, and he takes 6 for the fees. I have not wintered my chickens, but will when I get a better chicken setup.

Wow, you're a real farmer.


Do you raise goats?. When I was on that trip to Jamaica, I bought a goat($40.00US). We put her to a ram before we left. I left the goat with my husbands nephew to raise. I was ecstatic when they called to tell me that the goat had had a kid. She had twins after that. Of course I let them keep the goat and the kids. When I again visited I saw the beautiful kids. They ran from me whenever I tried to get close but it was a pleasure just to watch them with their mom.

When I move out of state I would like to purchase a purebred dwarf goat (milk) or pygmey goat(meat). Both are small and I hear they make wonderful pets. I definitely want to let them have some kids, nothing on a large scale. I used to raise purebred poodles. I know it's different but, I love the birth process.

Can you tell me, what do you mean when you say "I have not wintered my chickens?"