Chickens

**Lindsey** · 07-01-2011, 01:25 PM

If you have chickens, do you live in the country? We are moving soon and I would like to have chickens, only I think we will have to live in city limits in order for DH to be 40 min or less from work.

Also, how long does it take to kill one and get it ready for the "pot"?

How many eggs a day/week do you get from your chickens (please post how many you have)?

How much $ is the upkeep?

I am from the city and I don't think I have ever been around chickens, besides the ones running wild in Key West. Anything you want to share, I would be greatful.

**missyali** · 07-01-2011, 01:39 PM

We are pretty rural, but many cities around have an ordinance as to how many you are permitted.

We will be getting eggs from ours only. Not meat birdies for us.

We have 6 girls and they should each lay one egg per day; it depends on their breed.

If you don't factor in the cost of CluckingHEN Palace (we spent WAAAY too much in building their coop), they have been eating about 50lbs of feed per month (we give them whatever food scraps we have left over from dinner as well - except chicken; I cannot encourage cannibalism). The feed is about $15 per bag.

They eat a lot of bugs and grass, an added bonus

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Chick-Days-Absolute-Beginners-Chickens/dp/1603425845"]Amazon.com: Chick Days: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens from Hatching to Laying (9781603425841): Jenna Woginrich, Mars Vilaubi: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51maufPBWFL.@@AMEPARAM@@51maufPBWFL[/ame] has been super helpful. Once they are a few months old, they are pretty hearty birds. We looked for birds who tolerate heat and cold; Northeast Ohio can have -15* to 85 degree in one week

**Russ** · 07-01-2011, 01:46 PM

Niko posted a pretty comprehensive chart in THIS THREAD

**Missy** · 07-01-2011, 04:28 PM

in the middle of the city, 5 adult hens, variety of breeds, I get 4-5 eggs a day, sometimes as few as 3.

cost me with food and bedding close to 20.00 every three months.

But that's also feeding ducks and quail with bedding used for them and rabbits as well (rabbits don't share the food though)

Chickens take me and dd (8 y/o) about 20 minutes to do one start to finish with plucking. Now, I don't take them immediately to the pot, I chill in cold brine water, them rest in the fridge (not freezer) for 2-3 days before I use or freeze. The older the hen the more likely it is to be used for stew vs a young not-quite-old-enough-to-crow rooster / cockerel. We can't have roos in town so if we get one in an order of chicks they can't be allowed to get old enough to crow unless we give em away to someone in the country.