Topic: Something I've been surprised that I am enjoying lately...

[PatMan33]

Lately I've been raising chickens for the purpose of collecting eggs and saving some money. It has been a huge success and the eggs are delicious.

But one of the things I didn't expect was how much I would enjoy chickens as creatures. They're so stupid, like... really stupid. But then they have their moments and each has a bit of a personality. They're really fun to watch and to have around, especially on slow weekends when not much is happening. They'll just wander around and walk over to see what's up before continuing on their bumper car ride of a life. I've got another batch chicks nearly ready to start producing eggs as well. They've been fun to watch grow up and they come running when I whistle for them. Wish the adults did that.

This past week I tossed them an old dodge ball to see what they would do. Besides bouncing their beaks off of it a few times, not much. They are very skeptical. But the one has noticed that it is easier to see bugs when they land on the ball's surface, so maybe that is the smart one of the bunch. My dream of having a chicken balance on the ball is probably not going to happen.

[Haseri]

That's really cool.

My parents keep meaning to get chickens, but we have foxes living around us. Then again, the rabbit managed to survive for a while, so maybe that will change.

[PatMan33]

We had an issue up at my sister's place with a fox. It nabbed the rooster about a little while back and then managed to get a hen from inside the coop, despite it all being locked up. Seemed like it pulled her out from a very small gap in the mesh. She ended up having one of the kids go out and "camp out" for a night with his gun. He came back the following morning with a dead fox and they haven't had a problem since.

Worth investing in night vision trail cams for easy and inexpensive surveillance. Helps to figure out what you're dealing with. Even if you can't kill it outright, you can possibly trap it if you have an idea what it is. And if it's a bear you just **** off and try to distract it with other things. :x

[PatMan33]

Oh here, the girls:



The next generation consists of three of these black/white mixes and three black. They all seem to be hens, though sometimes they get sexed incorrectly and you get a rooster appearing. That happened to my sister with their last batch. But these ladies are all medium sized right now. The black ones have hints of emerald in their coats but you can only really see it when the sun shines on them at just the right angle. You can sort of catch a bit of it in the bird on the left, but it's much better in direct light.

Dinosaurs, am I right?

[Haseri]

Look, if we start having bears, that's a whole different kind of problem.

[PatMan33]

The kind of problem you solve with extreme prejudice. :3

[PatMan33]

Speaking of problems you solve with extreme prejudice, look at this curious fellow I caught on trail cam last night.


Looks like a coon is roaming around the coop, probing for weaknesses. This is a problem because a chicken doesn't stand much of a chance in a fight with a coon, even a small or timid one. They will **** up your chickens in short order and pick them off over time. My nephew is a very accomplished trapper so I've got him coming over to help catch this guy. With any luck this little fellow isn't going to see too many more sunrises and certainly won't be snacking on my chickens. He will be back though and he will keep coming back until he gets the chickens or he gets killed.

[PatMan33]

Got it.

[Slinky]

Pat I've always wanted to have chickens but I live in an apartment. Can you help me think of a way to sneak chickens past my landlord

[PatMan33]

Disable your landlord's senses of smell and hearing and cut the phone lines so your neighbors can't call.

You might want to disable your sense of smell, too. :3

[Slinky]

physically attack my landlord, can do. will report back

[PatMan33]

My girls are going to start laying eggs any week now. They're almost ready!

[sgore]

My dream of having a chicken balance on the ball is probably not going to happen.

I still want to know how this aspect of the project is going.

[Rysworld]

Do they lay brown eggs or white, Pat, and about how large?

I've always wanted chickens. Hard to get that to happen in LA.

[PatMan33]

These are Australorp chickens and Barred Rock chickens so they'll put out brown eggs. I think the Barred Rock eggs will be slightly lighter in color.