Where to start. Strombergs.. They're a chicken supply company, Their catalog has a system to identify the right chickens. You want "winter hardy". Americana is a winter hardy breed. Strombergs catalog is where to start. Chicken feed has increased from $11.50 to $15.50 a bag. A day old chick takes about 6 months to start laying eggs You have to plan way ahead. I have somewhat amazing foresight. I saw this coming and was squawking about it years ago. They called me a conspiracy theorist and ignored.
The farm stores here have chicks. Usually they have ducks, chickens, and turkey chicks. Chickens: the price varies from $1-$3/chick. Ducks and turkeys are high. Usually they sell what works in your area.
You WILL end up with a brooder size box and a heat lamp. Use the "heat emmiters" that are black. They last. The heat bulbs melt the lead solder and expose the lamp to atmosphere and they burn out. Thry don't last long.
Spend the loot on the fancy black heat emmiter bulb.
don novicki wrote:I guess we are lucky. We buy eggs right from the farm just a couple of miles away. They cost a little more but are worth it IMO.....
It's bizarre that I'm not allowed to sell an egg. The authorities will say its unhealthy because my chickens aren't caged in a giant facility with thousands of birds and mechanized egg collection. Basically it's against the law to live.
I know for pheasants they have these blinders that look like glasses you put on their beak. Keeps them from pecking and killing each other. I would imagine they would work for chickens?
Fuck that. Peepers. By the time amazon got here its too late. I thought about it a year ago. I forgot all about them chickens. They either lived or didnt...50:50. They're fine. The newbies are too young to figure out the roosts they cuddle on the ground.
Pork chop, chickens are easy and they're cute when they're chicks. If I had your daughters I'd not hesitate to spend the money. Chickens teach responsibility in a big way. Just do it you won't regret it. Had help from assateage and yankeegray. They know about chickens
The only problem or I should say holdup is that my town does not allow them in city limits. If it wasn’t for that I would already have a bunch. Going to talk to the council though as you’re allowed to have them in places like Minot which is a much more congested city compared to mine that only has a few hundred people. Seems like a no-brainer to me!
So much for the ND dream. Our little South Louisiana town tried greasing a squeaky wheel by passing a law against the rooster or two within the town limits, and don'tcha know defiance roosters cropped up all over the place.
If you think I am completely ordinance compliant...no. The rules say I have to get a note from my mother ...lol 6 chickens as pets. No roosters. No egg selling. I'm Indahood but not related to woods n swamp. There's someone with a sign that says eggs for sale two blocks over. It's not a felony or even a misdemeanor. I will have eggs.
Gubment has gotten so big and powerful that it's left hand dont know what the right is doing. If they tax enough to support itself the citizens revolt so they just print money and pay their bills with it. Inflation is a hidden tax. If we compute our tax burden it's past 85% and typically the citizens revolt before that level.is reached. We've just accepted inflation as a fact of life. It is not. It's criminal.
It's not exactly a cheap investment but once you have a coop, feeders, and waterers it could generate some income. My birds make around 5 dozen eggs per week. It is neat to just grab an egg when I need one tho. Every time I bring this up around people they ask money questions trying to calculate profits. Same with bees. They seem to think there is a dollars income per hive that's a solid hard number and are chasing it with nets UNTIL one bee sting.