Thursday, November 5, 2009

I'm Chicken
















Here recently, I have been looking into getting a chicken. Even before I moved to the farm, I had been tossing the idea back and forth in my head...You know, they could produce eggs for us, free fertilizer, and pest control. So many good things can come from a chicken. After I had been exposed to some real chickens that I had lived with for six months, I have come to the realization that... I WANT A CHICKEN!!!! (That sounds really spoiled, but I promise, its not)

Obviously there is a catch.
  • I live in the city, so I don't have all that much room to raise them
  • What do I do with it in the winter! It gets cold in Ohio
  • Will my parents agree with having a chicken in the back yard?
  • Will the neighbors agree?
So many questions, some of which are still not answered. I have a list of some breeds that I would like to get.
  • Ameraucana, Australorp or Black Australorp, Buckeye, Chantecler Delaware, New Hampshire or New Hampshire Red, Orpington, Plymouth Rock, Sussex, Wyandotte.
So if you have any suggestions please let me know. I have found a place where the chicken can have a little run and will fit a coop. I have seen that some of the chicken breeds are cold hardy, so I will probably get one of those. Because, what do you do with a chicken in the winter? This is why I will get my chicken next year in the spring! I have talked to my mom about it, and she's all in. When she was a girl, she lived on a turkey farm where my grandpa raised 25,000 turkeys. So she likes the idea. I haven't told my dad yet, he might be more skeptical. I think that all my neighbors will be cool with it as long as it doesn't make a whole lot of noise or smell.
So I just told my dad that I wanted a chicken, and he was cool with it. Of course, He brought up more problems with it, but I'll turn him into liking it. So please give me your suggestions and ideas!



The chicken in the last picture, that I am kissing, is one of the baby chicks from the previous pictures. These baby chicks, I incubated from some eggs and the end result is them being KISSED!!!!!!

12 comments:

tina said...

I've gone thru the chicken phase too. They seem so cool and do give fresh eggs and free fertilizer but when I think of walking out to their pen to feed and water them, heating their spot in the winter and all the other maintenance that goes along I start to appreciate buying eggs at the supermarket and getting free fertilizer from the two rabbits I have (they are close to the house and easy peasy to care for. So my advice is don't do it unless you are truly dedicated and can spend the time.

Zach said...

Good advise Tina,
Those are all good things to consider. Watering and feeding them would not be so hard, now the heating problem is one I'm not so sure about... I'll have to ponder that one.

kr said...

Don't get a wyandotte (sp?). They're really pretty but stubborn and ornery. I think the aracanas have the best temperment and are the best layers. You might want to get two. One chicken woudl be so lonely.

Zach said...

Oh thanks, I will be sure to take your advise.

Dan said...

I'd love to have some chickens around! I don't think the winter would be to much of a problem. As long as the coop is pretty air tight and you run a heat lamp or something. I've read a few articles that many urbanites are keeping chickens.

Zachary and Jennifer said...

I put a little write up on our blog about our winter plans for the chickens. It will be a learning experience for us, as it will be our first winter with them.

I agreed with Karen, if you get one, get at least one more for company.

Backyardchickens.com and mypetchicken.com are good resources for chicken queries.

Good luck! I see chickens in you future! :-)

Jennifer

Dan said...

Hi, I have an award for you on my blog. I enjoying reading your posts and thanks for blogging! No need to participate in the awards if you don't want to. =)

Jessica said...

Free. No cost for inspection in Columbus. :)

Joshua said...

wat the heck chickens

Christy said...

Chickens are easy to keep. As long as they can get out of the wind, they will be fine over the winter. A little house they can cuddle up in and a run to get fresh air and sun is all they really need. I love my chickens so much. Buffs are nice but can get big. I'd go with Americanas or Welsummers. They are the most friendly ones I've had and they don't get too big.

Catpad said...

i was looking at this pictures here, of the baby chicken (i don't know how it's called in english), but it makes me remeber of this scienc project that my class did last year at biology class..
we incubated a few fertilized eggs in the lab, and we waited until they came out of their shell..
we stayd up at school all night to see the little birds!

only one was alive.. we named it "Obama"

but now, i can't eat eggs.lol

;)

The Neuff said...

Hahhaa that's hilarious!