Chickens

[bigus_D]

I have been reading a lot about raising egg hens. Plan to build a coop soon. Originally was planning to buy chicks in the spring, but understand it might be easier to start with mature hens. Suggestions?

Also, where does one purchase mature hens, chicks, feed, etc. (north of Indy preferred)

 

[IndyPrepper]

I'm sure others will chime in but fwiw I see tons of them for sale on craigslist all the time.

Good luck

 

[PistolBob]

Call your local 4H administrator, they can tell you who has chickens for sale in your county....usually.

 

[Cheapdiesel]

What you want are started pullets. They are hens that are not laying yet you can buy laying hens its just difficult to tell how old they are. Young bird are preferable. FOund this on craigs list Ameruacana chickens. As far as feed goes any farm supply store or feed store can provide you with layer crumbles. Give them a roosting bar and a laying box in some sort of shelter and they will be happy. Also make sure they have at least 12 hrs of light if you want eggs in the winter.

 

[browncofiddler]

We've been working on our chicken house and hope to get some pullets this weekend.

Here's an info website:

Raising BackYard Chickens, Build a Chicken Coop, Pictures of Breeds

 

[grunt soldier]

yes you can uy laying hens on craigslist but like it was stated above you only know what the people tell you and they could just be trying to pawn off there old birds on you. i've not had mine crazy long but i have 6 hens and 2 roosters (one is about to go in the stew pot lol) only 4 are laying right now but i'm getting 4 eggs a day. and then once every week or so they don't lay. as far as the winter months from all the folks i've talked to you just need either one of the solar sidewalk lights and put it in there at night or put a red heating bulb in there in the winter and run it on a timer for about a hour and you should be good

back yard chickens has some great info but those people treat there chickens like they are pets. taking them to vets and everything else. obsessing over all the little things. just let your chickens do their thing and they will work out most their own problems.

 

[reno]

There are some magazines called Hobby farm and even one about Chickens or raising them. THey all have sources for birds,etc. Your county extension agent may be able to help, It just depends, some are great and some have no clue.

 

[RichardR]

I've always raised ours from "day-olds" meaning that they had just hatched prior to me buying them, supposedly it allows you to bond with the chickens better because they imprint on you or something.

I've had mixed results with this, it seemed to have worked really well with my Red Star chicks, who just loved to be picked up & held/handled, but not so well with my Mille Fleur D'Uccle chicks who to this day (even after being treat trained) are leery of being picked up/handled.

Of course I really went out of my way to bond with my Red Star chicks, who were outside of the brooder probably as much as they were inside of the brooder but, not so much with my Mille's, mostly because they were so little (a third of the size of the Red Stars at same age) that I was always afraid I'd keep them out of the brooder (away from the heat lamp) to long.

 

[chrstian_indy]

GREAT THREAD!

 

[grunt soldier]

i don't pick up or handle mine. but they will come to me from anywhere lol. they can be 300 feet out in the cornfield eating and i can make the kissing sound and say come here girls and they will come running because they know they are about to get some fruit or veggies. just train them like a dog kinda but i don't handle them or hold them. they are cool animals but definitely not pets to me. another great thing about chickens is you will always have fertilzer for your garden

 

[chrstian_indy]

Stay away from these

 

[Stschil]

Started with mine this may. Picked up 12 one day olds from Rural King
Americauna's , Rhode Island Reds, Orpingtons, a Wyandote, and an Astrolorp.
A member here, RichardR, answered a ton of my questions and was very helpful.
I like the Americauna's the best. They are very docile and good natured and seem to have the most personality. The Orpingtons are bullies to the others.
The Reds are ok.
We give them weeds from the gardens, veggie table scraps, gypsy moth nests from the trees, just about anything really. I also give them a couple scoops of all flock pellets every other day. I have layer crumbles for them, but they haven't started laying yet. Hopelfully that will start this month.

Good luck!

 

[bigus_D]

Started with mine this may. Picked up 12 one day olds from Rural King
Americauna's , Rhode Island Reds, Orpingtons, a Wyandote, and an Astrolorp.
A member here, RichardR, answered a ton of my questions and was very helpful.
I like the Americauna's the best. They are very docile and good natured and seem to have the most personality. The Orpingtons are bullies to the others.
The Reds are ok.
We give them weeds from the gardens, veggie table scraps, gypsy moth nests from the trees, just about anything really. I also give them a couple scoops of all flock pellets every other day. I have layer crumbles for them, but they haven't started laying yet. Hopelfully that will start this month.

Good luck!

How long have you had yours?

 

[Stschil]

How long have you had yours?

We got them the middle of May. I've read they they should start laying at 4 months.
Also, we just picked up a year old rooster from a guy on Craigs list. There are lots if chickens listed there.

 

[RichardR]

We got them the middle of May. I've read they they should start laying at 4 months.
Also, we just picked up a year old rooster from a guy on Craigs list. There are lots if chickens listed there.

Most breeds of chickens will start to lay in between 6-9 months of age, some "exceptions" may start laying a bit earlier but that's usually the average age range when they start.

 

[grunt soldier]

i bought golden comets and easter eggers (the mutt version of americauna's) and they are just at 4 months and 4 of them are laying. 2 aren't but thats not slowing the roosters down. so far i'm getting 4 eggs a day except i once a week each chicken won't lay. the eggs are pretty small but seem to be getting bigger and bigger each one they lay. the only down side to my chickens is i let them free range so there is chicken **** everywhere lol

 

[bigus_D]

i bought golden comets and easter eggers (the mutt version of americauna's) and they are just at 4 months and 4 of them are laying. 2 aren't but thats not slowing the roosters down. so far i'm getting 4 eggs a day except i once a week each chicken won't lay. the eggs are pretty small but seem to be getting bigger and bigger each one they lay. the only down side to my chickens is i let them free range so there is chicken **** everywhere lol

Where did you buy yours? I believe we are in the same vicinity.

Also, I'm soliciting opinions on if I should try to pick some up now or wait until spring...

 

[grunt soldier]

i picked my golden comets up from tractor supply in westfield. and my easter eggers i picked up from a guy called the chicken breeder down south. i also got a buckeye from him but he's a rooster. I say pick them up now , no need to wait but the key is to pick up young ones off craigslist. if you watch them their are people still selling chicks and pullets all the time and thats what you want.

some people say amercauna chicks are the best layers but my easter eggers are a egg a day

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/2536215878.html


http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/2540090380.html


these are bantams so they won't be as big but i know a lot of folks still love them, the eggs are smaller about 2-3 eggs to equal a regular egg

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/2535874726.html


thats just a couple i found really quick searching farm and garden, i'm not sure if there is a better place but just keep watching if the above don't work and you will find good chickens and get started. the sooner the better i say with food prices where they are these days.

 

[454puttna]

get your coop in order first. buying older chickens usually means problems, but if you have to there is an auction/sell barn south of franklin. I buy mine online, they show up at the post office, at a day old you can hold a dozen in both hands. if there are children around when you pick them up it becomes a show.

 

[RichardR]

Also, I'm soliciting opinions on if I should try to pick some up now or wait until spring...

I'd suggest waiting until you have everything ready, you'll need a brooder for chicks &/or a coop for adult birds, feeder/waterer, a bag of feed, nesting boxes, heat-lamp, stuff like that.

It's not really all that difficult to get started, chickens are really easy to take care of & they don't require a whole lot of attention.