Urban Chickens

[annecros]

Breakfast!

The white one in the middle is a store bought Grade A Large for comparison. Not bad for pullet eggs!

Hubby found them in the nest box this morning! We've only been checking it once or twice a week - but now it will be every day! This explains the witchy attitude that has been on display. I just pulled that loaf of Italian Bread out of the oven about 30 minutes ago. Yum!

Free range organic fresh eggs. Now we only need about 583 more of them to break even.

[sparrowgrass]

Whoo-hoo!! Aren't you just as proud as if you had laid them yourself?

Sadly, I think my girls may be finding a new home soon. I have a bad knee, and wrangling those fifty pound bags of feed is getting to be too much for me. I haven't scheduled surgery yet, but when it happens, I will be laid up for a month or more, and I don't think I have anybody who would take over for me.

[annecros]

I don't think I could have been prouder if I had laid them myself! Hubby made omelets accompanied by his best Julia Child voice.

Maybe you can keep a few favorites while you are laid up? I would hate to part with mine - but it is like keeping any pet. I couldn't imagine the three being split up either. They really all have their roles to play, and depend upon one another.

Judging by the egg coloration, I think I have at least two of the three laying. I was pleased that the shells were very thick as in my mind that can only be an indication of good health. And of course, they tasted great. It has been quite a long time since I've eaten one out of the nest box.

I think I will be feeding them the store bought eggs in trade for their wonderful gifts.

The coon quit showing up. Figures. I know he'll be back when I least expect it, though.

[chezcherie]

annecroc--CONGRATULATIONS on your first eggs. it's so ridiculously exciting (considering you did NOT, in fact, lay them yourself!). i've had chickens for about 10 yrs, and i still find it so cool to pull a warm egg out of the box.

i would caution you against feeding the storebought eggs to your girls. sometimes they'll develop a taste (and habit) of eating eggs, and then you're sunk!

[Special K]

Don't know if you've seen this new urban chicken book: City Chicks: Keeping Micro-Flocks of Laying Hens as Garden Helpers, Compost Makers, Bio-Recyclers and Local Food Suppliers (Good Earth Publications, $22.50), by Patricia Foreman. Little article about it in yesterday's "Currents," NYT.

[ScoopKW]

Is anyone out there doing this? How's it working for you? What sort of structure are you using? What about feed?

I must admit - I'm really excited and surprised. It has been a long time since I was around chickens though, and my memories are foggy. In fact, I have probably forgotten more than I would care to admit.

I have the best possible situation. My mother-in-law has six laying hens that I don't have to take care of. I built a 4'x4'x8' cage for them, but they lay (and mostly live) under a fig tree.

We keep their wings clipped, because chickens can "powered-jump" over the fence. On an average day, we get three to six eggs. They're fairly small eggs, but they are grade AAAAA. I've never had the pleasure of cooking eggs as fresh as these -- the whites barely spread out. The whites and yoke are so high -- it's truly one of life's pleasures to fry them.

On the "con" side, her back yard smells like a chicken coop. I'm sure it's good for her orchard, but I want no part of this operation, other than accepting a dozen eggs every couple days.

Eventually, I'll be called upon to make a coq au vin, I'm sure. Bonus, if you ask me.

[annecros]

I was concerned about the odor as well, but really haven't had a problem - and it has been a very wet summer. It may be because we only have three, and they range over the whole back yard most of the day. I do litter the run with fresh hay about once or twice a week, and that seems to sweeten things up a bit. That run, by the way, is going to be a vegetable plot this winter. Between the chicken poop and hay, they have created some beautiful soil - we are going to move them this month then turn the soil over and plant tomatoes in that spot.

Mine are laying in the coop in their nest box (we had a bit of drama with them laying under nest box the first week they were laying, but we closed that off) and we get 2 to 3 eggs a day. Very reliably now that they have settled in to laying. They line up at the coop at around noon every day and take turns! They do prefer to hang out alternatively under the gardenia tree or a hedge at the far end of the lot during the day. They are coming in at 2 ounces each now, so they are Large - and definitely Grade A! I wish I had gone with 4 hens originally now. I was basing our egg consumption estimates upon what we were eating when we used store bought. We are eating eggs way more often now! The difference in quality is vast - even the 4.99 "organic/free range" are lousy impersonations of eggs to me now.

I have no slugs or snails, and very few palmetto bugs in the back yard now. I've seen them eat baby lizards, and even a small garden snake that they tortured for half an hour or so a couple of weeks ago.

The neighbor's are wonderful about it! The family next door greets them when they are out back, and treats them every once in a while. I need to make hubby take a couple of pics now that they are fully grown. It's a good thing they love eggs over there as well, because there is a bit more noise back there since they have matured. They certainly enjoy bragging on their mad egg making skilz! There is another flock somewhere in the vicinity that is answering them. I find the noise that they do make rather pleasant personally. Not nearly as irritating as a barking dog, and there is a mocking bird in the front yard that drives me nuts he is so obnoxious.

I may ask for another couple of pullets for Christmas, or if one of mine goes broody I might order some day olds. I still want some Easter Eggers back there to add some color to my egg basket. My husband has fallen in love with pictures of the Columbian Wyandottes he's seen on the internet. He says they resemble the chickens he was familiar with in Europe as a child. Lovely black and white plumage. I doubt they are the same breed, but they make him smile, so there.

I think one of the kids is making book on whether or not we will have the heart to stew them when the time comes. They really are pets and all have names - we shall see.

[sparrowgrass]

Most of my girls have made the move to Indiana. I couldn't quite fit all of them into the dog crates I used to move them, so there are still 8 hens and a rooster here. We will see if I can deal with them or not--if not, I have several people who would like to have them.

Once the knee is repaired, I will get more chicks--my garden needs them.

[Nyleve Baar]

Just some advice regarding predators. I've been keeping a flock of chickens for almost 30 years now and we've had our share of massacres. In almost every case, the fatalities have been OUR fault. When we've forgotten to secure the coop at night; when we've failed to notice the beginnings of a tunnel; when the wire mesh around the windows weren't tightly stapled to the frames. Our worst predators are raccoons and they ONLY hunt at night. Foxes will hunt during the day but they're not nearly as adept at opening doors or pulling away screening as a raccoon is. And hawks are, well, hawks. Can't do much about attacks from the air. Also there are weasels and skunks and both will do plenty of damage if they get a chance. But like raccoons, they're nocturnal, so if you keep your chickens in a closed coop at night they should be safe.

Make sure your coop is very secure. The chicken door should have one of those catchy latches that can't easily be opened without a degree in Mechanical Science. If your coop has a dirt floor, embed wire mesh down to a depth of maybe a foot - and then angle it INWARD. Bury deeply and tromp the dirt firmly. Better yet, pour a concrete floor. If you have a fence around your run, consider putting wire on top also. We let our chickens run loose all over the yard, so when a fox is hunting they are toast. But this year we've been lucky - so far no major losses. And my dog is very protective of "his" chickens and goes racing down to the coop if he hears a commotion.

Not sure if I've posted this before, but it's worth repeating. When we first got chickens, I was a recovering urbanite and very upset when we had our first death. My neighbour - a lifelong farmer - came over, leaned against the fence and drawled, "You got livestock. You got deadstock." Words to remember.

[annecros]

sparrowgrass, I must confess I was pleased to hear that you couldn't get rid of all of them. I hope the ones you have left are doable for you. You will need the quality protein to heal properly. Do they seem to miss the rest of the flock? Mine demonstrate real emotion when confronted with a flock mate in distress. Of course, mine are the biggest spoiled biddies I have ever seen! They call me out when it is treat time! I sometimes wonder who is keeping whom.

Our predator brush was entirely our fault. She's really come a long way though - and is keeping up with her sisters just fine, thank you very much! She and I bonded over her "hospital stay" on my kitchen table. I carry her around all the time.

[annecros]

Quick update on the ladies. Maybelline is laying a large to extra large egg every day. Mona lays a large egg every day or two. Lucille, our special needs chicken, lays a large egg every day or two, sometimes a medium.

They free range all day, the odor is no problem because of the space I think, low maintenance/high protein. Everyone should do this.

The noise is the only thing I can complain about - but it isn't that bad. The neighbors get eggs, so they don't mind a bit.

Haven't found a downside, but our schedule works with theirs. Other people may not like letting them out in the early AM.

Also, they are wonderful pets and so much fun! I talk to them, they talk to me, it's all good.

[sparrowgrass]

No chickens here on Sparrowgrass Hill, and I am very glad. I had my knee surgery Dec. 15, and haven't been out of the house since I returned from the hospital. With no family nearby, I am depending on the kindness of friends and wouldn't want to ask anyone to do daily chicken chores.

I miss them, and hope that I will be recovered enough to order some new chicks in the spring. My chicken house and chicken yard need some major rehab work, so that will be the hold up.

[sparrowgrass]

Still hobbling around after knee surgery in December, but I have gone to the Murray McMurray hatchery site to browse for my spring order. I have ordered from them 3 times, and all three times I bought 25 mixed brown layers. I love having all the different colored babies, and different colored eggs when the girls mature. If I was a more practical person, I would settle on one breed--a heavy bird that wouldn't fly over the yard fence, and preferably one that didn't get broody. Broody hens quit laying, and they peck your hands when you try to steal their "babies".

This time, I am thinkig about adding 25 "frying pan" chicks--all cockerels, all destined for the freezer. If I get them in April, the cockerels will be ready to process midsummer. Anybody want to come help? Sweet corn will be ready to pick--fresh fried chicken and corn-on-the-cob, anybody?

I eat a lot of chicken, and really would prefer to grow my own--they taste better, and I know they wouldn't be full of antibiotics. Am I crazy?

[sparrowgrass]

I did end up ordering the cockerels for the freezer, and that is where they are!! I finished off the last five this morning. Not too bad of a job--takes me about 2 hours to do 5 by myself.

If I do it again, I will order the chicks in August--it is too blessed hot to sit on the back porch plucking feathers this time of year.

I have eaten a couple--they are a totally different animal from storebought chicken--more like a grouse or pheasant. Legs are tough, breasts and thighs are nice, and the soup is terrific. I even saved the feet!

The pullets are thanking me--there was way too much rough sex going on, and they are too little to have to put up with that. I didn't save a rooster, so GRLZ RULE!

[nakji]

I have eaten a couple--they are a totally different animal from storebought chicken--more like a grouse or pheasant. Legs are tough, breasts and thighs are nice, and the soup is terrific. I even saved the feet!

How have you cooked them so far? Fried or in stews, or roast?

[sparrowgrass]

I ate my second one this evening. The first one really didn't count--my propane tank for the kitchen stove was empty, so I started to grill it, only to run out of gas for the grill about 2/3 of the way thru the process. I nibbled some of the done bits, and threw the rest into the stock pot.

The second one does count--I breaded and fried the legs, wings and back. I ate it with some cucumber from the garden, but it really called out for mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans with ham, and maybe lemon pie for dessert.

Delicious flavor, and a whole different texture from storebought bird. The legs were not tough, but they did have some "chew" to them.

(It is very, very quite outside, after a month of little roosters practicing their crowing. They were getting pretty damned good at it towards the end--what a cacaphony.)