I had a reader send me an email last weekend asking if we kept chickens here on the Small-Hold. I told him no with a brief explanation but kinda thought a follow up post on the subject was warranted.
Believe me I have wrestled with the whole chicken question over and over for years now. Eventually I will more than likely add some into the mix. As a matter of fact about three or four years ago we actually had a chicken running around here although I have no idea where she came from. We also had a hen Pheasant that acted like a chicken for a while too.
When I was a kid and into my teen years we always had chickens. It isn't that I have anything against keeping them, to the contrary I think everyone should keep some chickens but for the time being I have a few reasons I don't which of course I am all too happy to list off here.
1. The predators around here are seriously bad. Eagles, Red tailed hawks, fox, coyotes, coons and the worst of all the neighbor's dogs. I am just not sure I am ready to start the feud up that I know will happen when/if we start keeping chickens. My neighbor is about a mile off but he leaves often and let's his dogs run. They show up here about a day or two after he leaves and stay here until he gets back. The big old one isn't much of a problem anymore but he has a smaller mutt that would kill a chicken fast if it sees one. Once I make the decision to keep chickens I know I have made the decision to do something about the visiting dogs and I am just not sure it is worth it right now.
2. Chickens are everywhere around me however. The Small-Hold is in a pretty exposed location but down in the trees just about every little house around here has some chickens. Almost all of my honey customers have chickens and trading honey for chickens is pretty easy for me. In fact right now I consider it the best option since bees are much easier to keep than chickens under my current circumstances.
3. If I want to start even after a collapse it wouldn't be very hard. As I said they are everywhere around here and bartering for a couple hens and rooster would never be that hard . As a matter of fact I turn down offers of free chickens each year right now. Someone is always moving and offering me their chickens. Offering me dogs too but I turn them down as well.
4. To many other priorities before a new animal type is brought in. Right now I am more focused on getting the sheep operation set with rotating graze areas and the like. Most all of my liquid resources are currently going to those projects. I am however nearing the end of the major expenditures and when that happens it will be time to address the chicken situation as well as a couple of feeder hogs. Just a matter of figuring out how and where they will fit in and I am not quite ready to make those calculations yet until I see some more numbers in other areas.
That's really about it. I plan on adding them in but I am just not to that point yet. Being able to let them free range is almost completely out of the question right now or I more than likely would have already taken a few and tossed em in the barn just to see what happens. I don't think the cats would bother them any as I have seen chickens deal with cats when I was younger but I am sure the chicks would be in danger.
Bottom line I think adding chickens to my operation is going to require a bit more expense than typical, planning and some extra pen and equipment building like a moveable chicken tractor type thing and I just haven't had the time or resources to devote to it yet.
Yet being the operative word there. If anyone has some ideas though I am all ears :)
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!
A friend of my husband's GAVE me some ten-feet-tall chain link fencing that I used for my chicken yard. And I put that chicken yard smack dab in the middle of my goat pasture that is patrolled by my Great Pyrenees and Catahoula Cur dogs. They scare off any flying predators and kill any four-legged predators. Problem solved. That being said, I'd say you've got a pretty "sweet" deal just trading honey for eggs!
ReplyDeleteAnon - Getting free fence is a huge bonus!!! Something like that would be enough to maybe spur on my chicken digs. Our dog will guard the place quite well from predators as long as the wife isn't trying to make him into a couch dog but he views the neighbors dogs as kinda an extended pack and often times when they come and visit they end up getting him into trouble like chasing cats and the like.
DeleteBut ya so far trading honey for eggs and even some already butchered chickens has worked out pretty well for me.
I have had chickens for probably 7 years or so and used to have lots of problems with predators like you described until I fenced in the birds with nylon netting, built a predator proof coop and all of it under a spreading tree to give shade and cover from diving hawks. So far they just die of old age. I have a separate area for raising young chicks which is equally secure.
ReplyDeleteSf - Your set up is how I want to do the whole chicken experience although I would want to let them out into my garden a bit at times too. That has also been the problem. I just haven't had the free resources to build that much of a project yet. I need to get the sheep thing figured out first.
DeleteNow had I not already had the sheep to draw on I think I would have went chickens then sheep in order of importance because let's face it overall the sheep project is going to run infinitely more expensive than chickens.
I forgot to mention that the chicken enclosure borders the garden which is also protected by the palletsade so I can let the chickens into the garden if I want and the palletsade is the first line of defense which keeps things like coyotes and dogs out. The house is up the hill so I have a good field of fire.
DeleteTwo things I wouldn't have. No field of fire from the house although I would have open space from the pallatsade almost a quarter mile but the house is about level with the garden area. No over head cover at all. The only largish trees we have are in the front. It's an open plain behind the house for that same quarter mile field of fire. Perfect raptor terrain.
DeleteRemember its Ok to choke the chicken, but never spank the monkey.
ReplyDeleteRob - I guess we all have to have standards. Just remember don't use a feather or it's illegal in some states :)
DeletePP - i can totally understand why it just isn't feasible for you to try and get set-up for chickens when you are still working on the sheep situation. we are kind of in the same boat - we have no infrastructure in place for chickens (or any other animals) just yet and probably not for a long time. we are lucky in that all of our eggs from the grocery store come from farms in the area. we also have neighbours dogs visiting quite regularly - i'm talking 5 freakin dogs!!!! neither of our neighbours on both sides and across the street have any type of fencing and neither do we. we also have large ravens, crows as big as ravens, ospreys living all along the river's edge and bald eagles. so we would definitely need an enclosed house and run if we had chickens. that, and the fact that our land is wild and the only cleared area is around the house and garden. and there is still so much work that we need to do that costs moola before we can consider adding anything else. we still need to build a proper shed, a proper outdoor kitchen building and an addition to the kitchen so that i can have a normal-sized fridge and stove. so that is why we don't have any plans for any animals for at least a couple of years. if SHTF before then - then i guess we do without until we can trade/barter with some of the farmers around here.
ReplyDeleteanother good post! much love buddy! your friend,
kymber
Preppy, I don't know if you have ever considered quail. We got some - well, really my youngest got some because she wanted some for her birthday. They are actually pretty easy to handle and house - right now for winter, I have them in a 50 gallon tub in the garage. No eggs - I honestly think we got 6 males - but if you are looking for something that make not require as much infrastructure and could be done in a smaller space it might be something to consider.
ReplyDelete