Chickens, how many have them?

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Got a few, but they are barely laying.

[tinsnips]

You know why the eggs are so expensive an hard to find . Because all the hens are now identifying as rosters.

[MrWolf]

I do not own sufficient land to grow anything for chickens to eat, and because of coyotes, neighbors dogs, chicken hawks, etc., letting the chickens run free range is totally out of the question.

Look up a chicken tunnel run. I used chicken wire for the sides with an extra portion forming an "L" at the base so about two feet go beyond the fence to discourage predators digging. The 2" netting on top makes a huge difference. I do need to reconfigure my setup as that severe ice storm we had bent all my support poles in half - 1 3/8" fence top rails like they were nothing.
My eight girls gave us four eggs yesterday, seven the day before, and two days of five each day. Guess they don't realize it's winter and we don't use lighting in the coop other than to let them know when to go in to sleep.

[Wal']

You know why the eggs are so expensive an hard to find . Because all the hens are now identifying as rosters.

I needed that little bit of humour this morning with all the **** going on in the world today......thankyou......

[justindad]

My wife had about 10 as pets until she gave 9 of them away. The eggs would rot before anybody ate them, except we’d cook a few dozen at a time for the dogs.
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Chickens like to kill anything weaker than themselves. If one chicken got sick, they would gang up and kill it. If I was working in the yard and got hit in the head, I’m sure they would encircle me and peck my eyes out. They must have one thought for everything they look at: “Can I kill it?”

[GregLaROCHE]

We have around a dozen and they lay eggs all year round. Half as much in winter, but we still have all we need. In the summer we have to give some away. We supplement their diet with lots of kitchen scraps and meat and fat scraps from our butcher. They are happy girls.

[Thundarstick]

My wife had about 10 as pets until she gave 9 of them away. The eggs would rot before anybody ate them, except we’d cook a few dozen at a time for the dogs.
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Chickens like to kill anything weaker than themselves. If one chicken got sick, they would gang up and kill it. If I was working in the yard and got hit in the head, I’m sure they would encircle me and peck my eyes out. They must have one thought for everything they look at: “Can I kill it?”

I was telling my wife (the city girl) that we called them "barn yard buzzards" growing up for a reason!

[SSGOldfart]

we run a chicken retirement home, I think we are down to 5 hens at this point. we have one hen we call Grandma that is 15 years old now ?????????? Don't get many eggs now but the girls are just pets.

[Hodagtrapper]

Currently have 19 hens. Have a light on a timer that comes on each morning at 4. Waterer that is also plugged in to keep from freezing. Average 14 eggs a day. Only lost two in the 7 years we have kept chickens as a mountain lion scaled our fence and dined on a chicken and startled a second chicken nearby that broke her leg. Thankfully the lion was just passing through and never returned.

Chris

[Outer Rondacker]

As of last night we are one duck less. Set a trap and looked out the window with the hi powered flashlight to see eyes. Then he bounced off with the bate. Dang trap froze. I hate weasels. Going to rebate and set the trap again this time putting a large box over it so the freezing rain slash snow does not freeze it up. Its always fun getting the critters that get my food supply.

[Milky Duck]

we have 5 in our backyard coup..... 4-5 eggs most days,3 on a bad day..the ycost us $3 each from commercial farm..they have done a full season so get onsold to allow new fresh chooks on farm.... hi lines great chooks and at the price,when they stop laying,they get wee holiday then as the old Queen used to say "off with their heads" and into compost bin .