Anybody raise chickens in the backyard? - Page 2 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Nancy · 02-08-2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

I think the smell, noise, and general pain in the ass involved with caring for them would exceed the benefits.

I've lost track... are we talking about children or are we still talking about chickens?

AvsJerk · 02-08-2009, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nancy

I've lost track... are we talking about children or are we still talking about chickens?

Zing!

Stumptown · 02-08-2009, 08:57 PM

Backyard chickens are very popular here in Portland, there are 8 on my block alone, and I know several other people who have them in the city as well. My next-door neighbors free-range theirs in both our yards when the weather's nice and there's someone around to keep an eye on them. The poo is pretty easy to pick up, and makes a good fertilizer, so I just toss it in the flower beds. Not sure how it's working out economically for the neighbors, but their 4 hens (no roosters allowed in the city) lay more than a dozen eggs a week, so that's a pretty good return. They're pretty good at getting rid of a lot of garden pests, particularly slugs, but also will eat some plants (hostas and any kind of lettuce are definitely not safe), and we've had to put a barrier up around our vegetable garden - just as much for the cats as for the chickens. They don't make too much noise (except for the one that turned out to be a rooster, then shortly after turned out to be Thanksgiving dinner), just a bit of clucking - the "I just laid an egg!" sound.

I think they're great, and have enjoyed having them around the 'hood. But you should probably consult the neighbors first. Some folks are not as receptive to the idea. There are lots of coop designs online, urbanchickens.org has a lot of info.

If you decide to go for it - good luck!

AvsJerk · 02-08-2009, 09:09 PM

Thanks Stumptown! Great website. That's what I'm thinking, around 4 hens to start out. Free eggs to the neighbors probably grease any bad feelings. On a side note, I roasted a chicken in the oven for dinner tonight...right around $5 for a 5 pounder. The organic equivalent was $13! So between eggs and an occasional eater, it might be cost efficient.

GreenTeaFrapp · 02-08-2009, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AvsJerk

On a side note, I roasted a chicken in the oven for dinner tonight...right around $5 for a 5 pounder. The organic equivalent was $13! So between eggs and an occasional eater, it might be cost efficient.

How much do you think it costs to feed a chicken that becomes 5 pounds?

The Fonz · 02-08-2009, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

How much do you think it costs to feed a chicken that becomes 5 pounds?

Obviously more than $13, but I think he's planning on keeping it around long enough to get dozens of dozens of eggs from it. So maybe in the end it will end up being cost efficient? I don't know, it'd be cool though! I'm getting a chicken.

PYroMaNiaC · 02-08-2009, 09:28 PM

A bag of chicken feed is about $15. Should last four hens 8 weeks or so. I'm not exactly sure as we have exotic birds and lots of them and we go through a bag a week. However, butchering a chicken is not fun. If you don't do it right, your B-B-Q chicken will be tough and you'll be flossing pin feathers from your teeth. Egg layers don't generally make the best eating birds either.

And the other question I have...where are you going to get these birds from? Auction birds are not cheap, and ordering chicks will require a little better set-up than your back yard.

AvsJerk · 02-08-2009, 09:37 PM

^^^
I can get chicks at the local co-op. I am thinking butchering would be rare, as I am sure I would get attached to them. Shouldn't be any more difficult than a wild duck or goose though right?

AvsJerk · 02-08-2009, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

How much do you think it costs to feed a chicken that becomes 5 pounds?

I guess I was hoping that maybe I could supplant their diet of chicken feed with garden pests and kitchen scraps (vegis).

pria(kin)16 · 02-08-2009, 09:43 PM

My brother and his roomates at UVic all have chickens. They have a saying, before they eat their home grown eggs. "Feed the Ladies, take the babies"

PYroMaNiaC · 02-08-2009, 09:52 PM

Chicks will require a heat lamp until their heavy feathers come in. Not a biggie - I guess you could probably rig one up in an old dog house or something.

I find wild duck or goose greasy, so the skin comes off because I prefer it that way. If I need "skin", I tack bacon on. If you like skinless chicken, I suppose it could be that easy. But chicken wings without skin is just wrong.

redforever · 02-08-2009, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Obviously more than $13, but I think he's planning on keeping it around long enough to get dozens of dozens of eggs from it. So maybe in the end it will end up being cost efficient? I don't know, it'd be cool though! I'm getting a chicken.

Chickens do not lay eggs indefinitely, at least not on a regular basis. They lay eggs regularily for the first year, maybe year and a half of their life. After that point in time, egg laying becomes very sporatic and you will be faced with the decision of having a new pet or a roaster hen.

The Fonz · 02-08-2009, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redforever

Chickens do not lay eggs indefinitely, at least not on a regular basis. They lay eggs regularily for the first year, maybe year and a half of their life. After that point in time, egg laying becomes very sporatic and you will be faced with the decision of having a new pet or a roaster hen.

I didn't know the time period, I actually don't know anything about chickens.

Calgaryborn · 02-08-2009, 10:52 PM

I doubt it would be cost effective in Calgary. Chickens don't lay eggs in the cold so unless you heated their coop they wouldn't lay much in the winter. Also a good laying hen doesn't make a great meat bird. Great for chicken soup but, a little tough roasted. You will get an egg a day per chicken when they are producing at their peak.

Barnes · 02-08-2009, 11:00 PM

I am going to start a campaign to officially revoke the word egg and replace it with chicken period.

Hack&Lube · 02-09-2009, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AvsJerk

^^^
I can get chicks at the local co-op. I am thinking butchering would be rare, as I am sure I would get attached to them. Shouldn't be any more difficult than a wild duck or goose though right?

Yeah, the ones at co-op aren't very pretty though, and usually have attitude problems.

old-fart · 02-09-2009, 11:35 AM

I'm pretty sure that if you have chickens in the back yard, you also need a rusted car on blocks in the front yard, along with an old fridge sitting at an angle, with the door barely on the hinges just off to the side...

mykalberta · 02-09-2009, 11:44 AM

Buying chickens in US wouldnt be a problem. It would be in Alberta as the Chicken market is a quota system to drive the price up. You have to buy the quota in Alberta first, before the bird.

Sample00 · 02-09-2009, 01:07 PM

CHICKENMAN!!!!! He's everywhere, he's everywhere!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickenman_(radio_series)

Bobblehead · 02-09-2009, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Buying chickens in US wouldnt be a problem. It would be in Alberta as the Chicken market is a quota system to drive the price up. You have to buy the quota in Alberta first, before the bird.

Only if you want to sell them. If they are for personal use, you are fine.