We are making plans to get some backyard laying hens.. any help and info is welcome... Thanks Bean <><

Go to the Mother Earth News website and do a search for the topic.  Tons of great information available there.  My one suggestion is to have a pen to keep them corraled or you will have chicken oops!  all over the yard-->on your shoes/sandals.  

thanks! Bean

 

Backwoods Home magazine has a lot of articles on backyard chickens, as does a magazine published by the owners of Mother Earth News, it is called Grit.  There are a couple of farming/homesteading forums that have a lot of information.  One is www.homesteadingtoday.com.  they have a big section on poultry with really friendly people that are more than willing to answer questions to newcomers.

Might check the Hobby Farm magazines or its website.   The Urban Farm site also has a few things...

 Pick a spot for them set up a fence and make sure when it is built up that they have enough room to roam abit chickens like that and put a topper on the top fence area why keep the hawks out and fox;s and the coyotes and cats nothing like a dead chicken in the morinng to look at its gross believe me..

Now pick a good breed you studied on and make sure you have a hen house set up for them and follow the directions on feeders and clean water for them everyday go to the feed store they give more of a low down on more and its great going there to listen to the farmers talk about this stuff..

Try not get to attached to them they each have a killer personality and they are great to have think you don't get attached wanna bet there is always one that makes it a pleasure to come out and jjust watch them beats tv at times Im more of a cow person but chickens I do know how to do too but it great don't get scared raising them they are fun.

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BEAN:

We are making plans to get some backyard laying hens.. any help and info is welcome... Thanks Bean <><

 

Sherri at themobilehomewoman.com shares lots of her personal experience with chickens. Maybe you might enjoy reading what she has to share.

 Hope you have lots of success with your chickens!

 

BEAN:

thanks! Bean

 

Did you find my response under my other thread where you asked the same question?

If you want to make keeping chickens for eggs or meat somewhat economically profitable, you had better try to keep down the initial costs.  Also try to feed them free or nearly free food. If you have a yard, they can eat grass and insects. If you have food scraps, you can give them that. If you can get scraps from restaurants or other places, they should be cooked before you feed it to them. You will have to complement this with vegetable proteins and some grains.

If you are not  mainly concerned with costs, at least the quality and taste of the eggs will make up for the costs of keeping them. If cost is an issue, the price for home laid eggs and store bought eggs turns our almost the same.

Due to health problems, I had to stop having chickens and pigeons. I found that the price was the same, and all the food scraps that I fed the chicks could have been used in soups or stews for my family...  

 When you figure out how to keep in the backyard, let me know.  Ours like to be waiting on the front porch in the morning waiting for use to come out.