Well, after spending a week at my cousins farm in Virginia, a beautiful 80 acres of land in the mountains, I have started doin a little my self. I have a 10x10' field split corn and oats. I forgot bout the tiller in the shed, so i spent half the day ripping up the muck soil in the woods . Just planted the oats and waitin for the corn to sprout in the water so I can plant them. I am planning to make at least 1 more "field". Plan on using the oats for straw for and corn for game food. I am wondering about chickens next. Anyone have chickens fo their own? I just want them for eggs, but not alot, cause they wont sell too well I think. What do ya think would be a good kind? Always wanted to do this stuff, always liked it. Anyone else like it?

 

doing it for money or just to have fresh stuff? I've heard chickens stink.

 

It sounds like a fun hobby. Go for it. How much land do you have? Also, are you zoned for farm animals? That will be pretty cool having a small chicken farm. Maybe you could sell eggs to your neighbors.

 

Thats not small time farming. I think I officially apply for the small time farmer of all time. I was eating popcorn and I was bored so I went outside. Well I got down to the seeds in the bag and I was sitting next to a flower pot with dirt and no flowers, so I put a kernel (sp?) in there, and sure enough, a week later I had a corn stalk sprouting from the pot. I was pretty proud of myself when I got 3 ears growing on it within 2 weeks. But 5 weeks later and about 3 feet tall the bugs got to it. I have to say it was fun while it lasted.

Drew

Oh yeah, when I was 7 I managed to raise a chicken for about 5 months till my dog ate it. Its name was "Freddy Pooper" (I was 7, okay?), and hes buried on the side of the old house.

 

Im just growing this for fun right now. Ill till some of the oats into the soil to make it more nutrient, but I might consider growing sweet corn to eat. Im in the country, and Im tilling the fields in the less densely treed area of our property. Not alot, 7 acres, but most of it is woods. Id like to have fresh eggs to eat, and just to have chickens runnin round. They seem easy to tae care of. My neighbors are pretty nice, maybe I could sell them some eggs. I dont want alot, maybe 4-5 or so, just to have. I could sell the chickens too if I "accumulate" enough.

 

A couple of freinds of mine have about a dozen chickens,and from what they tell me,chickens are easy to maintain but you want to make sure they have their own coup.And as far as sweet corn goes,good luck! I have tried every year for the last three,and lets just say from now on I will buy it,It is a pain,alot harder than field corn,more sensitive to the soil,less temp tolerant.This year the deer get pumpkins!

 

Chickens are not very clean animals to have. They crap all over the place and the odor is very strong and obnoxious, and therefore, if you plan on having women folks over at your place, I'd have to advise against chickens.

 

Chickens aren't that bad. A couple of them won't make a mess. The smell isn't bad either. Build a pen and a coop for them and you will hardly notice them. Now a chicken farm on the other hand. Ever been downwind from one of those? Yuck, that stench would make you gag.

 

The coop stuff does work, but most people who have them around here, let them roam all over the place, and that is what I was talking about.

 

I has gonna let 'em run round the yard. We got enough room and I tink they could find food by themselves in the yard without me having to feed them alot. I guess they like seeds, bugs and the like. First and formost, I need to find some scrap wood to build a small coop and pen before I can get any.

 

They will find PLENTY to eat by themselves if they can get to your freshly planted corn, oats, etc!
They are nice to "have around". They will find their way into your crops, though if you don't fence them out. They will eat bugs, weed seeds, etc, all day long. Keep fresh water available, and have some sort of coop for them to roost/sleep/lay eggs in. It would be nice if you can 'lock' it at night to keep predators out.
You won't have a lot of eggs from 4-5 chickens, I would just give the few extra to a neighbor. Rhode Island Reds are good.
When they get old, they lay fewer eggs, and are not so good for meat. With so few, I would just let them grow old, and get a couple more if you want more eggs. Actually, 4-5 old R.I. Reds would probably lay plenty of eggs for one person. They won't cost much to keep around, if they are 'free ranging'.
They are fun to have around, and are CHEAP to keep. You don't have much to lose by trying some (except your crop if you let them in your field). I would encourage you to give some a try.

edit:
BTW, I kept around 6 of them in a residential area. Lots were 75' x 100', I think, and never had a problem with odors. Neighbors never complained about any odor, either. I'm not saying there was no odor at all, just that it was not offensive. Dogs can be worse, depending on what you feed them, I guess.

 

Well, sounds like I'll do it. I know where there are some chickens for sale so Ill take a look. We got alotta scrap wood for a coup. Crops are a little ways into the woods, but they shold stay in our yard.

 

Got to stress the predator issue,chickens dont know when to shut up,and if you dont protect them,they will get eaten.It is ok to let them out during the day when you can keep an eye on the farm,but you want to make sure they are in a good secure coup at night,remember the term 'Fox in the hen house'.They are not kidding,make sure it is real secure.

 

In some states, if part of your land is used for farming, then all of your property qualifies as farm use and you get lower property taxes. But I think that is only for-profit farming.

 

I've got about 20 chickens they are not that hard to raise. They have their own coop but I like to let them free range its only 5.5 acres but that is plenty. Usally get 10 to 18 eggs a day. All of the neighbors come around to buy the eggs. The biggest concern around here in the city is dogs. Last summer I had a sharpei he took out about 15 chickens and a prize rooster in about 5 minutes and got away before I could get a shot. I was able to take him out the next morning. A couple of weeks ago I had to take out 2 pitbulls that were attacking the 3 goats I have keeping the weeds down. I wish people would be more responsible as pet owners.