chickens for homesteading Archives

Although these livestock animals are among the easiest and most useful, these can be frustrating chickens too. Mine certainly are right now.

Why Chickens?

I like chickens. My parents raised chickens in our backyard. We had fresh eggs.

There were problems like the rooster that attacked my father one to many times. They escaped from their yard only to be herded back by our collie/German shepard dog shadow.

Now I have chickens because they provide eggs, meat and manure. The manure is difficult to use as it has so much nitrogen it burns most plants. Asparagus likes it.

Easter Egger chickens seem to live very long lives. Gray One is at least five. She occasionally lays a blue egg in spring. She is retired the rest of the year. I like these hens for the colored eggs. Good homesteading breeds I’ve worked with are Buff Orpingtons, Speckled Sussex, Barred Rocks, New Hampshires and standard Cochins.

Dangers

People aren’t the only ones who like eating chicken and eggs. Foxes, raccoons, opossums and hawks love chicken. Crows attack young ones. Black snakes love eggs.

Every morning and night I count my hens to be sure none are missing. I lock their door at night to keep out unwanted visitors. Black snakes, weasels and minks can get in, if they want to.

So far my chickens have not had many predator problems. Even the grey foxes sometimes living around the house have mostly left the chickens alone. Of course, I bribe the foxes.

My chicken Pippi is a cross of, I think, Easter Egger or Araucana and Columbian Wyandotte. The hen hatched only this chick and abandoned her. She was forced to survive on her own. the garden is so alluring and a major place she tries to get into.

Frustrating Chickens

After thirty years of use, the chicken yard was barren. During the summer it is really hot and has little shade. So I let the chickens out during the day.

The chickens love this. They chase down and devour anything that looks edible. I wish they didn’t like the little snakes and spiders.

Here and there the flock establishes dusting areas and dig holes. Lawn mowing gets very bumpy.

Any gate left open is an invitation for invasion. Gardens, especially with mulch, are favorite places to attack. Any tomato with color and within reach is fair game.

What really makes for frustrating chickens is trying to find hidden nests. It’s amazing how easy it is to look at one and not see it.

Will I give up raising chickens? No. I’m already trying to decide which chicks I want to order next spring.