5 Things I Learned AFTER Getting Chickens
My list of things I didn’t know until I got chickens.
Compost Material
They poop. A lot. Which really probably isn’t an issue, except in winter, when they do it at your front door.
Because we have a sidewalk to the garage that is where they like to hang out most of the winter. I suppose we could quit shoveling the snow, but then we’d have to deal with snow.
(This is where I was going to insert picture of the amount, but decided not to gross you out. You’re welcome.)
Roosters really are early risers
So early. Especially in the summer. I didn’t intend to get a rooster. We had more than one when somebody was so ‘nice’ to give us a bunch of chickens. Most of them disappeared. It was in our early days of owning chickens and we let the free range a little young. This Roo is super with the girls though. He is a protector. He knows his job.
Natural Bug Control
If you let your girls free range they help keeps bugs down.
Except for stink bugs. Sadly they don’t eat stink bugs.
Eggs
Homegrown eggs are out of this world good. Their yolks are so dark and full of yumminess.
I’m an egg snob now. I really can’t eat store bought eggs. I am so lucky we are still getting 2 eggs a day without a light.
Entertaining
I may or may not be guilty of sitting outside with my coffee just to watch the girls.
It’s even more fun when they are young. You won’t need your smart phone anymore. Well, unless you want to take pictures of them for Instagram.
Do you have chickens on your homestead or in your backyard?
I have linked up with the following blog hops:
The Chicken Chick Clever Chicks Blog Hop #69
New Life on a Homestead Barn Hop #142
From the Farm
Home Acre Hop
We had some in AZ and then had to get rid of them when we moved to NC. We got five right away when we moved to our house here. Then, someone gave us a rooster because they lived in town and couldn’t have him. Then, we got six guineas which are all sorts of different from chickens… Then we got six more. Then we thought how great it would be to incubate 36 eggs.. One of those guinea eggs ended up being a chicken. You can read about that here if you want to.. it’s kind of a funny story. http://myowngreengrass.com/2013/11/05/chicky-bird/ But anyway, since he was by himself we decided to get him some friends so we got three more. Nowww. we have two hens laying on a bunch of eggs. Five hatched just today, one didn’t make it. 🙁 So weird that they are laying on them in the winter though! Sorry I turned this into a novel, but I love our critters. 😀
How fun to incubate your own eggs! Thanks for the comment, great read 🙂 I will check out your blog as well.
Love this! I haven’t visited her for a while and wanted to see what’s been going on. How do you train a chicken to pour coffee. That’s too funny! It’s really a shame they don’t eat stinkbugs. They get in our house all the time. I have no idea how, but I don’t like it. Miss you! 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping by, Amy!! We are inundated every summer with those little buggers…I so wish the chicks liked them
I am still getting them and it’s January for crying out loud.
that is not ok lol
We have talked about getting a few chickens however, are hesitant to do so. Neither of us have ever had chickens before and are not sure what the cost/work time would be to have a few. Who knows…we shall see 😉
Super low maintenance once you get their home ready. They are so fun!
Less than a dog. My 14-year old raises ours and has been doing so since he was 11. It’s a great responsibility for a responsible kid.
They really are easy, fun and practical.
We don’t have stinkbugs in Connecticut, so I was unaware that chickens do not eat them. I suppose it makes perfect sense though! lol
Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop!
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com
Thank you for stopping by!