Have been thinking about getting a few for our backyard which is in the middle of a subdivision in Katy. Not sure the rule, but think I am going the "better to ask forgiveness" route. No side or back neighbors, so I might be able to keep it secret for a while. Just want to teach the kids and maybe get some fresh eggs.

Any thoughts or tips for other urban chicken farmers? I have a cheap coup I made for the kids I am going to convert. Have a "roach farm" in the garage for the bearded dragon that was going use to supplement the chicken feed.

Should I buy adults, or get some chicks a tractor supply? Or try and hatch some fertilized eggs??

Also, what is the fewest number I should get?

3 or 4 is a good number. If you want it to be a learning experience for the kids and aren't worried about getting eggs, buying chicks is fine. But by the time they are old enough to lay, the days will be getting shorter so your egg production may not be great.

Since you are in a subdivision, the first thing you may want to do is find an exit strategy.



Find someone that can or will take the chickens if this doesn't work out or you have an unforeseen Karen in your hood.

Otherwise, enjoy it and fight like hell to keep them. It's a cool thing to do for the kids.

We ended up being a a few friends chicken rehoming destination but they got a lot of fun out of them.

BoerneGator said:

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Quote:

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When they get the urge to fly over your fence, and they will...

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Clip their wings....problem solved.

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You'd be surprised how high a clipped wing chicken can still fly for short distances. They are stubborn, stupid, smart, annoying, fun animals.

From our experience there are a few breeds that work well in backyards within neighborhoods that will keep quite.

Buff Orpingtons, salmon favorelles, and black australorps tend to stay on the ground and are all good layers that aren't too noisy. Generally speaking they are quiet but every once in a while you get the noisy hen.

We have had good success from TSC even with the changes in their brooder setup. The employees aren't happy with it either.

Start in a tub as mentioned above for about the first month of their life. If it's warm outside at that point you should be able to coop them. Just make sure the coop is buttoned up tight and plenty of roosting options.

Even if you leave on vacation, you can leave out food and water in the coop and they will most likely be okay.

Your best plan of action is to talk to the neighbor and see if they are okay with it and/or can be bribed with eggs.

We went from 5 chickens in our backyard in a neighborhood to acreage with over 50 layers currently, plans to be at 100 this year because we can sell the eggs.

Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT get a leghorn for a neighborhood backyard chicken. They get everywhere and you will be found out soon.

BurrOak said:

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Definitely will need a power washer if you plan to let them roam around. They will get on your porch and **** everywhere. I have 5 hens that I let free range. They have 15+ acres to roam around on, but their favorite place to hang out is on my damn back porch. I bought a Super Soaker that I blast them with whenever they get up on the porch.

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This. They will spend most of their time on the porch where they feel safe.

BoerneGator said:

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textar4404 said:

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BoerneGator said:

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Quote:

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When they get the urge to fly over your fence, and they will...

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Clip their wings....problem solved.

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You'd be surprised how high a clipped wing chicken can still fly for short distances. They are stubborn, stupid, smart, annoying, fun animals.

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Naw, not surprised. Keep clippin! This is a challenge scissors can/will win...

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this, if their clipped short enough, they typically won't fly over a 6' fence.

BurrOak said:

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Definitely will need a power washer if you plan to let them roam around. They will get on your porch and **** everywhere. I have 5 hens that I let free range. They have 15+ acres to roam around on, but their favorite place to hang out is on my damn back porch. I bought a Super Soaker that I blast them with whenever they get up on the porch.

And those 5 hens produce enough eggs for us as well as 2 neighbors. I have Rhode Island Reds and Cinnamon Queens.

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try building a roost that they can use, not on the porch.

AgCWby90CS said:

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BurrOak said:

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Definitely will need a power washer if you plan to let them roam around. They will get on your porch and **** everywhere. I have 5 hens that I let free range. They have 15+ acres to roam around on, but their favorite place to hang out is on my damn back porch. I bought a Super Soaker that I blast them with whenever they get up on the porch.

And those 5 hens produce enough eggs for us as well as 2 neighbors. I have Rhode Island Reds and Cinnamon Queens.

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try building a roost that they can use, not on the porch.

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They have a nice coop and a pretty good sized enclosed run with multiple nice roosting spots throughout both that I built. I let them out during the day to free range.

I think it's just the nice cool shaded concrete on their feet that they like. And probably the safety factor as well that was mentioned above.

Cadillac backyard hoop coop. You'll never lose a bird to predators. We bought one for our school. Can go on vacation no problem.

http://microfamilyfarms.com/Hoop-Coop/hoop-coop.html

How do they keep the predators from digging under the fence?

jakeaggie84 said:

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PunchyFarmer said:

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Cadillac backyard hoop coop. You'll never lose a bird to predators. We bought one for our school. Can go on vacation no problem.

http://microfamilyfarms.com/Hoop-Coop/hoop-coop.html

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Looks cool, but $2500! Think I will try building something for a bit cheaper.

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Yeah, aint nobody buying that to have chickens in their backyard.. unless they have alot of money to burn.

I had 4 hens in my backyard subdivision, lost 1 to a hawk and 4 months later I lost all 3 in 1 night, neighbor s camera caught a red fox at their front porch. I also lost 11 quail , but due to my ignorance I thought the quail were canabilzing themselves till the last 3 were killed. also during the cold spells and snow my production of eggs never fell off I had to get eggs every day so they didn't freeze and ruin , 22% mini laying pellets .My hens didn't have a enclosure other than a privacy fence which I thought was good enough, I was wrong, had them2 yrs.

Reminds me of a few weeks ago when I went to lunch with the music assistant at my church. Coming back we were discussing the worst job we'd ever had. He had worked in a chicken plant in late HS (I think) and hated it. I told him two things: first, anything that mixes the words, work and chickens, CAN'T be good; and second, as bad as it was for him, it was MUCH worse for the chickens!

I would do quail over chickens


That's what I did

Only clip one wing. Can't fly if they are unbalanced.

Clipping both wings just means they have to try harder to fly.

This thread makes me smile.