Chicks in the hood?

lishie · August 2013

Does anyone else have neighbors raising chickens? We have someone about a street away with chickens in the backyard--last week one of them got out, and our neighborhood listserv put out an apb for the missing chicken.

I saw this article in the PG and laughed. I think the idea of raising them is fun, but definitely not for me. And I'm LMFAO at the idea of $1,500 chicken coops selling out, though I'd like to see a picture of the $100,000 coop.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/lifestyle/all-cooped-up-chickens-are-now-chic-700874/

lishie · August 2013

Also, in case anyone was wondering, Chicks in the Hood is a pittsburgh group committed to raising chickens in the city.

They do neighborhood coop tours as fundraisers a few times a year.

northhillsbride · August 2013

I think it would be fun, economical (in the long run) and a healthier way of eating.

However, I'm also the person who did an article on backyard beehives and tried to convince DH that it would be a good hobby for him to start.

PS: An APB on a rogue chicken gave me a good laugh - thanks!

justme04 · August 2013

That's amazing an apb for a chicken. I wanted to have a chicken coop but I looked up the ordinances and having chickens in our area isn't allowed.

AmandaJLewis · August 2013

So my boss is good friends with one of those Chicks in the Hood. She arranged we have lunch one day and I got to pick her brain over all things related to having a back yard coop. I was quite smitten with the idea actually, ever since Martha Stewart planted the seed before I even had a yard to keep chickens in. However it is not allowed in my municipality, and my very patient and tolerant husband was not down with the idea. So while I would love a coop, with a run, and 2-3 hens. I just can't fight that battle now. Though I did want to go on the city coop tour in the spring and forgot!

lishie · August 2013

I'd never be up for killing my own chicken for meat, but I love the fresh eggs. One of the nurses at my doctors office has 6 chickens, and occasionally will give me her eggs. The difference in quality is amazing!

kris356 · August 2013

I am going to say we can have chickens in our municipality since there are cows five houses down and horses a bit further. We have 6.5 acres and no close neighbors so I think we would be okay other than the coyotes.

One of the blogs I read, DIY Diva built a chicken coop this year. It is awesome. She based it off some fancy smancy one from William Sonoma

lishie · August 2013

Kris, that coop is awesome, and I bet it was a far cry from $1,500

I think you need to be our resident chicken farmer, now that you have all that land.

lishie · August 2013

Oh, my neighbors found the APB chicken after he was on the lam for two days.

AmandaJLewis · August 2013

Yea, you would also have to worry about hawks and racoons too Kris. but I would have raised them for their eggs and kept them as pets once they stopped producing rather than eating them (just an FYI chickens only lay eggs for a few years but can live to be 10ish.)
That is a cute coop! I was looking for one similar but with an attached run.

Meghan&Rich · August 2013

Sweet baby Jesus, I am having anxiety just thinking about this. Bird phobia aside, I definitely see the benefit in raising chickens, but it could never be for me!

kris356 · August 2013

AmandaJLewis said:

Yea, you would also have to worry about hawks and racoons too Kris. but I would have raised them for their eggs and kept them as pets once they stopped producing rather than eating them (just an FYI chickens only lay eggs for a few years but can live to be 10ish.)
That is a cute coop! I was looking for one similar but with an attached run.

The attached run is coming. She had them living in her spare bedroom and had to get them out of the house, so the run was put off to a later date. She had to build some barn doors first so the mini-donkeys didn't run away.

waltsgirl102503 · August 2013

Meghan&Rich said:

Sweet baby Jesus, I am having anxiety just thinking about this. Bird phobia aside, I definitely see the benefit in raising chickens, but it could never be for me!

I'm going to ditto this times one million! I don't like birds. I couldn't clean up after them. I couldn't go in and take the eggs because I'm afraid I'd get pecked. I couldn't stand the constant clucking.
I like my meat full of antibiotics and toxins and in a nice plastic package.

amyjoy18 · August 2013

My mom raises chickens--but they live out in the boonies--so I don't think it's quite the same. She gets a lot of eggs and they definitely taste better than eggs from the store. The yolks seem so much richer.

DomerJenC · August 2013

one of my friends just got her peeps today.

i'm definitely interested, but i'm waiting to see how it goes for her, and for my kids to get bigger. i'm not ready to commit to such a challenge quite yet.

egpitt22 · August 2013

Meghan&Rich said:

Sweet baby Jesus, I am having anxiety just thinking about this. Bird phobia aside, I definitely see the benefit in raising chickens, but it could never be for me!

we think a lot alike. The idea of this terrifies me, and not necessarily due to a bird phobia...but more due to the fact that I can barely keep plants alive all summer, let alone an actual living creature.

egpitt22 · August 2013

Meghan&Rich said:

Sweet baby Jesus, I am having anxiety just thinking about this. Bird phobia aside, I definitely see the benefit in raising chickens, but it could never be for me!

we think a lot alike. The idea of this terrifies me, and not necessarily due to a bird phobia...but more due to the fact that I can barely keep plants alive all summer, let alone an actual living creature.

kris356 · August 2013

Oh, I don't want chickens! I am saying we could have chickens. Two dogs is too much some days, the last thing I need is farm animals! I went away overnight and my husband forgot to feed the dogs

we need no livestock.

billiburrows · August 2013

my friend has chickens. he said its probably cheaper just to buy eggs from the grocery store b/c feeding and caring for them is expensive.

AmandaJLewis · August 2013

billiburrows said:

my friend has chickens. he said its probably cheaper just to buy eggs from the grocery store b/c feeding and caring for them is expensive.

I don't doubt that at all. I think you would end up with a fresher/better quality egg. But you would have to want the hens as pets too, and the eggs are just a bonus.
I wish dogs laid eggs.

Chicks in the hood?

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