Re: Looking for hen help

celiza wrote: 
I suppose I didn't really think about the cost of food being higher
than the actual "value" of the eggs. Hmmm. Makes me wonder if it would
be worth the trouble. Is buying feed really neccessary? My mom had
chickens as a kid and is trying to convince me all they need is table
scraps.

But I guess we aren't really thinking about it to save money or
anything, more for the fact that it was from OUR chickens, fresh, not
sitting on a grocery store shelf, so our kids can grow up understanding
more about nature/food, responsibility toward animals and such.

I was told that hens lay 1-2 eggs a day, I guess they were a little
off. My mom and brother, who will be living near us, eat 2 eggs each a
day. Assuming I'd use 2 dozen a week, for us and for my mom and
brother, I would need 6 hens?

Are Australorps good pick me up birds? That sounds like what I am
looking for. (same with buff orpingtons) Do they do okay in pens? How
big should a pen be? Do they always stay inside or do they need 'out'
time?  Would they need heat or just a dry place? Gosh, I have more
questions than I thought!

Where on earth do I even buy chickens? How much do they cost?

You can call your local county Wxtension office and get a lot of answers to your questions about poultry producers in your area, ag. vets, etc. You can also contact a local 4-H Poultry group (the Extension Office can tell you who they are) and ask to sit in on a few of the kids meetings. Your state agricultural college should also have information on its' wesite. MSU here has a lot of information for the public with "Ask the Pro" features.

katy
.

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