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Comment by Chip Mefford on February 28, 2011 at 4:05am

Hey Folks;

 

It's really nice to see all these comments. 

 

However, most of these comments are invitations for an interesting discussion. Please take questions and discussions to the discussion forum.

 

Thanks much.

Comment by Kathleen Wilson on February 27, 2011 at 8:57pm

Hi All

I saw this on the internet and since I just joined this group, thought I'd share. I live up in the mountains where I have had up to 5 feet of snow in the winter. So none of these coops would probably be adequate for me. Has anybody had any experience with chickens and lots of snow?8%20awesome%20urban%20chicken%20coops%20%20MNN%20-%20Mother%20Natur...

Comment by Scott Whitney on February 18, 2011 at 7:39pm

Hi Everyone,

 

If you don't have a coop yet, now is a good time to build one!  Your local farm store will probably be getting their chicks in pretty soon.  Chickens are fun!  Highly recommended.

Comment by Scott Whitney on February 18, 2011 at 7:37pm

Correction.  Roosters are technically not allowed in Prescott. My mistake.  But so far no problems with mine.  Just keeping it in the coop until 8am so no one within earshot has an early wake up call.  Knock on wood... so far, so good.

Comment by Scott Whitney on December 31, 2010 at 7:38pm

Hi everyone.  Just joined this group.  Nice one.

 

Fortunately, here in the City of Prescott, AZ we are allowed to have poultry, including roosters.  What we can't do is create a nuisance.  For this reason, I built my coop like a house with 2x4 framing, exterior siding, fiberglass insulation on walls, floor and ceiling.  I open my chicken door (auto timer) at 8am, so if my rooster crows it will only be heard by neighbors after eight oh clock.  If What's His Face (that's his name, long story) decides to crow inside the coop at 3am, no one woule be able to hear him.

 

I think it is important to consider your neighbors when pondering getting chickens.  Also, a clean coop doesn't  smell (well, barely).  I hung poop catchers under the roosts, so a minimal amount of night droppings actually hit the bedding material.  I just collect the laundry baskets that hang under their roosts once a week or so, and dump them into the compost pile.  (Some people use poop hammocks made from shade cloth, landscaping fabric etc)

 

I am on a half acre, and most of my neighbors don't even know I have chickens unless I mention it (or bring them fresh eggs)!

 

We had a big snow storm here this week, and one neighbor ran his plow down my driveway.  It was nice to give him a dozen eggs as thanks.  This is how I envision Transition Towns beginning.  Start with your neighbors, and work outwards.

 

Cheers,

Scott

Comment by Les Squires on December 31, 2010 at 5:12am

@chip.  The group Comment Wall is sequential, each new message added at the top of the list.  The Discussion Forum discussions are threaded, enabling inserting comments.

Comment by David Braden on December 30, 2010 at 3:15pm

I have an acre east of Golden, CO.  We used to raise chickens and rabbits when my kids were young but raising animals on your own means never taking a vacation.

 

The property is still zoned agricultural.  And I am gearing up to invite my neighbors into an experiment in "community agriculture" that I call the Applewood Permaculture Institute.  If I get enough participation I want to focus on the breeding operation (and spread the layers all around the neigborhood) and growing all the food for our chickens . . . creating a "closed loop" chicken operation.

 

Any advice on suppliers, breeds, facilities, etc. will be appreciated.  

Comment by Chip Mefford on December 30, 2010 at 9:39am

Hey Jeff, it get's downright fine in resolution. Where abouts in the NoVa/Md area are you looking?

Comment by Jeff Buoy on December 30, 2010 at 9:36am

Glad you started this group - I too am very interested in fresh eggs and having chickens.   I have also run into this problem of regulations that are "all over the map."   

I am relocating to Northern Virginia / Maryland area and wondering if anybody knows about Regulations in VA or MD ??

Comment by Chip Mefford on December 30, 2010 at 8:38am

Here in the US, regulations concerning keeping chickens in one's yard are all over the map, as it were.

We have recently made the choice to relocate our respective domiciles and go 'all in' in Centre County Pa. A choice made in great part due to the transition initiative taking place in the area.

Imagine our surprise when we learned that despite the urban/suburban borough of State College, a very upscale area that incorporates Penn State University main campus, allowing backyard hens without a permit, that the greater Centre County region allows no poultry or livestock on holdings of less than 10 acres.

So, that is our new challenge for the democratic process. I never wanted to get involved in that. But taking responsibility for one's food I'm learning means getting involved. No way around it.

What are your thoughts?

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