Backyard Chickens (and Other Birds)
[Were you a mod of backyard chickens on Reddit? Message me if you're interested in modding here.]
This is a community for people who keep chickens in their back yard. This includes pets, layers, and meaties at levels that are sub-industrial. Family farms and homesteads are included.
EDIT
The Fediverse is small. There probably aren't enough people here to make up a community for every type of bird that someone might keep so for now, everyone is welcome. Bring us your ducks and geese, turkeys and quail, Guineas and Peacocks, emus and parrots. The community will be focused on chickens but until there are enough of each bird community for their own community they will find care and comfort here.
/EDIT
There may be discussions of animal processing. This is part of chicken keeping. If you don't like it leave and block the community.
You may also be interested in:
RULES:
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All Lemmy.ca rules apply here.
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Everyone (see rules 4 and 98) is welcome.
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If you've seen a question 100 times answer it the 101st time or ignore it. Even better, write a complete, detailed answer and suggest that the mod(s) pin it to the community.
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There will be ZERO tolerance for shaming, brigading, harassment, or other nonsense of those who keep and process chickens. You will be permanently banned the first time.
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No, it's not a calcium deficiency. Wrinkled eggs are the result of insufficient or insufficiently viscous albumen. Tiny eggs and missing shells are misfires. They happen.
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If you post a picture that includes a dead animal or blood mark it NSFW. We're not going to tolerate the militant anti-hunting and anti-farming bullshit here but we're also not going to tolerate people rubbing their hunting and harvesting in people's faces. See rule 98. If you post blood, gore, or dead animals and don't mark it NSFW it will be removed and you might be banned.
[Did you actually think there were 98 rules?]
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If you present something as fact and are asked to provide proof or a source provide proof or a source. Proof must be from a reliable source. If you fail to provide proof or a source your post or comment may be removed.
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Don't be a dick. Yes, this is a catch-all rule.
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The mod(s) have the final say.
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So… I stumbled on this from local and I know nothing about chickens
For my own curiosity, is there a reason you started with 3 instead of 2 (one male one female?) or just 1?
They are social creatures, 1 would get lonely! 3 was the smallest quantity the breeder would part with at once for this reason. (She would sometimes do pairs if she understood the reason and who they were going with.)
The males are really noisy and aren't really necessary for happy hens, so most people don't keep them as far as I know. I would like to have a male and raise chicks at some point in my life, but I live in the suburbs and couldn't do that to my neighbours (or myself). If I ever retire to the country and have enough space I would like to do it.
People generally only keep hens when you have just a few chickens in the backyard. Roosters don't lay eggs and they crow loudly all day, so if you're just interested in having a few animals for eggs roosters don't help much. Roosters can help protect the flock from predators.
You're probably thinking that one hen and one rooster will produce more chickens for free. You actually don't want the eggs you're planning on eating to be fertilized by a rooster. Fertilized eggs grow small chickens inside of them instead of just having a yolk and egg white.
Hatching chicks from eggs is a whole process requiring different equipment and setups, so generally casual backyard chicken havers don't mess with breeding and just buy more chickens from bigger operations when necessary.
Doesn't matter if a rooster is around if you collect and refrigerate daily