We're allowed to have urban chickens here and I'm doing some research because we're interested in getting a few. I'm having a tough time getting information, partly I think because urban chickening is relatively new. I've found some interesting coop ideas and the basics or raising and keeping chickens, but I'm looking for more detailed info.
I'm trying to locate a decent breed for this region (Iowa). Egg-layer because we aren't planning to use them for meat, friendlyish, and not prone to health issues. It's hard because it can be really hot in the summer and really cold in the winter. And I honestly don't know enough about them. If we decide to go forward with it, we'll have to take a class (I believe with the DNR) about urban chickens in order to get our permit, but I want a plan before I take it that far.
We can't breed them because we can't have roosters in town. So something that has a decent life expectancy would be nice too.
The other major problem is that with not being able to have a rooster, I would need to know the sex when I got them. So, either a sex link chick (which would also be more work) or I would have to find somewhere to buy half grown chickens and I have a feeling that would be much more expensive (then again, I'd have to buy an incubator set up or whatever too for chicks). And the places I've found to buy chicks from usually have a minimum of 15 or 25 chicks and I can only have a maximum of 6. And that would be committing a good chunk of my yard (not that I don't have the space). The city requires 4 sq ft per chicken. I don't know if that's reasonable though, and maybe I should give them more space.
Still researching, but I know a couple of the people around here at least used to have chickens, so I thought there might be someone out there with resources and advice.
I'm trying to locate a decent breed for this region (Iowa). Egg-layer because we aren't planning to use them for meat, friendlyish, and not prone to health issues. It's hard because it can be really hot in the summer and really cold in the winter. And I honestly don't know enough about them. If we decide to go forward with it, we'll have to take a class (I believe with the DNR) about urban chickens in order to get our permit, but I want a plan before I take it that far.
We can't breed them because we can't have roosters in town. So something that has a decent life expectancy would be nice too.
The other major problem is that with not being able to have a rooster, I would need to know the sex when I got them. So, either a sex link chick (which would also be more work) or I would have to find somewhere to buy half grown chickens and I have a feeling that would be much more expensive (then again, I'd have to buy an incubator set up or whatever too for chicks). And the places I've found to buy chicks from usually have a minimum of 15 or 25 chicks and I can only have a maximum of 6. And that would be committing a good chunk of my yard (not that I don't have the space). The city requires 4 sq ft per chicken. I don't know if that's reasonable though, and maybe I should give them more space.
Still researching, but I know a couple of the people around here at least used to have chickens, so I thought there might be someone out there with resources and advice.
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