I smell a RAT! OP either sells chickens, coops, or services them. OP, your answers to all of the legit concerns with a very expertly tone.

OP here. To PP-great observation. I did not answer it since it's a loaded question.
Thank you I'm sure it will.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually there are amazing pics of a gorgeous coop designed by an architect in Southern Living this month. Check it out if you are interested in raising a couple of chickens without the mess.

PPs referencing stinky, gross coops are out of touch. 2-3 chickens are not going to produce the same issues as a chicken farm. Just don't let your hens set and you'll be fine. Chickens are less work than a dog and much more useful.

Again, you are basing your opinion on something you saw in a design magazine! Not reality. All chickens produce chicken shit, which is about 10,000 times more disgusting than dog feces.

Oh, and one question- what are you going to do with those hens when they stop laying? You do know that most chickens lay for 2-3 years, but can live for 6-7, right? How "useful" will they be then? Or will you cut their heads off, clean and pluck them, and serve those stringy old gals for dinner?

OP here and I did not write that post about Southern Living coops. That's probably the last place I would look for functionality and durability. I can build my own coop. 08:27 what is your obsession about what I will do to them later?? Who really cares? I know exactly what is involved and to suggest I have a romanticized idea of raising chickens is condescending and assumes I have no experience or have not done my research. I would say you are mistaken on all accounts. I'm thinking the usefulness of this thread is over since it's taken the way to personal attacks and blows to people's class or status-which we all know is OH so important on DCUM. Thanks for all those who were actually helpful. Again, if that coop you described PP was properly secured and they knew what they were doing, chickens would not have been eaten in the first place. The neighborhood "managers" sounds like HOA to me and usually not a place to be raising chickens. I have no HOA, thank goodness. I have NO doubts those same neighbors would be calling about how low I chose to cut my grass.

8:27 here. I'd like to know how asking one question = obsession. I do notice that you did not answer it, though.

Have fun, I hope it works out as well as you think it will.

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, a friend of mine lives next to a house with a chicken coop (although properties aren't as large, more like 1/3 acre, not 1/2) and she tells me that, ever since the chickens came in they've had an increase in rats. The coops don't smell, there is no rooster, the chickens themselves don't cause trouble, but she firmly believes that the rats are attracted to either the chickens or the eggs and the rats aren't staying in just the chicken yard but the neighbors yards as well.

OP here. Thank you for sharing PP. Your friend might think about investing in Decon for the rats in their yard since the people with chickens aren't taking for good care of the coop. They are probably leaving out feed or eggs or both. That could be a really small space to have chickens depending on where their house sits. This all goes back to managing and taking care of your animals no matter what species we are talking about. Any dog food that is left out spread across a backyard is guaranteed to do the same exact thing.

FWIW, a friend of mine lives next to a house with a chicken coop (although properties aren't as large, more like 1/3 acre, not 1/2) and she tells me that, ever since the chickens came in they've had an increase in rats. The coops don't smell, there is no rooster, the chickens themselves don't cause trouble, but she firmly believes that the rats are attracted to either the chickens or the eggs and the rats aren't staying in just the chicken yard but the neighbors yards as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I DON'T know your neighbors, and you made it clear in your subject line that you are concerned about how your neighbors will perceive you.

They will judge you, detest you, and at worst, think you are poor. They will not, however, think your hobby is cute.

I realize you want everyone to say, "hey, cool!" But that's not going to happen.

Your first instinct was that maybe this might tick off your neighbors. I say, listen to your first instinct.

So as between being judged, detested, and thought of as poor, the worst thing woudl be to be thought of as poor? Worse than being hated?

Lady, you are cracked. (Or you don't have a very good grasp of the English language. Are you the "please don't use big words, they make my brain hurt" poster?)

Um, no. And your comment about my grasp of the English language is just ... odd. And, I'm not a woman.

That's a man, baby!

Anyway, OP, there can be real issues in an urban setting with attracting mice, rats, and foxes. The poop & feed attracts all sorts of critters to your home! Fun times.

OP here, are you speaking from experience or from what you just found on a Google search? I know this can happen but if the poop and feed are well-managed this is a non-issue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually there are amazing pics of a gorgeous coop designed by an architect in Southern Living this month. Check it out if you are interested in raising a couple of chickens without the mess.

PPs referencing stinky, gross coops are out of touch. 2-3 chickens are not going to produce the same issues as a chicken farm. Just don't let your hens set and you'll be fine. Chickens are less work than a dog and much more useful.

Again, you are basing your opinion on something you saw in a design magazine! Not reality. All chickens produce chicken shit, which is about 10,000 times more disgusting than dog feces.

Oh, and one question- what are you going to do with those hens when they stop laying? You do know that most chickens lay for 2-3 years, but can live for 6-7, right? How "useful" will they be then? Or will you cut their heads off, clean and pluck them, and serve those stringy old gals for dinner?

OP here and I did not write that post about Southern Living coops. That's probably the last place I would look for functionality and durability. I can build my own coop. 08:27 what is your obsession about what I will do to them later?? Who really cares? I know exactly what is involved and to suggest I have a romanticized idea of raising chickens is condescending and assumes I have no experience or have not done my research. I would say you are mistaken on all accounts. I'm thinking the usefulness of this thread is over since it's taken the way to personal attacks and blows to people's class or status-which we all know is OH so important on DCUM. Thanks for all those who were actually helpful. Again, if that coop you described PP was properly secured and they knew what they were doing, chickens would not have been eaten in the first place. The neighborhood "managers" sounds like HOA to me and usually not a place to be raising chickens. I have no HOA, thank goodness. I have NO doubts those same neighbors would be calling about how low I chose to cut my grass.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I DON'T know your neighbors, and you made it clear in your subject line that you are concerned about how your neighbors will perceive you.

They will judge you, detest you, and at worst, think you are poor. They will not, however, think your hobby is cute.

I realize you want everyone to say, "hey, cool!" But that's not going to happen.

Your first instinct was that maybe this might tick off your neighbors. I say, listen to your first instinct.

So as between being judged, detested, and thought of as poor, the worst thing woudl be to be thought of as poor? Worse than being hated?

Lady, you are cracked. (Or you don't have a very good grasp of the English language. Are you the "please don't use big words, they make my brain hurt" poster?)

Um, no. And your comment about my grasp of the English language is just ... odd. And, I'm not a woman.

That's a man, baby!

Anyway, OP, there can be real issues in an urban setting with attracting mice, rats, and foxes. The poop & feed attracts all sorts of critters to your home! Fun times.

We live in CC, MD. Our neighbors just had to get rid of their chickens. One was attacked and white feathers were strewn all over a yard along with chicken parts. Lovely. They had a perfectly secured coup. The neighborhood manager made them get rid of them and they agreed. Apparently, they felt it was a better idea in theory. Glad they are gone.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I DON'T know your neighbors, and you made it clear in your subject line that you are concerned about how your neighbors will perceive you.

They will judge you, detest you, and at worst, think you are poor. They will not, however, think your hobby is cute.

I realize you want everyone to say, "hey, cool!" But that's not going to happen.

Your first instinct was that maybe this might tick off your neighbors. I say, listen to your first instinct.

So as between being judged, detested, and thought of as poor, the worst thing woudl be to be thought of as poor? Worse than being hated?

Lady, you are cracked. (Or you don't have a very good grasp of the English language. Are you the "please don't use big words, they make my brain hurt" poster?)

Um, no. And your comment about my grasp of the English language is just ... odd. And, I'm not a woman.

Well, you said that of those three things, being thought of as poor was the "worst." That's a quote. You apparently didn't mean to say that, so it appears that my comment about your grasp of the English language was dead on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I DON'T know your neighbors, and you made it clear in your subject line that you are concerned about how your neighbors will perceive you.

They will judge you, detest you, and at worst, think you are poor. They will not, however, think your hobby is cute.

I realize you want everyone to say, "hey, cool!" But that's not going to happen.

Your first instinct was that maybe this might tick off your neighbors. I say, listen to your first instinct.

So as between being judged, detested, and thought of as poor, the worst thing woudl be to be thought of as poor? Worse than being hated?

Lady, you are cracked. (Or you don't have a very good grasp of the English language. Are you the "please don't use big words, they make my brain hurt" poster?)

Um, no. And your comment about my grasp of the English language is just ... odd. And, I'm not a woman.

Anonymous wrote:OP, I DON'T know your neighbors, and you made it clear in your subject line that you are concerned about how your neighbors will perceive you.

They will judge you, detest you, and at worst, think you are poor. They will not, however, think your hobby is cute.

I realize you want everyone to say, "hey, cool!" But that's not going to happen.

Your first instinct was that maybe this might tick off your neighbors. I say, listen to your first instinct.

So as between being judged, detested, and thought of as poor, the worst thing woudl be to be thought of as poor? Worse than being hated?

Lady, you are cracked. (Or you don't have a very good grasp of the English language. Are you the "please don't use big words, they make my brain hurt" poster?)

Anonymous wrote:Actually there are amazing pics of a gorgeous coop designed by an architect in Southern Living this month. Check it out if you are interested in raising a couple of chickens without the mess.

PPs referencing stinky, gross coops are out of touch. 2-3 chickens are not going to produce the same issues as a chicken farm. Just don't let your hens set and you'll be fine. Chickens are less work than a dog and much more useful.

Again, you are basing your opinion on something you saw in a design magazine! Not reality. All chickens produce chicken shit, which is about 10,000 times more disgusting than dog feces.

Oh, and one question- what are you going to do with those hens when they stop laying? You do know that most chickens lay for 2-3 years, but can live for 6-7, right? How "useful" will they be then? Or will you cut their heads off, clean and pluck them, and serve those stringy old gals for dinner?

Given the number of people who outsource lawn care, I would predict there will soon be a growth industry in traveling chicken care.

Actually there are amazing pics of a gorgeous coop designed by an architect in Southern Living this month. Check it out if you are interested in raising a couple of chickens without the mess.

PPs referencing stinky, gross coops are out of touch. 2-3 chickens are not going to produce the same issues as a chicken farm. Just don't let your hens set and you'll be fine. Chickens are less work than a dog and much more useful.