Love your plans for fruit trees and developing your back yard! Lots of potential! As far as the chicken coop ideas, I would suggest doing a lot if careful research before you make any decisions. If Justin is not particularly keen (which is understandable), maybe wait until after you've had the baby and you see how life settles with 4 kids? Especially very young children! You are also planning a fairly significant renovation in the midst of pregnancy and new baby! Rachel, baby #4 with two active twin boys may mean you won't have time for chickens for a little while. The care and upkeep of the chickens could end up overwhelming and not as fun as you hope. Perhaps waiting a little would mean a higher chance of success and the boys and Emma would be a little older to help out! ❤️
Wholeheartedly agree!! Newborn = no sleep, 3 other small children and a renovation to boot? I don't think you'd be able to give it a fair shot. Maybe next summer--2023?
My sentiments exactly. You have alot on your plate right now. You look amazing, and baby belly is really coming along now. The coop will need to be very predator proof, and can be quite a bit of work in the beginning. We had one chicken, and clean up/upkeep was added time out of my day. Also, with you pregnant, and then new baby, it may be more than you bargain for. It is a great idea, but I would, honestly, wait until your house is done, and the kids are a little older, and then readdress the thought. You need to also consider cost of feed, and bedding for your chickens too. Unless you get older chickens, chicks are only avail for short period every year for purchase. Fruit trees, vegetable garden is a plus for now. BTW, the bread maker you have is so cool. I ordered one. Cannot wait to use it.
Totally agree. Chickens aren't easy and cost money to get started. Slow down a bit. One thing at a time. Focus on the new baby and that adjustment, plus the reno. Worry about the yard, garden and trees next year.
I have chickens and our coop is next to our house. No issues with flies. Remember how far you put the coop is how far you have to walk everyday to take care of the chickens, maintain the coop, and obviously collect eggs. Make sure the coop is predator proof! Everyone loves chicken!
Oh Rachelle!!!!! I have been loving your backyard garden plans! Although I don't know much about chickens, I know A LOT about gardening. I have started my gardening channel but if you're filling your garden beds, fill the bottom with wood/logs to help with drainage and save you money. Then fill with a good quality soil don't do filler and then the last 2-3 inches of the bed fill with compost (you can use different types of compost - sheep manure, cow manure, sea compost, etc.) you can get these at Lowes or a garden centre. Add your own compost to the top and even your coffee grounds and checkout easy ways to compost. I am so excited to see your garden this upcoming season. You make some fantastic vlogs and I really enjoy your vlogs! Have a great week!
Chickens would be fun, but make sure you fully research what you'll need and how to properly care for them before committing. Cleaning them out will be a fair amount of work too. Make sure the coop and enclosure will be somewhere you can get to easily, even when the weather is bad and you maybe don't feel like going outside! Also, check which breeds are noisy and make sure it's not going to upset the neighbours D: hopefully your neighbours are pretty chill but I'd hate for you to get in to issue with them if your chickens turned out to be super noisy
Yeah, especially the cleaning out of the soiled "bedding" (straw) that is going to be full of chicken manure (poop). You either have to compost it on site (need lots of room for that) or find a way to get rid of it off site (haul to a landfill that will accept it, or find someone to remove it from your yard for you). Being in a residential area, you probably not going to want (or maybe not allowed) to let your chickens run free ...... you neighbors probably aren't going to want a stray chicken pooping in their yards. Yeah, lot and lots to research. And don't forget about making sure you have a vet who will agree to doctor your chickens ..... they need to be "vetted" just like the dog and cat.
Hi I have 19 chickens they're so much fun! I also have two Australian shepherds. 1. Make sure your dog will not kill the chickens, because Aussies have a prey drive. I would make a chicken run that is large enough to keep the chickens in without having them free range on your property. That's what we do, because avian flu is going around and it can infect your whole flock. 2. Check your local ordinances to see if you can have chickens. 3. You don't need roosters for your chickens to lay eggs, also roosters tend to be very agressive. We had one that would chase and attack us everytime we fed them. Hope this helps.
I like your enthusiasm for getting chickens, but having chickens is a lot of work. Add to that you're looking at home construction and a new baby girl arriving this summer. You mentioned your friend has chickens visit her and see what cleaning the coop entails and the time it takes each day. I'm my opinion you should post pone the chicken idea until after the baby comes and is weaned and the construction is done.
We love our chickens! We have about 30, few things to keep in mind…they are dusty and need a safe place to be when they are chicks before their feathers come in. We kept ours in the garage. They also don’t typically start laying until they are 6 months. Your brown egg layers are the ones who typically lay the best (just from my own experience) the green and blue layers never seem to give us an egg every day like the brown layers do. They are Predator magnets so be sure to know what predators you have in your area and prepare the coop for them. We have goats and chickens and never had a coyote on our property until we had chickens. The kids love helping with feeding them and collecting eggs!
My parents have chickens Road Island Reds I believe and they lay brown eggs! my mother in law has “Easter eggers” and they lay blue and green eggs and if you breed them with certain ones you can get other colours! Laying chickens (female) are not aggressive but the males will be. All you have to do is give them a nice place to sleep with some perches and a fenced in or free roaming area with some nice green grass to snack on! My father made his on wheels so he can move the whole coop around the yard! It keeps the grass very green because as soon as it rains the poop is gone (if they weren’t in one spot for very long). Here in Canada we lock them up at night because Racoons and Ferrets will just kill chickens not eat them, gotta keep them safe from predators! Normally the chickens will go right into the coop as the sun goes down so you don’t necessarily round them up, depends on the breed.
I love gardening but hate weeding so after years of giving up, went to raised garden beds - started with wooden raised beds ad now love ordering galvanized steel bead from amazon or Lenard's - if they are quite high you can fill them halfway with grass, leaves, branches even logs as long as you gave at least 2 inches of good soil on top - no weeds, hardly much bending over. make sure there is enough room between your raised beds to fit a wheelbarrow so 2-3 feet - have 4 raised beds now - planting carrots, peas, yellow beans and cukes. Never have had chickens but do not let your kids near the rooster - at times can be quite vicious and decide to attack. Love your vlogs so much and look forward to them . Love from Ontario Canada.
You will love having chickens! Please have a strong enclosure with the coyotes around there. Black Australorpe, Speckled Sussex, Americaunas (Easter eggers) & Columbian Wyandottes are good layers with excellent dispositions.
Emma giving Justin the flower and telling him to give it to Rachelle was the sweetest thing ever! You should totally make a catio for Mister, he's the only member of the family who doesn't get to enjoy the garden! :)
My parents have had chickens for years, and this year my husband and I, along with our 3 young boys got some chicks. They are doing so good, they grow so fast!! If you did decide to do chickens, you have to have them in a brooder box for the first few weeks until they are old enough to be outside. Also you have to handle them a bunch if you want them to be nice/ sweet and be able to hold/ pet them. We just have our chickens as pets. They are the sweetest!!
Have you considered what you will do with the chicken manure? It can pile up quickly and neighbors don't like the flies or smell. Don't get me wrong, I love having chickens. Lots of work keeping the coop clean. And keep biosecurity in mind, especially with the kids.
Does you HMO allow chickens? They usually don't go over well in residential areas. Also allot goes into caring for chickens...especially if you raise them from baby chicks. Heat lamps, etc are needed.
I love raising our flock! Getting them as chicks and watching them grow is the best. You love and care for them and they will do the same by providing delicious eggs.
Your intro is like the only one I don't fast forward through lol So cute!!!! Have you been watching Phil and Alex with the chickens?? LOL Chickens are hard work!!
I totally recommend getting chickens!! We got 7 when covid first closed everything and we just got 7 more last weekend!! Fresh eggs are totally worth it and they are so much fun to care for! Besides the mud when it rains it’s pretty simple to take care of the coop / run! I think the kids would have so much fun with them too!!
I've used local honey and cinnamon for seasonal allergies.The weather here in North Carolina has been like a rollercoaster!! Yesterday, we started out at 62 and thunderstorms, and before lunchtime some places were seeing snowflakes. By night time, the temps were in the 20s with strong winds. Our weather goes from one extreme to another. Chickens are great!! We've raised several. A good learning experience for kids too. My oldest son wanted to raise turkeys for the state fair, a few years ago, so we did. We had two females and we named them THELMA AND LOUISE...and oh how they lived up to their names. They are much different than chickens. They have attitude. They went from loving each other and snuggling together while they slept, to tag team wrestling almost, because one day they decided they didn't like one another!! Lol Those turkeys were spoiled like my own children.
Does your HOA allow chickens or have any restrictions on types or placement. Worth checking before you get too far in your planning. Good luck with all your plans!
I am so happy that you have made the decision to stay there and that it's all gonna work out! Best decision ever!! And I can see how happy ya'll are too!!❤
When building the coop, I would suggest using one of those big dog ranges from Costco for the fencing because it comes with shade too. The only downside is you can’t have the coop connected to the side for easy access to the eggs. The other thing you really want to consider is how you want to get the eggs. Reaching into the house can be difficult when a hen is laying on them.
Just know that chickens can be a lot of work. I’m in Australia so the wildlife might be a little different but I’ve had chickens before at an old house, they were down the back in a big coup. But, attracted a lot of snakes, and rats and other such things. Cleaning out the coup etc can be a lot of work. It might seem fun in the beginning but keeping up with them can be hard especially with a new baby and 3 other kids. Also a lot of the time they only live for a few years or they get too old and don’t produce eggs anymore, so you have to keep replacing them. Or sometimes they produce more eggs than you can eat you’ll have to start giving them away. I found that a lot of the eggs we got with ours went to waste because we couldn’t use them all. Also be aware that Beau could potentially not like them and may need to be kept separate. It’s probably 100% fine I don’t know, I’m sure you guys know him well enough to know he’ll be fine with them. But just something to keep in mind just in case. My dog doesn’t like chickens, has a high prey drive and we have to make sure our chickens are super secure because if they got out and we’re loose in the yard running around my dog would 100% chase and catch and kill them. If he sees them he fixates on them and goes into hunt mode. But his breed is a bird hunting dog aswell. Not trying to scare you just stuff to be aware of and think about if you haven’t already.
I was kind of scared of chickens too, until we raised some from babies and now they are so much fun! I have three boys and they love our chickens. The two calmest breeds that I have gotten so far are silkies and speckled sussex. We love our speckled sussex hen, she follows us around like a puppy when we are outside and she lets us pick her up and pet her.
You can start with two or three chickens, that would be a good introduction. Eggs provide great daily nutrition for dogs and cats, as well as humans. Store eggs are chemically treated. Think about all the easy quiche and salad meals you can have during summer YUM...!!! You are also correct about their personalities and the kids will love and learn from them. Bobo will love their company as well. You will NOT regret the decision to keep chickens, I promise...!!!
Get the chickens!! So fun for all of you! The kids will love helping you get the eggs every morning! Another idea (s) for the honey.. put some in a smoothie for them And put some on a peanut butter sandwich. (If they like peanut butter) cut the sandwiches in fun shapes w cookie cutters. You can put some honey in their yogurt too. Fun ways to have them get it. Hope your wkend is going well w Justin being gone. We are having such pretty weather here in Orange County.
I currently have chickens and they’re lovely. We’ve never had fly problems and I live in wet England. My four year old niece loves collecting the eggs and feeding them, and the chickens have always been good around her. One thing is to keep an eye on their legs, they can get mites that irritate them. We’ve had to treat ours a few times. Same with their housing, we had a bad mite problem that we fixed with diatomaceous earth. They do require commitment to keeping the chicken house clean, and also letting them in/out, which will change depending on the sun and time of year. Also, you do get more used to picking them up, and they get used to you as well. One of ours will even come over to us for a stroke. Good luck!
You def want to research fully. I, honestly, would not let your chickens roam your yard, but your coop could have an indoor outdoor combined enclosure that would be safe for them, and get their exercise. Chickens do get mites, and are better raised from chicks so they are use to being handled. Also, the coop sh have a separate door/opening where nests are to get the eggs. That way you can close off the nests while you get the eggs. If you let your chickens roam free, you may find predators come into your yard to get them when they are aware. It could become a safety issue.
Remember that chickens create a lot of manure and they don’t care where they go. So not too close to the house because they attract flies with their manure. Easier solution is to find someone who has chickens and buy from them. Chickens can be raised organic. And that’s the best eggs
I've raised chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys for about 6 years now. If you are looking for a very kid friendly breed that are amazing layers of big eggs, then I would definitely try to get Buff Orpingtons. Even Buff Orpington roosters seem to be in the more mellow side compared to most other roosters. Metzer Farms is a great chicken hatchery located in California where you can order them and have them delivered for fairly cheap.
I have chicken and they are great! Most importantly thing is to keep the coop clean for them so they have a nice place to lay. I would suggest getting baby chickens and hold them a good bit when they are little so they are more friendly when they are older.
Tractor supply has chicken coops for fairly decent price. They also have all the supplies in one spot for you. They are also just getting chick's in (at least in my area they are). I grew up raising chickens and never had a problem with Flys. I would also recommend when setting up a coop to burry at least 4 inches of chicken wire around your coop, then secure it to the coop, so no predator can dig under to get them.
It seems strange watching from England to see how many plastic bags you use over there. The last few years have seen a massive decline in plastic bags from shops and markets, and a return of paper, or re-useable bags has come in. I hope your country commits to cutting down on them soon too x
So many plastic bags! It drives me crazy. We are banning things like straws for animal safety but not plastic bags 🤷♀️. I hope we will return to paper bags soon too.
Chickens are great!! You do need a rooster bc the chickens are more likely to lay more eggs and have a protector, and I would advise looking for a rooster for sale that is gentle bc some of them can be mean. Also, if you plan on tearing out that greenhouse/shed for your new add-on, you should see if they can move it or to where you want the chickens or break it down nicely to rebuild it bc it looks like it would make a great coop! And you would only have to worry about making it more chicken friendly rather than start from scratch....also slowly introduce Beau to them 😊
I had chickens growing up and I loved every minute of having them. I’d love to have them again but don’t think my apartment would allow me to do so. But if you have any questions about them, let me know. I’d love to share my knowledge with you. Kids are going up so much. Can’t wait for baby girl to arrive ❤️.
Dont get chickens unless you have the time for them they cost alot of money to up keep it actually works out cheaper to buy your eggs by the time you factor cost of feed and hay
Yes Google benefits of "Honey & Cinnimon "... Very good for many things... I LOVE farmers markets... FRESH IS BEST 👌 My friend lives in Norco & they have a Long chicken coop along the fence line covered by a hedge to keep it cool in the summer... She just walks along in the morning & collects the eggs from the front... I wish I could share a picture on here. Fantastic idea... HUGS & BLESSINGS 🙏❤️💙💖💙💙... 💖🧸🤗
❤️❤️PLEASE LIKE THIS POST IT HAS INFORMATION RACHELLE NEEDS TO SEE❤️❤️! First I saw your last instagram post where you showed your boys dirty socks and I remembered this super cool business called 2tinyfeet and they make these shoes that feel like socks for kids but they have a silicone on the bottoms so it protects their feet! Please check them out!❤️❤️❤️ Also about the chicken coop you could litteraly buy a plastic shed from lowes and then attach tough plastic storage boxes sideways to act as nesting boxes! Chickens don’t start laying eggs until they are 18 weeks old but they are just soo cute as chicks! When you have chicks you have to keep them in a big tub like the ones they have at tractor supply and keep them under a warm light. You should go to tractor supply to get the chicks and all the stuff they need like feeders and lights and food! I also recommend watching Becky’s homestead because her channel has tons of great information about anything to do with chickens! You should totally buy chickens they would loove playing in your big yard and the kids would learn responsibility by feeding the chickens and helping you get the eggs! I know all about chickens because I have had them for 4 years! Hens are actually really soft and cuddly and so kind! Sooo yeah I really really hope you got to read this and if you are I really love your channel and I watch it all the time ❤️❤️❤️
I have a farm and our chickens have attracted lots of rats. So make sure you are ok with the risk of attracting rodents, and having to clean the coop + have the extra expense of high quality chicken feed/ scratch.
We absolutely love having our chickens. Overall low maintenance animals to care for! Of course do your research, I recommend going to Your local tractor supply and speaking to someone there! They are full of knowledge. We always end up with an abundance of eggs and give them away to neighbors and family!
I’m so jealous that you guys can grow orange and lemons where you’re at. We have 2 peach trees , 1 cherry tree, 1 Asian pear tree and 2 pecan trees. Our garden would ultimately complete with a lemon tree. But here in Kansas it won’t survive! So sad. But our chicken coop is almost finished, we’re excited to have fresh eggs also. ****Rachelle! A lot of states are banning the restocking in stores of chickens and baby chicks due to the avian flu that has spread across the globe. You might want to look into other options, possibly buying chicks from a friend. Just a heads up!!
Forget the chickens! 4 babies ,you will be very busy. Buy the fresh eggs. Chickens are a lot of work . Stick with the fruit trees. Pear trees are great.
Hello Rachelle. I'm a student in Agiscience (studies of plants and animals) and here are my words of advice. 1. NO ROSTERS with Littles they are very aggressive and can be bad with kids or just people. 2. You don't have to redo bedding every week. You can just throw new bedding on the old and at the end of the month or at least once a month change the whole thing. New bedding everything. 3. This maybe self knowledge but since yall are having the garden you can put the old bedding in the garden as fertilizer. 4. Make sure to wash hands after due to sememnela. If you have any questions or comments feel free to ask. 😊
Make sure when you build or buy a coop that it’s super secure from predators (example: def have a roof on it and def out the fencing relatively deep into the ground so it’s not easy for animals to dog under. It’s def better to make it super secure to begin with than have to redo it after you get some chickens eaten lol Also do research beforehand on what breed of chicken to get. Some are easier keepers than others, some are better layers than others, etc. be sure to research roosters to decide if you want one or not.
The fruit trees sound yum. I’ll have to agree with Justin though about the chickens I’m not a fan. Would’ve loved to see the finished bread sounds so cool to have fresh bread and not store bought.
Having grown up on a farm with chickens, let me tell you- to take proper care, they’re a lot of work. And it looks like your hands are already full! Please reconsider. You could go to the farmers market often and support another farmer.
I learned that you can feed chickens egg shells broken up, your food scrapes, and they will search out bugs to eat. Make sure the coop is big enough and lock the chickens in there in the evening, make sure no predators can get in.
Raw honey is the best for colds, sore throats, allergies, and so much more. I love having raw honey from farmers markets. I also love farm fresh eggs, they are the best.
I liked having chickens but ours were picked off by coyotes or something pretty quickly. HATED our rooster…not only did he crow at 3am EVERYDAY, he would attack our feet constantly lol. Good luck!😂😬🥚
The absolute best Apple tree is the Johnagold! My father-in-law swore by them for just eating and they absolutely make the best pies and cobblers! When you plant apple trees you have much better luck if you plant 2 about 15 to 17 feet apart and water daily until they are about 10 to 15 inches in diameter and about 8 to 10 feet tall because by then they will be strong enough to start producing fruit!
I loved having chickens! The hens personalities are just so fun to watch. I hated our rooster though. And fruit trees would be so amazing! The fruit is so much tastier. My favourite is home grown peaches.
I reckon Justin has to make your chicken coup because he is great at building projects. Justin will also make sure that the coup is safe to keep predators away from the chickens & when he starts to do a project he finishes the project & he is a protectionist when he builds things so I know if he builds it the chickens will be safe & happy. 👍🏻🥰🐣🐥🐔🐓
I would maybe wait until after the house extension and having baby girl before getting chickens. I feel like taking care of a newborn and caring for the chickens plus Emma and the boys might be a lot! But either way it would be so exciting to get chickens🥰
I love Emma’s strawberry dress!!! So cute!!! We have 4 chickens and love having them. I wouldn’t get one of the luan wood type coops though. We’ve had ours for about 2.5 years and it’s not lasting very well. Though we do live in illinois, so we get quite a bit of snow each year, so I’m sure that makes it not last as long.
We have backyard chickens and it’s great!! My little kiddos love them! The fresh eggs are amazing! Build your own coop! The store bought ones are flimsy and don’t last! Another plus is they eat anything. We put a bowl on our counter and whatever is left on our plates goes in the bowl and out to the chickens. No wasting food!
chickens are so sweet, i had a few and they were great pets, i love how the rooster crows every morning although my rooster crowed and never would shut his mouth lol but yes i think that having chickens would teach your kids about animals and they would like them
Raw honey is the best. organic honey does not exist because there is no way to control where the bees get their honey. From which plant. So don’t pay extra for organic honey when it’s just not true. You want to help your allergies go with raw honey. From someone wha was raised in a beekeeping family. We ran 5000 hives.
I would suggest getting a plastic chicken coop, so you can take apart and wash it. I had a problem with red mites, they hide in wood and spread quickly. Looking forward to seeing you have chickens xx
I have chickens 🐔, And we all love them , Like you Justin my Husband wasn't too keen either but now we have them he loves them just as much as Me and the kids , Its so good having fresh eggs every day , Just do some research as there is some Awesome ways to make the pen and how to have access to collect the eggs , You All will love it xxx
We had chickens and they brought a lot of flies! You will end up with more eggs than you could ever dream of lol. Be sure that you will have the time to dedicate to caring for them.💜
Chickens are great they are not that messy or hard to take care of I think you will want them closer to your home than farther out. It is good to make a big pen with a chicken house inside the pen so they have the room to roam. We feed our chickens worms they love them as a treat. We have named all of ours there are many different types of chickens do some research and pick the ones you think you will enjoy and have load of fun with them.
I’m so sorry for the loss of your son. I wish you love, strength and peace. I lost my 26 year old brother to a drunk driver back in 1994. Sending you hugs and my condolences. ❤️🙏🏼
My grandparents have chickens and the eggs that this chickens lay taste so much better than store bought eggs! So it's definitely better having your own eggs if possible. Rachelle, your friend was right. Put the chicken coop further down the yard because if you put it where you would grow your vegetables, apart from the flies, it would smell.
I had a chicken when I was young and her eggs were the best! However, even though she was a hen, she made a crowing like sound every morning at sunrise. Thankfully the neighbors were pacified with her eggs but be aware that laying hens make noise too🙃
We have chickens in there pretty easy but I’ve been told that quail are easier to take care of and they just have smaller egg so that might be something worth looking into
you can get affordable coops from tractor supply or facebook marketplace. We've had those and also built and those are far less expensive than building, especially in todays market
You'll all be much happier with the chicken coop if Justin builds it. Plus, it'll be sooo much better than any store bought one. Come on, Justin... we have faith in you! But, I'm with you, I don't want to touch chickens either. Lol
I would keep the coop closer than where you pointed out. Just make sure which direction the winds come to the back of your house from. Also, if you have wild animals around like coyotes, that they are locked up tight. I would hate for the kids to get attached and then have something get to them. Your backyard will look so pretty with all the fruit trees!
I had the same thing happen to me with not being able to eat eggs because of COVID problems. I had to deal with it for about a year before it got better. Definitely was a struggle but hopefully Justin gets better soon.
Yes! Get chickens! They're so fun and the kids love checking for eggs. We ended buying a coop from Tractor Supply, but we'll probably build a larger one in the near future. We love our chickens!
Chickens are great, especially for children. We have about a dozen and they all have their own personalities and my daughter spends most of her time outside with them, she especially loves collecting the eggs if we can get to them before the dog does.
Make sure there is lots of good drainage for the coop. I had chickens at work which I had to look after, the place they located them was all shady, not good! Poor drainage so we got heaps of mosquitoes and eventually had to move the chickens onto a new home.
Make sure to cover the coop / run bc you don’t want the hawks to come down and snatch one! Also I have a friend that has them by her house and they brought in mice, so I agree to have them farther away :)
We have chickens. 🥰 I'm also kinda scared of chickens but it's different when they are your own. If you handle them a little more when they are little they can be friendlier when they're adults. A friend of mine did that with her chicks and I'm planning on doing that with my chicks this year.
Even though I think the chickens idea is fun, I don't believe having them right now with 3 little ones and a new baby on the way is a great idea. You will be so busy and chickens are alot of work and they can be very dirty and little kids that have hands in mouths can be worrisome. Maybe wait a year.
I loved when we had chickens until they started disappearing. Our chickens were much happier when I let them free range. Then the Hawks and Owls started getting them. Loved the eggs until the snakes were getting them too.
Chickens aren’t bad at all! They don’t really smell and flys aren’t an issue. I would suggest starting from eggs and then they can also be a learning experience for the littles especially Emma as she would love watching them grow and change
Also they do need more space than most people realise because they do like to dig and scratch up the ground and are natural foragers :) a custom built coop is better than a store brought one
You won’t really have issues with flies if you keep it clean, also the farther from the house the more likely you’ll have issues with predators… plus the farther you have to go to check on them, feed them, clean them and collect the eggs.
Love your plans for fruit trees and developing your back yard! Lots of potential! As far as the chicken coop ideas, I would suggest doing a lot if careful research before you make any decisions. If Justin is not particularly keen (which is understandable), maybe wait until after you've had the baby and you see how life settles with 4 kids? Especially very young children! You are also planning a fairly significant renovation in the midst of pregnancy and new baby! Rachel, baby #4 with two active twin boys may mean you won't have time for chickens for a little while. The care and upkeep of the chickens could end up overwhelming and not as fun as you hope. Perhaps waiting a little would mean a higher chance of success and the boys and Emma would be a little older to help out! ❤️
Please head this advice. I have backyard chickens and we as a family love them. Just do alllllll the research. You are capable.
Wholeheartedly agree!! Newborn = no sleep, 3 other small children and a renovation to boot? I don't think you'd be able to give it a fair shot. Maybe next summer--2023?
My sentiments exactly. You have alot on your plate right now. You look amazing, and baby belly is really coming along now. The coop will need to be very predator proof, and can be quite a bit of work in the beginning. We had one chicken, and clean up/upkeep was added time out of my day. Also, with you pregnant, and then new baby, it may be more than you bargain for. It is a great idea, but I would, honestly, wait until your house is done, and the kids are a little older, and then readdress the thought. You need to also consider cost of feed, and bedding for your chickens too. Unless you get older chickens, chicks are only avail for short period every year for purchase. Fruit trees, vegetable garden is a plus for now. BTW, the bread maker you have is so cool. I ordered one. Cannot wait to use it.
Totally agree. Chickens aren't easy and cost money to get started.
Slow down a bit. One thing at a time. Focus on the new baby and that adjustment, plus the reno. Worry about the yard, garden and trees next year.
I have chickens and our coop is next to our house. No issues with flies. Remember how far you put the coop is how far you have to walk everyday to take care of the chickens, maintain the coop, and obviously collect eggs. Make sure the coop is predator proof! Everyone loves chicken!
Also if the kids are handling the eggs remember to have them wash their hands after. The eggs come out of the same hole that they pee and poop 😆
Life With Loki -
Absolutely agree x
It's probably a maracuya tree
Oh Rachelle!!!!! I have been loving your backyard garden plans! Although I don't know much about chickens, I know A LOT about gardening. I have started my gardening channel but if you're filling your garden beds, fill the bottom with wood/logs to help with drainage and save you money. Then fill with a good quality soil don't do filler and then the last 2-3 inches of the bed fill with compost (you can use different types of compost - sheep manure, cow manure, sea compost, etc.) you can get these at Lowes or a garden centre. Add your own compost to the top and even your coffee grounds and checkout easy ways to compost. I am so excited to see your garden this upcoming season. You make some fantastic vlogs and I really enjoy your vlogs! Have a great week!
Chickens would be fun, but make sure you fully research what you'll need and how to properly care for them before committing. Cleaning them out will be a fair amount of work too. Make sure the coop and enclosure will be somewhere you can get to easily, even when the weather is bad and you maybe don't feel like going outside!
Also, check which breeds are noisy and make sure it's not going to upset the neighbours D: hopefully your neighbours are pretty chill but I'd hate for you to get in to issue with them if your chickens turned out to be super noisy
Yeah, especially the cleaning out of the soiled "bedding" (straw) that is going to be full of chicken manure (poop). You either have to compost it on site (need lots of room for that) or find a way to get rid of it off site (haul to a landfill that will accept it, or find someone to remove it from your yard for you). Being in a residential area, you probably not going to want (or maybe not allowed) to let your chickens run free ...... you neighbors probably aren't going to want a stray chicken pooping in their yards. Yeah, lot and lots to research. And don't forget about making sure you have a vet who will agree to doctor your chickens ..... they need to be "vetted" just like the dog and cat.
i would wait on the chickens until next year/after the extension is done. chickens are really sensitive to shock. loud noises can kill them :(
Hi I have 19 chickens they're so much fun! I also have two Australian shepherds.
1. Make sure your dog will not kill the chickens, because Aussies have a prey drive. I would make a chicken run that is large enough to keep the chickens in without having them free range on your property. That's what we do, because avian flu is going around and it can infect your whole flock.
2. Check your local ordinances to see if you can have chickens.
3. You don't need roosters for your chickens to lay eggs, also roosters tend to be very agressive. We had one that would chase and attack us everytime we fed them.
Hope this helps.
Agree with Justin no chickens. Chickens take alot of work. Having a family and being busy . And there is no guarantee they will lay eggs.
I like your enthusiasm for getting chickens, but having chickens is a lot of work. Add to that you're looking at home construction and a new baby girl arriving this summer. You mentioned your friend has chickens visit her and see what cleaning the coop entails and the time it takes each day. I'm my opinion you should post pone the chicken idea until after the baby comes and is weaned and the construction is done.
We love our chickens! We have about 30, few things to keep in mind…they are dusty and need a safe place to be when they are chicks before their feathers come in. We kept ours in the garage. They also don’t typically start laying until they are 6 months. Your brown egg layers are the ones who typically lay the best (just from my own experience) the green and blue layers never seem to give us an egg every day like the brown layers do.
They are Predator magnets so be sure to know what predators you have in your area and prepare the coop for them. We have goats and chickens and never had a coyote on our property until we had chickens.
The kids love helping with feeding them and collecting eggs!
So excited for the house plans! I want to start a garden as well! Please keep us updated on that journey, I’d love to learn with you!!
My parents have chickens Road Island Reds I believe and they lay brown eggs! my mother in law has “Easter eggers” and they lay blue and green eggs and if you breed them with certain ones you can get other colours! Laying chickens (female) are not aggressive but the males will be. All you have to do is give them a nice place to sleep with some perches and a fenced in or free roaming area with some nice green grass to snack on! My father made his on wheels so he can move the whole coop around the yard! It keeps the grass very green because as soon as it rains the poop is gone (if they weren’t in one spot for very long). Here in Canada we lock them up at night because Racoons and Ferrets will just kill chickens not eat them, gotta keep them safe from predators! Normally the chickens will go right into the coop as the sun goes down so you don’t necessarily round them up, depends on the breed.
I love gardening but hate weeding so after years of giving up, went to raised garden beds - started with wooden raised beds ad now love ordering galvanized steel bead from amazon or Lenard's - if they are quite high you can fill them halfway with grass, leaves, branches even logs as long as you gave at least 2 inches of good soil on top - no weeds, hardly much bending over. make sure there is enough room between your raised beds to fit a wheelbarrow so 2-3 feet - have 4 raised beds now - planting carrots, peas, yellow beans and cukes. Never have had chickens but do not let your kids near the rooster - at times can be quite vicious and decide to attack. Love your vlogs so much and look forward to them . Love from Ontario Canada.
You will love having chickens! Please have a strong enclosure with the coyotes around there. Black Australorpe, Speckled Sussex, Americaunas (Easter eggers) & Columbian Wyandottes are good layers with excellent dispositions.
So so important!!
Emma giving Justin the flower and telling him to give it to Rachelle was the sweetest thing ever! You should totally make a catio for Mister, he's the only member of the family who doesn't get to enjoy the garden! :)
My parents have had chickens for years, and this year my husband and I, along with our 3 young boys got some chicks. They are doing so good, they grow so fast!! If you did decide to do chickens, you have to have them in a brooder box for the first few weeks until they are old enough to be outside. Also you have to handle them a bunch if you want them to be nice/ sweet and be able to hold/ pet them. We just have our chickens as pets. They are the sweetest!!
Have you considered what you will do with the chicken manure? It can pile up quickly and neighbors don't like the flies or smell. Don't get me wrong, I love having chickens. Lots of work keeping the coop clean. And keep biosecurity in mind, especially with the kids.
Does you HMO allow chickens? They usually don't go over well in residential areas. Also allot goes into caring for chickens...especially if you raise them from baby chicks. Heat lamps, etc are needed.
I love raising our flock! Getting them as chicks and watching them grow is the best. You love and care for them and they will do the same by providing delicious eggs.
Your intro is like the only one I don't fast forward through lol So cute!!!! Have you been watching Phil and Alex with the chickens?? LOL Chickens are hard work!!
I totally recommend getting chickens!! We got 7 when covid first closed everything and we just got 7 more last weekend!! Fresh eggs are totally worth it and they are so much fun to care for! Besides the mud when it rains it’s pretty simple to take care of the coop / run! I think the kids would have so much fun with them too!!
As fuel gets higher prices on food will raise. Raising your own food is a wonderful idea!!
I've used local honey and cinnamon for seasonal allergies.The weather here in North Carolina has been like a rollercoaster!! Yesterday, we started out at 62 and thunderstorms, and before lunchtime some places were seeing snowflakes. By night time, the temps were in the 20s with strong winds.
Our weather goes from one extreme to another.
Chickens are great!! We've raised several.
A good learning experience for kids too.
My oldest son wanted to raise turkeys for the state fair, a few years ago, so we
did. We had two females and we named them THELMA AND LOUISE...and oh how they lived up to their names.
They are much different than chickens.
They have attitude. They went from loving each other and snuggling together
while they slept, to tag team wrestling almost, because one day they decided they didn't like one another!! Lol
Those turkeys were spoiled like my
own children.
Does your HOA allow chickens or have any restrictions on types or placement. Worth checking before you get too far in your planning. Good luck with all your plans!
I am so happy that you have made the decision to stay there and that it's all gonna work out! Best decision ever!! And I can see how happy ya'll are too!!❤
Love your family!!! Emma gets more beautiful everyday!!! The boys are so handsome!!! Thank you for sharing!!! You have the best idea’s!!!
When building the coop, I would suggest using one of those big dog ranges from Costco for the fencing because it comes with shade too. The only downside is you can’t have the coop connected to the side for easy access to the eggs. The other thing you really want to consider is how you want to get the eggs. Reaching into the house can be difficult when a hen is laying on them.
Just know that chickens can be a lot of work. I’m in Australia so the wildlife might be a little different but I’ve had chickens before at an old house, they were down the back in a big coup. But, attracted a lot of snakes, and rats and other such things. Cleaning out the coup etc can be a lot of work. It might seem fun in the beginning but keeping up with them can be hard especially with a new baby and 3 other kids. Also a lot of the time they only live for a few years or they get too old and don’t produce eggs anymore, so you have to keep replacing them. Or sometimes they produce more eggs than you can eat you’ll have to start giving them away. I found that a lot of the eggs we got with ours went to waste because we couldn’t use them all.
Also be aware that Beau could potentially not like them and may need to be kept separate. It’s probably 100% fine I don’t know, I’m sure you guys know him well enough to know he’ll be fine with them. But just something to keep in mind just in case.
My dog doesn’t like chickens, has a high prey drive and we have to make sure our chickens are super secure because if they got out and we’re loose in the yard running around my dog would 100% chase and catch and kill them. If he sees them he fixates on them and goes into hunt mode. But his breed is a bird hunting dog aswell. Not trying to scare you just stuff to be aware of and think about if you haven’t already.
I was kind of scared of chickens too, until we raised some from babies and now they are so much fun! I have three boys and they love our chickens. The two calmest breeds that I have gotten so far are silkies and speckled sussex. We love our speckled sussex hen, she follows us around like a puppy when we are outside and she lets us pick her up and pet her.
You can start with two or three chickens, that would be a good introduction. Eggs provide great daily nutrition for dogs and cats, as well as humans. Store eggs are chemically treated. Think about all the easy quiche and salad meals you can have during summer YUM...!!! You are also correct about their personalities and the kids will love and learn from them. Bobo will love their company as well. You will NOT regret the decision to keep chickens, I promise...!!!
Get the chickens!! So fun for all of you! The kids will love helping you get the eggs every morning!
Another idea (s) for the honey..
put some in a smoothie for them
And put some on a peanut butter sandwich. (If they like peanut butter) cut the sandwiches in fun shapes w cookie cutters.
You can put some honey in their yogurt too. Fun ways to have them get it.
Hope your wkend is going well w Justin being gone. We are having such pretty weather here in Orange County.
I currently have chickens and they’re lovely. We’ve never had fly problems and I live in wet England. My four year old niece loves collecting the eggs and feeding them, and the chickens have always been good around her. One thing is to keep an eye on their legs, they can get mites that irritate them. We’ve had to treat ours a few times. Same with their housing, we had a bad mite problem that we fixed with diatomaceous earth. They do require commitment to keeping the chicken house clean, and also letting them in/out, which will change depending on the sun and time of year. Also, you do get more used to picking them up, and they get used to you as well. One of ours will even come over to us for a stroke. Good luck!
You def want to research fully. I, honestly, would not let your chickens roam your yard, but your coop could have an indoor outdoor combined enclosure that would be safe for them, and get their exercise. Chickens do get mites, and are better raised from chicks so they are use to being handled. Also, the coop sh have a separate door/opening where nests are to get the eggs. That way you can close off the nests while you get the eggs. If you let your chickens roam free, you may find predators come into your yard to get them when they are aware. It could become a safety issue.
Remember that chickens create a lot of manure and they don’t care where they go. So not too close to the house because they attract flies with their manure. Easier solution is to find someone who has chickens and buy from them. Chickens can be raised organic. And that’s the best eggs
Hahaha your "I KNOW!!" at 2:19 sounds so much like Monica from FRIENDS😂😂
I've raised chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys for about 6 years now. If you are looking for a very kid friendly breed that are amazing layers of big eggs, then I would definitely try to get Buff Orpingtons. Even Buff Orpington roosters seem to be in the more mellow side compared to most other roosters. Metzer Farms is a great chicken hatchery located in California where you can order them and have them delivered for fairly cheap.
I have chicken and they are great! Most importantly thing is to keep the coop clean for them so they have a nice place to lay. I would suggest getting baby chickens and hold them a good bit when they are little so they are more friendly when they are older.
Tractor supply has chicken coops for fairly decent price. They also have all the supplies in one spot for you. They are also just getting chick's in (at least in my area they are). I grew up raising chickens and never had a problem with Flys. I would also recommend when setting up a coop to burry at least 4 inches of chicken wire around your coop, then secure it to the coop, so no predator can dig under to get them.
It seems strange watching from England to see how many plastic bags you use over there. The last few years have seen a massive decline in plastic bags from shops and markets, and a return of paper, or re-useable bags has come in. I hope your country commits to cutting down on them soon too x
So many plastic bags! It drives me crazy. We are banning things like straws for animal safety but not plastic bags 🤷♀️. I hope we will return to paper bags soon too.
They have been banned here in New York
Chickens are great!! You do need a rooster bc the chickens are more likely to lay more eggs and have a protector, and I would advise looking for a rooster for sale that is gentle bc some of them can be mean. Also, if you plan on tearing out that greenhouse/shed for your new add-on, you should see if they can move it or to where you want the chickens or break it down nicely to rebuild it bc it looks like it would make a great coop! And you would only have to worry about making it more chicken friendly rather than start from scratch....also slowly introduce Beau to them 😊
When you said "I KNOW" you sounded like Monica on friends 😂😂❤
I had chickens growing up and I loved every minute of having them. I’d love to have them again but don’t think my apartment would allow me to do so. But if you have any questions about them, let me know. I’d love to share my knowledge with you. Kids are going up so much. Can’t wait for baby girl to arrive ❤️.
Dont get chickens unless you have the time for them they cost alot of money to up keep it actually works out cheaper to buy your eggs by the time you factor cost of feed and hay
Yes Google benefits of "Honey & Cinnimon "... Very good for many things...
I LOVE farmers markets... FRESH IS BEST 👌
My friend lives in Norco & they have a Long chicken coop along the fence line covered by a hedge to keep it cool in the summer...
She just walks along in the morning & collects the eggs from the front...
I wish I could share a picture on here.
Fantastic idea...
HUGS & BLESSINGS 🙏❤️💙💖💙💙... 💖🧸🤗
❤️❤️PLEASE LIKE THIS POST IT HAS INFORMATION RACHELLE NEEDS TO SEE❤️❤️! First I saw your last instagram post where you showed your boys dirty socks and I remembered this super cool business called 2tinyfeet and they make these shoes that feel like socks for kids but they have a silicone on the bottoms so it protects their feet! Please check them out!❤️❤️❤️ Also about the chicken coop you could litteraly buy a plastic shed from lowes and then attach tough plastic storage boxes sideways to act as nesting boxes! Chickens don’t start laying eggs until they are 18 weeks old but they are just soo cute as chicks! When you have chicks you have to keep them in a big tub like the ones they have at tractor supply and keep them under a warm light. You should go to tractor supply to get the chicks and all the stuff they need like feeders and lights and food! I also recommend watching Becky’s homestead because her channel has tons of great information about anything to do with chickens! You should totally buy chickens they would loove playing in your big yard and the kids would learn responsibility by feeding the chickens and helping you get the eggs! I know all about chickens because I have had them for 4 years! Hens are actually really soft and cuddly and so kind! Sooo yeah I really really hope you got to read this and if you are I really love your channel and I watch it all the time ❤️❤️❤️
I have a farm and our chickens have attracted lots of rats. So make sure you are ok with the risk of attracting rodents, and having to clean the coop + have the extra expense of high quality chicken feed/ scratch.
We absolutely love having our chickens. Overall low maintenance animals to care for! Of course do your research, I recommend going to
Your local tractor supply and speaking to someone there! They are full of knowledge. We always end up with an abundance of eggs and give them away to neighbors and family!
I’m so jealous that you guys can grow orange and lemons where you’re at. We have 2 peach trees , 1 cherry tree, 1 Asian pear tree and 2 pecan trees. Our garden would ultimately complete with a lemon tree. But here in Kansas it won’t survive! So sad. But our chicken coop is almost finished, we’re excited to have fresh eggs also.
****Rachelle! A lot of states are banning the restocking in stores of chickens and baby chicks due to the avian flu that has spread across the globe. You might want to look into other options, possibly buying chicks from a friend. Just a heads up!!
Forget the chickens! 4 babies ,you will be very busy. Buy the fresh eggs. Chickens are a lot of work . Stick with the fruit trees. Pear trees are great.
Hello Rachelle. I'm a student in Agiscience (studies of plants and animals) and here are my words of advice.
1. NO ROSTERS with Littles they are very aggressive and can be bad with kids or just people.
2. You don't have to redo bedding every week. You can just throw new bedding on the old and at the end of the month or at least once a month change the whole thing. New bedding everything.
3. This maybe self knowledge but since yall are having the garden you can put the old bedding in the garden as fertilizer.
4. Make sure to wash hands after due to sememnela.
If you have any questions or comments feel free to ask. 😊
Make sure when you build or buy a coop that it’s super secure from predators (example: def have a roof on it and def out the fencing relatively deep into the ground so it’s not easy for animals to dog under. It’s def better to make it super secure to begin with than have to redo it after you get some chickens eaten lol
Also do research beforehand on what breed of chicken to get. Some are easier keepers than others, some are better layers than others, etc. be sure to research roosters to decide if you want one or not.
Oh also make sure to research common chicken sicknesses and signs of illness and basic first aid so you can catch anything early on and treat it!
The fruit trees sound yum. I’ll have to agree with Justin though about the chickens I’m not a fan. Would’ve loved to see the finished bread sounds so cool to have fresh bread and not store bought.
Having grown up on a farm with chickens, let me tell you- to take proper care, they’re a lot of work. And it looks like your hands are already full! Please reconsider. You could go to the farmers market often and support another farmer.
I learned that you can feed chickens egg shells broken up, your food scrapes, and they will search out bugs to eat. Make sure the coop is big enough and lock the chickens in there in the evening, make sure no predators can get in.
Raw honey is the best for colds, sore throats, allergies, and so much more. I love having raw honey from farmers markets. I also love farm fresh eggs, they are the best.
The boys are such hams in the vlog and I can’t believe how big the kiddos are getting
I liked having chickens but ours were picked off by coyotes or something pretty quickly. HATED our rooster…not only did he crow at 3am EVERYDAY, he would attack our feet constantly lol. Good luck!😂😬🥚
The absolute best Apple tree is the Johnagold! My father-in-law swore by them for just eating and they absolutely make the best pies and cobblers! When you plant apple trees you have much better luck if you plant 2 about 15 to 17 feet apart and water daily until they are about 10 to 15 inches in diameter and about 8 to 10 feet tall because by then they will be strong enough to start producing fruit!
I loved having chickens! The hens personalities are just so fun to watch. I hated our rooster though. And fruit trees would be so amazing! The fruit is so much tastier. My favourite is home grown peaches.
Maybe since your kids eat a lot of fruit you should try growing some strawberries or raspberries.
I reckon Justin has to make your chicken coup because he is great at building projects. Justin will also make sure that the coup is safe to keep predators away from the chickens & when he starts to do a project he finishes the project & he is a protectionist when he builds things so I know if he builds it the chickens will be safe & happy. 👍🏻🥰🐣🐥🐔🐓
All 3 of my kids LOVE their spoonful of honey every day! You’d be surprised! I have a 2 year old next month, 3.5 yr old, and 6.5 yr old.
Remember apples fall from the tree also. They draw flies and fruit flies.
Good luck with chickens....the kids will love them!!!
I would maybe wait until after the house extension and having baby girl before getting chickens. I feel like taking care of a newborn and caring for the chickens plus Emma and the boys might be a lot! But either way it would be so exciting to get chickens🥰
I love Emma’s strawberry dress!!! So cute!!! We have 4 chickens and love having them. I wouldn’t get one of the luan wood type coops though. We’ve had ours for about 2.5 years and it’s not lasting very well. Though we do live in illinois, so we get quite a bit of snow each year, so I’m sure that makes it not last as long.
We have backyard chickens and it’s great!! My little kiddos love them! The fresh eggs are amazing! Build your own coop! The store bought ones are flimsy and don’t last! Another plus is they eat anything. We put a bowl on our counter and whatever is left on our plates goes in the bowl and out to the chickens. No wasting food!
Congratulations on your new pregnancy! 🎉
chickens are so sweet, i had a few and they were great pets, i love how the rooster crows every morning although my rooster crowed and never would shut his mouth lol but yes i think that having chickens would teach your kids about animals and they would like them
Chickens are fun but require a lot of prep beforehand they also carry diseases definitely do extensive research. Chickens love to graze/be on pasture.
Raw honey is the best. organic honey does not exist because there is no way to control where the bees get their honey. From which plant. So don’t pay extra for organic honey when it’s just not true. You want to help your allergies go with raw honey. From someone wha was raised in a beekeeping family. We ran 5000 hives.
I would suggest getting a plastic chicken coop, so you can take apart and wash it. I had a problem with red mites, they hide in wood and spread quickly. Looking forward to seeing you have chickens xx
That dress is so cute on Emma 🥰 I could see her chasing chickens around she'd love it 😀
I have chickens 🐔,
And we all love them ,
Like you Justin my Husband wasn't too keen either but now we have them he loves them just as much as Me and the kids ,
Its so good having fresh eggs every day ,
Just do some research as there is some Awesome ways to make the pen and how to have access to collect the eggs ,
You All will love it xxx
What about the little building/ garden shed for the chickens and attaching a small fence to it
We had chickens and they brought a lot of flies! You will end up with more eggs than you could ever dream of lol. Be sure that you will have the time to dedicate to caring for them.💜
Chickens are great they are not that messy or hard to take care of I think you will want them closer to your home than farther out. It is good to make a big pen with a chicken house inside the pen so they have the room to roam. We feed our chickens worms they love them as a treat. We have named all of ours there are many different types of chickens do some research and pick the ones you think you will enjoy and have load of fun with them.
Your such a wonderful family, i recently lost my 27 year old son, i treasure every day of his life, kids are a blessing x
That is heartbreaking, Sue. Praying for you.
SO SORRY ON YOUR LOSS BLESSINGS OVER YOU IT IS VERY HARD
I’m so sorry for the loss of your son. I wish you love, strength and peace. I lost my 26 year old brother to a drunk driver back in 1994. Sending you hugs and my condolences. ❤️🙏🏼
My grandparents have chickens and the eggs that this chickens lay taste so much better than store bought eggs! So it's definitely better having your own eggs if possible. Rachelle, your friend was right. Put the chicken coop further down the yard because if you put it where you would grow your vegetables, apart from the flies, it would smell.
I had a chicken when I was young and her eggs were the best! However, even though she was a hen, she made a crowing like sound every morning at sunrise. Thankfully the neighbors were pacified with her eggs but be aware that laying hens make noise too🙃
When Rachelle is pregnant its project,project,project!
We have chickens in there pretty easy but I’ve been told that quail are easier to take care of and they just have smaller egg so that might be something worth looking into
Just give in to the chickens Justin lol you know you want to have them... lol 😆
We used to have chickens and they would always run up to you for cuddles 🥰
you can get affordable coops from tractor supply or facebook marketplace. We've had those and also built and those are far less expensive than building, especially in todays market
You'll all be much happier with the chicken coop if Justin builds it. Plus, it'll be sooo much better than any store bought one.
Come on, Justin... we have faith in you! But, I'm with you, I don't want to touch chickens either. Lol
I would keep the coop closer than where you pointed out. Just make sure which direction the winds come to the back of your house from. Also, if you have wild animals around like coyotes, that they are locked up tight. I would hate for the kids to get attached and then have something get to them. Your backyard will look so pretty with all the fruit trees!
I had the same thing happen to me with not being able to eat eggs because of COVID problems. I had to deal with it for about a year before it got better. Definitely was a struggle but hopefully Justin gets better soon.
Yes! Get chickens! They're so fun and the kids love checking for eggs. We ended buying a coop from Tractor Supply, but we'll probably build a larger one in the near future. We love our chickens!
I have chickens, and I'd definitely go with the further back location! 🤪 Also I'd put the apple tree further back because you'll get bees!
Love the idea of chickens!!! The kiddos will love being involved with that and more so as they grow up. Xoxo
Chickens are great, especially for children. We have about a dozen and they all have their own personalities and my daughter spends most of her time outside with them, she especially loves collecting the eggs if we can get to them before the dog does.
Cherri trees are amazing to experience!!
You are so nesting!! I just love you guys!!
Make sure there is lots of good drainage for the coop. I had chickens at work which I had to look after, the place they located them was all shady, not good! Poor drainage so we got heaps of mosquitoes and eventually had to move the chickens onto a new home.
What about the septic system, won’t they need to dig up the yard?
Make sure to cover the coop / run bc you don’t want the hawks to come down and snatch one! Also I have a friend that has them by her house and they brought in mice, so I agree to have them farther away :)
We have chickens. 🥰 I'm also kinda scared of chickens but it's different when they are your own. If you handle them a little more when they are little they can be friendlier when they're adults. A friend of mine did that with her chicks and I'm planning on doing that with my chicks this year.
Even though I think the chickens idea is fun, I don't believe having them right now with 3 little ones and a new baby on the way is a great idea. You will be so busy and chickens are alot of work and they can be very dirty and little kids that have hands in mouths can be worrisome. Maybe wait a year.
You are glowing you look amazing
I loved when we had chickens until they started disappearing. Our chickens were much happier when I let them free range. Then the Hawks and Owls started getting them. Loved the eggs until the snakes were getting them too.
We have 3 chicken coops full of chickens and turkeys and I’ve never seen a fly 👀 but I love all the plans coming up!!!
Same! Chicken coops right next to my house and no flies! Cows tho..that's another story haba
Chickens aren’t bad at all! They don’t really smell and flys aren’t an issue. I would suggest starting from eggs and then they can also be a learning experience for the littles especially Emma as she would love watching them grow and change
Also they do need more space than most people realise because they do like to dig and scratch up the ground and are natural foragers :) a custom built coop is better than a store brought one
Love the chicken idea. I would try to buy a coop. Lumber prices are pretty high to have one build.
You won’t really have issues with flies if you keep it clean, also the farther from the house the more likely you’ll have issues with predators… plus the farther you have to go to check on them, feed them, clean them and collect the eggs.