Chicken Forum banner

Hello from Rhode Island.

2K views 38 replies 7 participants last post by  starsevol 
#1 ·
I belong to a couple of other forums, I don't think you can ever have too much information.

Wrigley
 
#7 ·
Hi Wrigley, I am from Rhode Island too!
I live in West Warwick and just found out that the homesteading law has been changed and I can get a few hens. I am beside myself!
I have tried to find chicken breeders in this area, but everytime I try to google it our famous Rhode Island Red pops up and I get nowhere!
 
#10 ·
Have you started raising chickens? you're right, not a whole lot of information out there for Rhode Island poultry.
Have you ever raised chickens before?

Wrigley
I have never raised chickens before, but have been reading everything I can. We do want eggs, and I am considering Americaunas and Australorps over RIRs because supposedly they are a little less noisy. We live in a plat, on a quarter acre with houses on all sides.
If the yard proves too small I am up for cochins, silkies or seramas.

The law says that we can have up to 12 birds, but only hens. There is only 2 of us so I am thinking we should start with 3 birds, but build a coop big enough for 6 or 8. Still not sure about a perminant pen or a tractor style.....or maybe a perminant coop and pen with a tractor style pen for when I am home and can watch them.

I plan to check out tractor supply sometime today and maybe get a good book.
 
#11 ·
Stick with the forums, there is a lot of really good information there. Check out poultry keepers forum, they're in the UK, a lot of old school keepers.
I have RIR's, Barred Rocks, Golden Comets, Black Sexlinks, Austrolorps, Buff Orpingtons and Easter Eggers, they are all pretty quiet. What noise they do make is very pleasent. They do get a little loud just after they lay, not all of them though.
Be careful with the free ranging, they can really rearrange your yard.
Take your time with the coop, check out YouTube for ideas and what to do and not to do.
If you are going to raise chicks, here in Rhode Island you have to buy atleast atleast twelve chicks.
I'm not a pro at this, but I can help alittle on some of the mistakes I've made and had to do over.

Talk soon,
Wrigley
 
#12 ·
Stick with the forums, there is a lot of really good information there. Check out poultry keepers forum, they're in the UK, a lot of old school keepers.
I have RIR's, Barred Rocks, Golden Comets, Black Sexlinks, Austrolorps, Buff Orpingtons and Easter Eggers, they are all pretty quiet. What noise they do make is very pleasent. They do get a little loud just after they lay, not all of them though.
Be careful with the free ranging, they can really rearrange your yard.
Take your time with the coop, check out YouTube for ideas and what to do and not to do.
If you are going to raise chicks, here in Rhode Island you have to buy atleast atleast twelve chicks.
I'm not a pro at this, but I can help alittle on some of the mistakes I've made and had to do over.

Talk soon,
Wrigley
Thank you so much! I wasn't planning on letting them free range unless I am in the yard with them. I wanted to start with pullets, maybe find out when the Little Rhody poultry fanciers are having a meet up and see who breeds what around here.
I really appreciate any advice you can give me, believe me I am paying attention!
thanks!

Beth
 
#14 ·
I'll keep my eyes and ears open for some that are near the POL. I have a friend that raises all different kinds of breeds. I guarantee you'll fall in love with your girls when you finally get them.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to start purchasing some of your equipment now, that way it won't be such a big hit to the piggy bank once you're ready to purchase your girls. Agway and TS have pretty decent prices. I get my pine shavings from Agway, they're softer than the shavings from TS.
Always happy to help,

Wrigley
 
#15 ·
I'll keep my eyes and ears open for some that are near the POL. I have a friend that raises all different kinds of breeds. I guarantee you'll fall in love with your girls when you finally get them.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to start purchasing some of your equipment now, that way it won't be such a big hit to the piggy bank once you're ready to purchase your girls. Agway and TS have pretty decent prices. I get my pine shavings from Agway, they're softer than the shavings from TS.
Always happy to help,

Wrigley
Actually, the reason I am waiting is because there is no income at my house. Hasn't been since August. We will be selling our business in the spring, and I am looking for a job. But we are ok, just can't spend now. But later on between selling at the local flea market and emptying out the business we should be in good shape for some birds.
Good idea though, for someone in other shoes than mine. :)
Thank you for ....taking me under your wing. (Ok ok I know...bad pun!) :)
 
#18 ·
You'll love the Australorps!! They get to be pretty good size, aprox. 8-9 lbs. with a great disposition. I would love to have a whole flock of Australorps.
Phantams or Bantams? Bantams are pretty small birds. I think the Americaunas lay colored eggs, like green and blue. My Easter Eggers lay both light green and light blue.

Wrigley
 
#19 ·
You'll love the Australorps!! They get to be pretty good size, aprox. 8-9 lbs. with a great disposition. I would love to have a whole flock of Australorps.
Phantams or Bantams? Bantams are pretty small birds. I think the Americaunas lay colored eggs, like green and blue. My Easter Eggers lay both light green and light blue.

Wrigley
I think she meant bantams! But telling me they are a breed of chicken...I just had to giggle a bit. :)
I hope I can find a local Australorp breeder around here, if I go with large fowl I am thinking they just might be my breed!!
 
#20 ·
Check out the Facebook page, Little Rhody something....put up a post and see who responds. I would think that there has to be somebody close by that raises them. I love mine, I call them the "Hepburns", Audrey and Kathrine.
 
#21 ·
Check out the Facebook page, Little Rhody something....put up a post and see who responds. I would think that there has to be somebody close by that raises them. I love mine, I call them the "Hepburns", Audrey and Kathrine.
Yeah, I will probably do that when the time comes. I don't think I will be getting them til May (my birthday is in May). Husband is still not 100% sold on the idea but he knows I have wanted chickens forever! Plus we will have more money then. He has already volunteered to build me a pen, but I am looking over tractor plans just in case he chickens out! I have no mechanical ability at all, but between myself and my friend Karen I am pretty sure we can build one.
 
#23 ·
That's a really good idea, do all your reasearch and prep-work now before get your birds. I think your husband will become more attached than he ever expected. They have the affect on you, or atleast they did on me and my wife, she is head-over-heels in love with them.





 
#25 ·
Well he does like eggs and if I do most of the work with them I think he will get used to the idea. He is the one who told me that West Warwick changed the law, so he had to know it would lead to all of this!

What kind of birds do you have and where did you find them? (You are from here, right?)
 
#26 ·
I have RIR's, Barred Rocks, Golden Comets, Black Sexlinks, Austrolorps, Buff Orpingtons and Easter Eggers, 16 birds total. I bought them as chicks last March at Agway in Westerly and Flemmings in Stonington, Ct. I have only lost one and that was at the four week mark to some kind of illness. I was crushed. We have been VERY lucky (knock on wood), no losses since then. I did get a little roo that was supposed to be a female. He started to get agressive to a couple of the girls after about six months, so I had to relocate him to a gentleman up the road from us. He's doing fine at his new home. That's him in my member avatar pic. his name is Charlie.

We've live here in RI for almost five years now.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top