# New to chickens



## thepioneerwife (Jun 8, 2013)

My husband and I are desperately saving our dough for some acreage to start our homestead. In the meantime we have seriously scared our friends and family with the serious garden we cultivate from our small suburban backyard. We want to get chickens now and upgrade the experience. Neither of us have ever had chickens and our two biggest concerns are if the neighbors will hate us or if we can get an automated coop door since we have a cat next door and a long time resident skunk under the shed who great grandad skunk claimed twenty years ago. What are some of the complaints you've had from neighbors and how did it end up? What do you use for a coop door?


----------



## Reinerchick (May 10, 2013)

Check your cities animal laws. It will usually say how many chickens you can have, if any. And sometimes coop standards. In most neighborhoods they do not allow roosters. I haven't had any complaints, and I live in a subdivision with 8 chickens, all hens. Hens do not really make any noise except a faint clucking and when they are scared/trapped/ect. If you have cats that go outside that could be a problem. We had to build a lot more to our coop and run than expected because of our neighborhood cats. Plus raccoons are a huge problem in neighborhoods with chickens. DO NOT use chicken wire, they squeeze there hands through and will literally pull the head right off...gross I know! I think it's called Hardware Cloth Wire you are supposed to use? Ask your hardware store. But chickens are tons of fun! And very addicting! Lol! For breeds I would suggest Amaracauna, Silkies, or Buff Orpingtons. All hardy and great layers. I wish you the best of luck with your homesteading, as that is what I am doing too! Have fun!!


----------



## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

Get the book about chickens and gardens. Chickens often destroy veg gardens much to the owners dismay. :-(


----------

