Chickens as Pets?
 

Does anyone keep chickens at pets? Specifically in NY where it gets cold.
I dont need a permit for them right?
I can build a big coop for them but does it need a heat source or do these guys produce their own heat?
What size coop is good for 10-12 chickens?
Anyone know someone or a website that is selling them?

I don't know about NY, sorry.
Yes, people keep chickens as pets and also as a source of the occasional fresh egg. I kept a LOT o chickens over the years. They can be lots of fun and there's a LOT of different breeds to choose from according to what you want to do with the chicken.

Murray McMurray is a long time hatchery with a ton of different breeds to choose from. Most hatcherys will have a "hatching season" so you may have a wait to get chicks of certain types. Hatcheries send chicks that have just hatched(they arrive at 3 days old) so that they don't have to eat or drink on the shipping trip in their box.

Anytime it is very cold, chickens should have a heat source of some sort, although shelter is sometimes enough(depending on the shelter and the level of cold weather). Baby chicks DO need heat, draft-free conditions and proper food and water at all times.

There's a TON of books on keeping chickens, and you could probably find one at your local library or online on Amazon to buy cheaply. Keeping a few chickens is very popular right now, so there's most like a lot of sites for the home keeper of poultry to find online.

I hope this helped, and I would contact the local Animal Control to ask about legalty of keeping chickens where you are.

I don't know about new york, but in NH it is not legal to keep roosters in city limits, however hens ARE allowed. That is the only regulation that I know of regarding keeping chickens.

Also, as far as buying, if you go have a local Agway or other feed store, you can purchase chicks from them. You order the type you want and when they are available from the farmer, you pick them up at the store.

You can also see if there are any local 4-H'ers with birds for sale--check your county fair's fancy poultry classes to get an idea of breeds. 4-H'ers are usually easy to approach and really proud of their birds, so you may be able to talk with them and hear more about their experiences with breeds that you're interested in.

Also, there are lots of fancy poultry shows, you should be able to find them with a google search, great place to buy just a few birds, meet with some top breeders, etc. Late summer/fall are usually the busy season for them.

Just as with any other animal, the best quality and customer support will often come from the private breeders--hatcheries/feed stores have chicks (usually not purchased from local farmers but from huge hatchery operations), but the quality of the birds, their care, and the knowledge of the people selling the animals will often be less.

I keep chickens as pets! I have no idea about permits in NY. There are many breeds of chickens that do not need any heat in the winter, just shelter. Baby chicks need heat for 4-5 weeks then you can put them outside. I would get your chicks in the spring or summer so they are older when winter comes. I recommend Wyandotte chickens (I own a few and they are my favorite breed). They come in many colors and patterns, lay well, cold hardy and are beautiful! The first Wyandotte were created in New York!!!! If your still are needing a coop...let me know I got nice plans for a great coop. I can send you pics of the one I built if you want to see the end result. I bought many chicks from Murray McMurray Hatchery and they have always sent me good stock.

I have 20 birds and live in MA. Hatched some and bought the rest from Tractor Supply co ( Chick days is going on now!) We do not use heat for our birds in our coop, they did FINE all winter! You want to have good DRY bedding in the super cold months, generally straw/hay mixed with shavings.

Check out backyardchickens.com if you want a chicken specific website for more info.

I raise mine on layer crumbles ( start em on chick starter, medicated is better IMHO but some do not use it) I like it because if they do have issues with Coccidia the medicated feed helps their immune systems to keep it in check. You should be able to look up NY state laws and livestock laws on their website. Just do some google searches. Backyard chickens may also be able to help you out with that on their forums.

I love your video, chickens are so relaxing to watch. I used to hang out on the backyardchickens.com forum!

Just don't do this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1AUWb8sVF4