[vash]

i've done it.

yes, they smell a bit. not offensive to me, but dont kid yourself..they smell. my hens are..well, were EVERY BIT as loud as a rooster. i let mine run free. in the morning they would scream bloody murder for me to let them out. if you never let them taste freedom, maybe they will shut the eff up..mine had me held hostage. one dozen *****y hens screaming in unison. good lord.

my hens consistently laid eggs, one egg from each bird, every single day, for three years. that is alot of eggs. my neighbors would bring me egg cartons, i fill them and return the carton full to them. eggs were delicious. super fresh eggs were impossible to peel as hardboiled.

after they stopped laying, i had free loaders living with me. they just ate, screamed at me, ate, and crapped all over the place. i made a decision and killed them. they were very very tough to eat. even as a coq eu vin. so i made the BEST chicken stock ever. i froze bags of the stuff and i made the best soups ever.

my mistakes? build the coop before you get the birds. really think about what to do with the birds when they quit laying. you cant really introduce new babies because they will get beaten down by the older birds. get comfortable with killing them and eating them? i named my birds after food dishes. "curry" was my favorite.

plan a compost bin, because you will have lots to compost.