Let them buy chicks

August 06. 2012 9:32PM
Chickens: Now legal by less than the dozen in NH
By NANCY BEAN FOSTER
http://www.unionleader.com/article/2...RE07/708079949

The is how the legislative system is supposed to work. A Free State Project participant, Ron Paul endorsing state rep talks to a constitute about how he can make the state more free. The constitute brings up a concern. The state rep writes up a law and gets it passed.

Now there is additional economic freedom in NH. Now it is easier for people to be healthier in NH. Now there will be positive effects on businesses in NH, because of this new law, which repealed an old, bad law.

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DERRY — It's recently become a lot easier to raise backyard chickens in New Hampshire due to the repeal of a law requiring folks to buy chicks by the dozen. The man who sponsored the bill, Derry state Rep. Andrew Manuse, is celebrating by raising some hens of his own.

Manuse said he first heard of the law requiring people to buy a minimum of 12 chicks from his friends, Michael and Erica Layon.

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“What really bothered me is I could have crossed the border into Maine or Massachusetts and bought as many chicks as I wanted to,” said Erica Layon. “But I didn't want to break the law over chickens.”

At a time when having access to fresh, local, organic food is increasingly important to people, Manuse said it was time for the law to go.

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“With the factory farms forcing chickens into one-foot-by-one-foot cages and injecting them with hormones, it gets to the point where you don't want to put this stuff in your body,” said Manuse. “And we're conservatives talking here, so that should raise some eyebrows about our food supply.”

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The repeal should have a positive effect on business, said Garth Witty of Blue Seal Feed and Grain in Milford.

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For Manuse, the repeal of the law means his own family can reap the benefits of a back yard chicken coop. He recently purchased three chicks.

“Because we repealed this law, my family is able to get in the game,” said Manuse. “My daughter is loving it.”

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My Farm store in In has a minimum of five on chicks but no minimum that I am aware of for ducks and turkeys.

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Originally Posted by oyarde

My Farm store in In has a minimum of five on chicks but no minimum that I am aware of for ducks and turkeys.

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One of the comments on the article mentions why NH may have created the old minimum on chicks law in the 1st place. I know that some people do that with dogs, cats, snakes, spiders and so on. It is really sad :( but just because there are some horrible owners out there, a law like this doesn't need to be in place.

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John Mercier said:
Mr. Rossi... It isn't trivial for many. The statute was enacted because chicks were sold as singles as part of an Easter campaign by some retailers. Once Easter had passed the chicks grew, lost their 'cuddle' appeal and got 'disposed of'. Had they either been raised to lay eggs, or even 'harvested'... the statute may have never been enacted.
August 7, 2012 10:17 am

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Originally Posted by Keith and stuff

One of the comments on the article mentions why NH may have created the old minimum on chicks law in the 1st place. I know that some people do that with dogs, cats, snakes, spiders and so on. It is really sad :( but just because there are some horrible owners out there, a law like this doesn't need to be in place.

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That is exactly why minimum laws were made where I grew up too, you will also see even larger minimums from some mail order places that ship nationally , as an example , on quail and pheasants , usually 25 to 50.

When they are first hatched it is beneficial to have groups of 6 or 8 for warmth , I would not go with just three because of that . If I wanted only a half dozen eggs a week , I would just try and buy three grown hens .

Naturally though :) , I am opposed to any legislation ....

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Originally Posted by Keith and stuff

“With the factory farms forcing chickens into one-foot-by-one-foot cages and injecting them with hormones, it gets to the point where you don't want to put this stuff in your body,” said Manuse. “And we're conservatives talking here, so that should raise some eyebrows about our food supply.”

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Not true. Hormones aren't used on chickens in the US anyways.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/fact_sheets...le/index.asp#6
got the link from marksdailyapple.


edit: I do like the message in the OP though, glad to hear of it.

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Originally Posted by oyarde

Naturally though :) , I am opposed to any legislation ....

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The way you typed that, someone might, somehow think, you are opposed to legislation... to repeal previous legislation :)

Around here, it's nearly impossible to get cockerels. They told me I would have to order a dozen to get any at all. All I need is one so my hens will lay fertile eggs and I can incubate them for the next season. Guess they don't want people to be able to hatch their own chickens.

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Originally Posted by Dr.3D

Around here, it's nearly impossible to get cockerels. They told me I would have to order a dozen to get any at all. All I need is one so my hens will lay fertile eggs and I can incubate them for the next season. Guess they don't want people to be able to hatch their own chickens.

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I can get three ,around $2 ea from the big hatchery in OK , but the shipping would be round $30. Buddy of mine offered to give me an old White Leghorn Rooster , I am undecided....

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Originally Posted by Keith and stuff

The way you typeed that, someone might, somehow think, you are opposed to legislation... to repeal previous legislation :)

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Yeah , I guess what I mean is , there should be no law about the number purchased....

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Originally Posted by oyarde

I can get three ,around $2 ea from the big hatchery in OK , but the shipping would be round $30. Buddy of mine offered to give me an old White Leghorn Rooster , I am undecided....

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I have Plymouth Barred Rock hens and would like to have a rooster of the same breed. They are a large chicken that lays brown eggs. Good for eating and laying. I checked around and last I knew, I would have to drive around 50 miles one way to get one.

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Originally Posted by Dr.3D

I have Plymouth Barred Rock hens and would like to have a rooster of the same breed. They are a large chicken that lays brown eggs. Good for eating and laying. I checked around and last I knew, I would have to drive around 50 miles one way to get one.

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My newest hens are half Rock Barred and half Rhode Island Red , they are great ( brown eggs ).Yes , you need a Rock Barred Rooster, if you have to drive that far , better get two :)

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Originally Posted by specsaregood

Not true. Hormones aren't used on chickens in the US anyways.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/fact_sheets...le/index.asp#6
got the link from marksdailyapple.


edit: I do like the message in the OP though, glad to hear of it.

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How do they get them to mature so fast? I believe it's something like 40 days instead of 72.

I need to go into the Farm store this weekend , they have store brand bags of laying mash on sale for 21 cents a pound , including tax.

When I bought my chickens I built the coop for 3 hens. But when buying chicks, you are not guaranteed that they will be hens.

So going with the 50/50 stats, I bought 6 chicks. But the kid who was selling them seemed to be very good at guessing the sex of the chicken so when I got home I immediately turned around and gave 2 of the chicks away figuring we would likely get 3 out of the remaining 4 as hens. That ended up being the case, so once the 4th started to crow we gave it away so that we could have just 3 hens for laying eggs.

I just checked my county statutes today and saw that chickens are not allowed in residential zones. Fortunately none of my neighbors were dicks while we had the chickens.

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Originally Posted by John F Kennedy III

How do they get them to mature so fast? I believe it's something like 40 days instead of 72.

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What do I look like? A bio-engineer? Go research it and let me know. :) I'm just providing what the USDA says, if you have credible alternate information feel free to pass it along.

thought this was going to be a legalize prostitution thread lol..

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Originally Posted by Dr.3D

Around here, it's nearly impossible to get cockerels. They told me I would have to order a dozen to get any at all. All I need is one so my hens will lay fertile eggs and I can incubate them for the next season. Guess they don't want people to be able to hatch their own chickens.

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Get a dozen,,and make some room in the freezer.
;)

This is good I think, get rid of old dumb laws.. Needs to happen all over.
Not new laws though.. Get rid of the dumb ones and replace them with nothing.

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Originally Posted by specsaregood

What do I look like? A bio-engineer? Go research it and let me know. :) I'm just providing what the USDA says, if you have credible alternate information feel free to pass it along.

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I'll see what I can find. Lazy ass :p

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Originally Posted by John F Kennedy III

How do they get them to mature so fast? I believe it's something like 40 days instead of 72.

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Diet of broiler-breed chickens.

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Originally Posted by Nirvikalpa

Diet of broiler-breed chickens.

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i believe it has more to do with the breed.

<-- raises "meaties" :)

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Originally Posted by John F Kennedy III

How do they get them to mature so fast? I believe it's something like 40 days instead of 72.

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I do not know much about commercial production , but from the big hacheries , you can buy a specific one called a " broiler " which are meant to grow quickly and butcher , there is even different blends of feed for meatbirds, including quail , pheseants and ducks ( I have never checked the ingredients , so , do not know what is in it ). My Grandfather had a huge hen house and we sold eggs , ate chickens too , but never raised broilers, we made our own feed out of our corn.

I would imagine 12 chicks would do better together than just 3 chick in a huddle.. sheesh I remember my dad buying 100 chicks at a time. he partitioned off part of our old disconnected garage with a long board.. newpaper down and sawdust over that. huddle lights and chick feed and water and you were good to go. of course I did go into a major fit when he killed the first ones for a barbque... the killing part never went over well with me.. not sure I could go with it today if I reproduced his method since I still have the old garage available..