# Mail order chickens **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 25, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970 "2011-03-25T14:48:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/61 "2011-07-09T19:01:07Z")
So, which one is Beatrice? Did she turn out to be the queen of the hen house? ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/62 "2011-07-09T19:09:58Z")
Renee, this may be a dumb question but do chickens get parasites such as fleas and ticks? We once had a goat as a pet. Goats do not make good pets as we could not keep her contained and she would climb on top of my new car to do her business. I was told goats will find the highest place to defecate. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/63 "2011-07-09T19:43:25Z")
[Beatrice](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-994YmHJAsFY/Thiu7qXepGI/AAAAAAAAJrg/o5qqv_l4Ums/s512/IMG_4828.JPG). And no, not the queen. The bossiest of the babies is the Barred Rock (black and white one), but for now, the adult girls are still top of the pecking order. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/64 "2011-07-09T19:44:58Z")
**Fed Up** : they don’t get ticks (they’re great for keeping ticks out of your yard, because they eat them)…fleas, though, I don’t know. Mine don’t have fleas, but I’m not sure if that’s a possibility or not. They can get chicken lice and mites, though, neither of which affect humans. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/65 "2011-07-09T20:49:00Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > **Fed Up** : they don’t get ticks (they’re great for keeping ticks out of your yard, because they eat them)…fleas, though, I don’t know. Mine don’t have fleas, but I’m not sure if that’s a possibility or not. They can get chicken lice and mites, though, neither of which affect humans. I believe only mammals get ticks or fleas. Fleas don’t live on humans, although they will bite us. Bird parasites aren’t usually a problem for people. ---
**Author:** ![No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_umlaut_for_U)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/66 "2011-07-10T00:21:13Z")
Mites are more the issue with birds, poultry or pets. Or poultry pets. I don’t think they will transfer to people. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/67 "2011-07-10T09:04:47Z")
Back when I was in college someone gave me some chicks for Easter. You know, the ones that are dyed Easter colors. Their cuteness soon gave way to the overpowering stench of their poop. And of course the bigger they grew the worse the stench. Not a good thing when you’re living in a rooming house. I finally donated them to the Psych Department, for experiments (non-hurting or -killing). ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/68 "2011-07-10T12:41:41Z")
Yeah, when they were young and living in the house, they were stinkier. As adults free-ranging with a big coop, honestly they barely smell at all. For some reason, they smelled worse as very young chicks than they did at a few weeks, too. I didn’t just get used to this, either, I specifically asked visitors if they could smell them in my living room because I was paranoid that I was becoming inured to the smell, and no one could. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/69 "2011-07-10T13:39:58Z")
Instruct your chickens not to cross the road. Teach your children well. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/70 "2011-07-11T19:07:40Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > Did you ever get your chicks, **Little Bird**? Yes, and they are _awesome_! They showed up two weeks ago tomorrow and I swear I can watch them growing. I’ve been putting pics and vids on my [blog](http://thefamilyfairchild.com/), tonight when I change their litter I’m gonna try to put a few more up–but they are so damn fast and squirmy now! I got two easter eggers, one welsummer, one speckled sussex, and one partridge cochin. I carefully planned it out to get docile and friendly, cold hardy chickens who all lay a different color egg. > [@teela\_brown](#): > > So will you install a “chick cam” so we can watch them grow up in real time? I did a chick cam! It’s right here: [www.ustream.tv/channel/teresa-s-chickens](http://www.ustream.tv/channel/teresa-s-chickens). Unfortunately the only way to to it is to hook up the laptop in the bathroom, and it’s a little buggy, so it doesn’t always work, but I have it up most of the time that I’m at work. Yay Chickies! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/71 "2011-07-11T20:02:03Z")
Glad you’re enjoying them; I’ve been surprised at what great pets they make. They’re even better when they’re adults. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/72 "2011-07-13T14:32:31Z")
FYI, my ustream is currently up and running, so if you are looking for a bunch of topless chicks running around, go to [www.ustream.tv/channel/teresa-s-chickens](http://www.ustream.tv/channel/teresa-s-chickens). ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/73 "2011-07-13T15:19:38Z")
Your chickens really are good looking birds. What future plans do you have for them, Renee? ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/74 "2011-07-13T17:47:00Z")
Your little birds are very adorable **Little Bird**! 😃 I’d love to have chickens. As it is, all I’ve got is scads of wild bunnies and chipmunks. What I need is a good rat snake. \ ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/75 "2011-07-13T18:22:09Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > Yeah, when they were young and living in the house, they were stinkier. As adults free-ranging with a big coop, honestly they barely smell at all. For some reason, they smelled worse as very young chicks than they did at a few weeks, too. I didn’t just get used to this, either, I specifically asked visitors if they could smell them in my living room because I was paranoid that I was becoming inured to the smell, and no one could. As a frequent visitor to \*\*Renee’s,\*\*I can confirm that the chicks in the house didn’t smell. She kept their box really clean. The **goats** on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970/76 "2011-07-13T22:31:29Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > Your little birds are very adorable **Little Bird**! 😃 > > I’d love to have chickens. As it is, all I’ve got is scads of wild bunnies and chipmunks. What I need is a good rat snake. \ There’s a chicken-keeping club in Lexington called the Cluck! Coop-erative that are a really great resource if you decide to take the plunge and get bitty birdies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mail-order-chickens/575970.md?page=3)