# Need (live) chicken advice



## xellil

I'm getting ready to fence my yard in a couple of weeks. It's going to be a fairly large area (about an acre) and I want to get chickens to run the whole area to eat the grasshoppers that will be stripping everything naked this summer.

I have several questions -

Do I have to have a rooster if I don't want baby chickens? 

If I do get a rooster, will he attack Snorkels and Parker?

Will the chickens attack Snorkels and Parker?

Do I just feed them chicken feed from the feed store? During grasshopper season, can i just let them eat grasshoppers and nothing else?

What kind of chickens do I get? Is there a breed that is nice to little dogs? I don't want to have to worry about my dogs getting their eyes pecked every time they go outside.

I'm probably just going to start with 3-4 chickens but I'd like to end up with 25 or so.

thanks


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## chowder

My husband has been researching chickens for the last year to get us ready for our own. The Havana Silk Dog we get is even suppose to be a 'chicken herding' breed. 

He has settled on the Australorp as the best backyard breed. He has been on a lot of forums and discussed it with a ton of people who have chickens. We want them mostly for bug control and egg laying. 

Australorp

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Lorps/BRKLorps.html


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## xellil

woo! Those look fancy. there are some for sale in craigslist, too. 

Apparently chickens can be mixed breeds just like dogs. I had no idea.


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## Sprocket

xellil said:


> I'm getting ready to fence my yard in a couple of weeks. It's going to be a fairly large area (about an acre) and I want to get chickens to run the whole area to eat the grasshoppers that will be stripping everything naked this summer.
> 
> I have several questions -
> 
> Do I have to have a rooster if I don't want baby chickens?
> *No*
> If I do get a rooster, will he attack Snorkels and Parker?
> *He might*
> Will the chickens attack Snorkels and Parker?
> *They might peck them if they stick their nose in the wire but shouldn't chase them*
> Do I just feed them chicken feed from the feed store? During grasshopper season, can i just let them eat grasshoppers and nothing else?
> *They can eat most anything*
> What kind of chickens do I get? Is there a breed that is nice to little dogs? I don't want to have to worry about my dogs getting their eyes pecked every time they go outside.
> *It depends on your environment. I wouldn't get a breed intended for cold weather. There are many breeds that are adapted to warmer weather*
> I'm probably just going to start with 3-4 chickens but I'd like to end up with 25 or so.
> *3 is the minimum you should do. 25 is flipping awesome!*
> thanks


Answers in bold


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## xellil

They wouldn't be on another side of the wire. The dogs and the chickens would all be in the yard together. Do you think that would be ok? I want the chickens to be able to go pretty much anywhere so they can get to the grasshoppers and other bugs.

So probably not a rooster, then.


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## Sprocket

xellil said:


> They wouldn't be on another side of the wire. The dogs and the chickens would all be in the yard together. Do you think that would be ok? I want the chickens to be able to go pretty much anywhere so they can get to the grasshoppers and other bugs.
> 
> So probably not a rooster, then.


One boss hen might peck them. I wouldn't leave them alone together.

The hens should leave the dogs alone.


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## xellil

My dad told me I'd need 6000 chickens to take care of the grasshoppers, but if I can get up to 25 I'll be doing good!

Last year all the trees and bushes were completely stripped bare. Which means the sun from the west beats on the house, and dries out the dirt around the foundation, which causes the foundation watering system to run full blast and me have a $500 water bill in August. 

The eggs will be a bonus, but I really need some grasshopper control that doesn't involve spraying a bunch of insecticide.


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## xellil

Sprocket said:


> One boss hen might peck them. I wouldn't leave them alone together.
> 
> The hens should leave the dogs alone.


What's the difference in a boss hen and a hen? Sorry, I just know absolutely nothing.


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## Sprocket

xellil said:


> What's the difference in a boss hen and a hen? Sorry, I just know absolutely nothing.


Chickens are kind of like wild horses.

The rooster is the stallion.

The boss hen is the boss mare. She is actually the leader while the rooster is just the man meat who protects his ladies :tongue:

The rest of the hens are part of the herd.

Chickens have a pecking order just like horses.


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## xellil

Ah. It kind of defeats the purpose of the chickens if they don't have full run of all sides of the house. Maybe I could fence half and half and switch the dogs and the chickens from side to side.


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## Sprocket

xellil said:


> Ah. It kind of defeats the purpose of the chickens if they don't have full run of all sides of the house. Maybe I could fence half and half and switch the dogs and the chickens from side to side.


I personally think they will be able to coexist together. My dogs never bothered the hens.


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## xellil

Sprocket said:


> I personally think they will be able to coexist together. My dogs never bothered the hens.


I'm more worried about the chickens bothering Snorkels. I'm sure the dogs will be ok with the chickens although I might have to explain to Rebel he can't eat them.

I guess I can try with the yard all open. I won't leave snorkels alone out there but I found out when my son's cat attacked her that I'm really not much help.


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## dustinshaw98

xellil said:


> I'm getting ready to fence my yard in a couple of weeks. It's going to be a fairly large area (about an acre) and I want to get chickens to run the whole area to eat the grasshoppers that will be stripping everything naked this summer.
> 
> I have several questions -
> 
> Do I have to have a rooster if I don't want baby chickens?
> 
> If I do get a rooster, will he attack Snorkels and Parker?
> 
> Will the chickens attack Snorkels and Parker?
> 
> Do I just feed them chicken feed from the feed store? During grasshopper season, can i just let them eat grasshoppers and nothing else?
> 
> What kind of chickens do I get? Is there a breed that is nice to little dogs? I don't want to have to worry about my dogs getting their eyes pecked every time they go outside.
> 
> I'm probably just going to start with 3-4 chickens but I'd like to end up with 25 or so.
> 
> thanks


The chickens will, of course, attack. But trust me, any dog will love the chase. They're born to chase and hunt. Even small toy dogs will love it.


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## xellil

dustinshaw98 said:


> The chickens will, of course, attack. But trust me, any dog will love the chase. They're born to chase and hunt. Even small toy dogs will love it.


Well, maybe I can try them all together. I'm probably worried for no reason.


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## wolfsnaps88

Do you plan on getting a coop I hope? There are always predators around regardless of where you live so even if you plan on letting them free range, they need to be able to get into a shelter.
I have done a ton of research as I really want chickens and rabbits myself. 25 chickens is a lot of chickens. Just remember, they poop. And it smells. And it might attract mice and such. Start of with a small amount and see if you even like having chickens. Snorkels seems like the type of girl that can handle herself but I would suggest supervising them for a while until you see how they are with each other. I myself am worried Dozer might chase the chickens. 

I would not get a rooster if I were you. They are loud and obnoxious. If you don't want to breed there is no need for one. I would buy a good chicken feed from a feed store and also give them table scraps. They are an omnivore so meat here and there is fine. They will even eat eggs and chicken because they are carnivorous little beasts. The more healthy scraps you supply, the better they will be. Of course they will eat bugs too but I wouldn't rely soley on that. Offer some chicken feed too. If you want eggs (even if its just a bonus aspect of keeping chickens) they will need a place to lay them (in the coop) so consider that as well. 

There is no nice to dogs breed. LOL I have heard Orpingtons are a nice breed, mellow and don't mind being handled. There are many good layer breeds as well. 

Some day I will get my flock started. I have a 'plan' that will take 'money' which is why I havent started yet. But when I do, you guys will be notified. LOL


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## magicre

xellil said:


> I'm getting ready to fence my yard in a couple of weeks. It's going to be a fairly large area (about an acre) and I want to get chickens to run the whole area to eat the grasshoppers that will be stripping everything naked this summer.
> 
> I have several questions -
> 
> Do I have to have a rooster if I don't want baby chickens?
> 
> If I do get a rooster, will he attack Snorkels and Parker?
> 
> Will the chickens attack Snorkels and Parker?
> 
> Do I just feed them chicken feed from the feed store? During grasshopper season, can i just let them eat grasshoppers and nothing else?
> 
> What kind of chickens do I get? Is there a breed that is nice to little dogs? I don't want to have to worry about my dogs getting their eyes pecked every time they go outside.
> 
> I'm probably just going to start with 3-4 chickens but I'd like to end up with 25 or so.
> 
> thanks


i'd be more concerned about snorkels.


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## Sprocket

So many people dislike roosters.

I LOVE their crowing. I think it's beautiful. I love how majestic and proud they are


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## wolfsnaps88

Majestic and 4 am do not go together...ever. I know not every rooster will crow that early, but I have a friend who is about ready to shoot his because he crows that early. They also crow throughout the day, not just in the morning. If you like it, great. Hopefully your neighbors will too.


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## Sprocket

wolfsnaps88 said:


> Majestic and 4 am do not go together...ever. I know not every rooster will crow that early, but I have a friend who is about ready to shoot his because he crows that early. They also crow throughout the day, not just in the morning. If you like it, great. Hopefully your neighbors will too.


I am an early riser so 4 am is 7am for me  I love it and them.


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## xellil

wolfsnaps88 said:


> Do you plan on getting a coop I hope? There are always predators around regardless of where you live so even if you plan on letting them free range, they need to be able to get into a shelter.
> I have done a ton of research as I really want chickens and rabbits myself. 25 chickens is a lot of chickens. Just remember, they poop. And it smells. And it might attract mice and such. Start of with a small amount and see if you even like having chickens. Snorkels seems like the type of girl that can handle herself but I would suggest supervising them for a while until you see how they are with each other. I myself am worried Dozer might chase the chickens.
> 
> I would not get a rooster if I were you. They are loud and obnoxious. If you don't want to breed there is no need for one. I would buy a good chicken feed from a feed store and also give them table scraps. They are an omnivore so meat here and there is fine. They will even eat eggs and chicken because they are carnivorous little beasts. The more healthy scraps you supply, the better they will be. Of course they will eat bugs too but I wouldn't rely soley on that. Offer some chicken feed too. If you want eggs (even if its just a bonus aspect of keeping chickens) they will need a place to lay them (in the coop) so consider that as well.
> 
> There is no nice to dogs breed. LOL I have heard Orpingtons are a nice breed, mellow and don't mind being handled. There are many good layer breeds as well.
> 
> Some day I will get my flock started. I have a 'plan' that will take 'money' which is why I havent started yet. But when I do, you guys will be notified. LOL


I'm going to start with 3-4 and yes I will have a coop. The main reason I'm not getting 25 to start with is I dont' want to build a giant coop and then decide I don't want chickens!


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## DaneMama

Our chickens don't attack the dogs, hens or roosters. I wouldn't worry about that. As long as you raise your chicks around your dogs they should coexist nicely unless the dogs realize what chickens are on the food chain LOL :wink: 

We have two roosters and 27 hens....if you don't want chicks, pick up all the eggs and refrigerate them asap to stop all development. Some people don't like fertilized eggs for eating...I personally don't care and I'm pretty sure dogs aren't that picky about it either.


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## Liz

We had a dozen chickens a few years ago and will be getting 6 laying hens and some meat chickens this year again!! We had barred rocks, orphigtons, and Rhode Island Reds. They all had free roam of the yard with the collies and shelties during the day and I penned them at night with their coop for safety. Our feed store showed us a mix for the chickens because I didn't want the so but they mostly ate bugs, and scraps from the house. Eggs are incredible and they did wonderful with the dogs. Dogs would sleep in the sun and a chicken or two would sleep curled up with a dog or on a dog. Looked crazy.


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## BearMurphy

i have so many ticks on my property and fenced in my yard this year so I have been interested in this too........

so if you start with chicks, i assume you raise them in your home at first. is that how your dog gets used to them as not being prey? my dog is a lab/bc mix with an intense prey drive so I would be worried that they couldn't co-exist too well, but I guess they could always be put in their coop when the dog is out....

I would use the chicken poop for garden fertilizer so I would imagine they poop all over the yard when not in their coop which would make it hard to collect. how do you deal with that? do your dogs eat alot of it?

i live on an acre of land surrounded by neighbors on three sides...are they going to hate me if I have a chickens? i wouldn't get a rooster but would put the coop in the far back corner which isn't super close to their houses but i'm not sure how bad the smell is


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## shellbell

I would advise not getting a rooster, unless you want to make him dog food at some point, lol. My dad recently shot the rooster he and my mom had. They didn’t intend to get one in the first place, when they got their baby chicks, they were supposed to be all female, but well… That rooster was a mean thing. And I don’t think the hens much cared for him, he was always jumping on top of them and pulling their feathers out. And he tried to attack people. After he made my dad bleed, my dad decided it was time to pop him one.

My parents do have a very nice chicken trailer that they use for a coop.


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## xellil

I hadn't thought about chicken crap all over the yard - I guess it can fertilize the grass. I wonder if chickens eat fire ants. I doubt it.

Oh I couldn't shoot a rooster. We better not get one. There's a fellow here that sells about a dozen varieties of chickens and he guarantees females and will take back any accidental roosters. He also helps if you have problems so I'll probably buy from him. 

I'm not going to put chickens in my house. The weather is decent and my yard will be fenced so unless the coyotes get pretty daring they should be ok in the yard. My nieghbors also told me I should buy grown chickens so I may just do that.


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## xellil

BearMurphy said:


> i live on an acre of land surrounded by neighbors on three sides...are they going to hate me if I have a chickens? i wouldn't get a rooster but would put the coop in the far back corner which isn't super close to their houses but i'm not sure how bad the smell is


Unless you have some kind of town rule or homeowner's association that prohibits farm animals the neighbors have no reason to complain. I can't imagine chickens stinking very bad unless you have a whole bunch of them. Of course, i could be wrong!


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## naturalfeddogs

xellil said:


> I'm getting ready to fence my yard in a couple of weeks. It's going to be a fairly large area (about an acre) and I want to get chickens to run the whole area to eat the grasshoppers that will be stripping everything naked this summer.
> 
> I have several questions -
> 
> Do I have to have a rooster if I don't want baby chickens?
> 
> If I do get a rooster, will he attack Snorkels and Parker?
> 
> Will the chickens attack Snorkels and Parker?
> 
> Do I just feed them chicken feed from the feed store? During grasshopper season, can i just let them eat grasshoppers and nothing else?
> 
> What kind of chickens do I get? Is there a breed that is nice to little dogs? I don't want to have to worry about my dogs getting their eyes pecked every time they go outside.
> 
> I'm probably just going to start with 3-4 chickens but I'd like to end up with 25 or so.
> 
> thanks


The chickens won't go after the dogs, but I would be careful of a rooster, including yourself. Ours has started attacking us evryday, and he's fixen' to be elsewhere. I guess the dogs may go after them, watch that too. Ours are in a coop so the dogs can't get them.

No, you don't have to have a rooster. You will still get eggs just unfertalized. Even is they do get fertalized, as lon as you don't incubate them it won't matter. 

You can get layer feed at feed stores. They will eat the grasshoppers, but they will also eat the grass, most weeds etc... I would still feed layer feed anyway, to be sure eggs have good shells and the hens keep producing well. Some breeds are known to be good layers, some not so much.

A good site to look at and ask questions is backyardchickens.com. I learned A LOT there when we first got chickens.


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## 3Musketeers

As long as there are no roosters in there, you shouldn't have to worry about baby chickens, lol.


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## wolfsnaps88

They will eat your garden. They will eat a lot of things. Either don't have a garden. or fence it in. I have considered guineas too. I am going to start with chickens first though. I wonder if anyone has guineas?


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## twoisplenty

I am ordering my 20 Plymoth Rocks this Saturday  I also was hoping they could free range my front yard but my dogs enjoy chasing things so we have decided to fence an area off for them. We also have alot of hawks and owls. I was told to not be surprised if a chicken or two goes missing and thats why most chicken keepers have a completely covered chicken pen. I guess we will just have to see how it goes  I hope everyone posts pictures of their new chickens.


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## wolfsnaps88

YES I am worried about hawks too! They are always circling my house, like an ominous warning or something. I am considering building (and by 'I' I mean my husband) a chicken tractor that I can drag around my yard. Stupid hawks.


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## magicre

i have what might be a d'oh question...

what do you feed a chicken in the winter...they can forage in the spring/summer....but what about fall/winter?


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## shellbell

magicre said:


> i have what might be a d'oh question...
> 
> what do you feed a chicken in the winter...they can forage in the spring/summer....but what about fall/winter?



I think my parents buy chicken feed for them, and they also get produce scraps and such.


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## Liz

I know there are non corn/no soy meals for chickens that are very expensive but we will go that route if I can't find a recipe for a homemade mix.


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## chowder

wolfsnaps88 said:


> YES I am worried about hawks too! They are always circling my house, like an ominous warning or something. I am considering building (and by 'I' I mean my husband) a chicken tractor that I can drag around my yard. Stupid hawks.


We are going to keep ours in a 'chicken moat' instead of the tractor idea. It sounds ideal to keep hawks away and keep the chickens out of the garden.

Construct a Chicken Moat for Effective Garden Pest Control


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## magicre

Liz said:


> I know there are non corn/no soy meals for chickens that are very expensive but we will go that route if I can't find a recipe for a homemade mix.


you are getting chickens too?

where you live it is zoned for this?

could you put me on the list to buy eggs from you? i'll supply my own cartons.


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## twoisplenty

chowder said:


> We are going to keep ours in a 'chicken moat' instead of the tractor idea. It sounds ideal to keep hawks away and keep the chickens out of the garden.
> 
> Construct a Chicken Moat for Effective Garden Pest Control


Thats kinda neat, its like a chicken race track


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## xellil

Man, that fancy stuff is too much for me!! i just want some old boxes in some kind of wooden structure for a coop.


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## AveryandAudrey

Ok I've never owned chickens personally but my mother had them for years and up until i was about 1 or 2 years old. From what I know, They'll love the grass hoppers no doubt, but yes they will still need feed. Store bought feed will do. You do not need a rooster unless you want an alarm clock and fertilized eggs. And I doubt the chickens will bother the dogs unless the dogs get near their eggs they might make a littler fluff cluck and then the dogs will probably go away or if the dogs get agressive, then you'll have raw chicken for dinner. :shocked:


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## creek817

We have a Rhode Island Red and an Isaah Brown, and a younger one who is some sort of crossbreed (we traded the rooster for her, because we couldn't stand the 4am crowing anymore! - the coop is RIGHT next to our bedroom!). My advice would be to, if you can, raise them from day old, or at least young. They will be very friendly with people, and with the dogs. Dobby and one of our chickens are best mates. The chicken comes when you call her, and usually faster than the dogs! Dobby lets her take his food right out from under his nose - he did try to chase them the first day we had him home, but as soon as he figured out that wasn't what he was supposed to do, it's been all good ever since. 

They are incredibly messy though! I suggest keeping them away from whatever door you walk out of somehow. Ours hang out on the verandah next to Dobby's bed and there is always chicken poo there. It's absolutely disgusting. We really need to find a way to keep them off the verandah.

As far as feed goes, ours get a Layer mix, and whatever food scraps we have.

There is NOTHING better than a super duper fresh egg!!!

Have fun =)


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## creek817

Dobby and Tisha - BFF. haha


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## xellil

creek817 said:


> Dobby and Tisha - BFF. haha


Awww. I want my dogs to do that! That's cool.


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## xchairity_casex

your so lucky i want chickens so bad! i also would love to have ducks again but our yard is jsut too small for anytype of shelter for them 
youll deff have to post lots of pictures!
and trust me if you raise them from chicks youl become attatched 
many people dont see chickens as anything but dumb birds but they have so much personality. last spring i incubated and hatched a batch of chickens for a women who wanted chicks but didnt want to take the time to incubate the eggs while i wanted to incubate and ahtch the chicks but couldnt keep them i had 4 out of 6 hatch and htey were so darned cute!! they loved to be held and would peep peep peep and thro themselves at the brooder as you walked past to get you to hold them and carry them around. they will snuggle into you and go to sleep.

i used to have pet mallards i raised from 3 days old till 3 years old a male and a female they too loved to be cuddled even into adulthood as babies whenever they were sleepy they would cry and cry till i sat on the floor and held one in each hand they would fall alseep thats the only way they wanted sleep till almost a year old! obviously i had to put a stop to it i couldnt hold two adult ducks while they slept all night long.


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## creek817

xellil said:


> Awww. I want my dogs to do that! That's cool.


Thanks =) They're pretty adorable! That second picture, I had actually been sitting on the shoebox, and the chicken jumped up next to me!!! So, I got up and told Dobby to jump up for the photo-op. But they do sit together a lot! I haven't actually seen the chicken in Dobby's bed with him, but it wouldn't surprise me if I did!


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## Herzo

There very cute together. I want chickens too but don't know when that will be, we don't seem to get the house done so hubby doesn't want to build a chicken house. At least I can get ranch eggs from the store there's lots of people that sell them there.


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