New Member Intro!

Hi All! I am a new chicken owner and have tons to learn! I live in Prattville, AL (USA) and currently have three chickens. I have one rooster who is half Buff Orpington and half Rhode Island Red - His name is Hines Ward. I have one Buff Orpington who is super sweet and her name is Buffy and I have one Americauna who is named Fatty Cake.

I've been thinking about chickens for a while now and now that I have 2 acres and some space my brother offered up his coop and run that he no longer uses. I asked my dad to bring it to me - just the coop NO chickens yet please dad! But what did he do? He brought the coop, chickens, feed, feeders, the works! So trial by fire I guess! I've read up on chicken keeping for months now so I'm sure I'm ready, but there's nothing like actually doing the chicken keeping as opposed to just reading about it!

I'm loving them, their little personalities, and their finally starting to talk to me and not run away when I get near them. They are all currently still just in the coop and run, but I'd like to let them free range soon - I was thinking about taking them out tomorrow when I paint their coop. Too soon? I've had them since Friday Oct 16th. They seem to definitely know this is home now, it's just taking that huge step of letting them out! Ah!

Also, I may be getting a baby barred rock (looks like a dominique) on Thursday and I have a few questions about that as well, but I figure I better post on the raising baby chicks thread.

Thanks for the community and all of the great advice and tips I've read so far!

Any idea how I can contact a moderator to get my user name changed?


Best,
Reluctantly Rural

Hi

Glad you could join the flock! That is quite a start you have had there with your chicken keeping! Rather like being thrown in at the deep end but by the sounds of it you are really enjoying keeping them. Lovely to hear they are now getting used to and not running away. I'm sure in time they will follow you everywhere. They soon start to learn where the food comes from.
I would suggest that if your getting a new chick that you get at least 2. They do so much better when they are not on their own. Also when it comes to adding them to your exsisting birds when they are fully grown it will be easier if they have an ally.

Here is a link for moderators ~https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/moderators/
I'm sure if you PM one they would be happy to change your name.
Here are a couple you could click on and then send a PM
@TwoCrows
@sumi

Wishing you the very best of luck in the future. Be sure to ask any questions that you may have, everyone here to help and very friendly.

Enjoy BYC

Welcome to BYC We allow one username change per member, and you're welcome to shoot me a PM and let me know what username you'd like and I can change it for you.

Welcome to Backyard chickens. Are your new birds chicks or adults? If they are very young - it may be too soon to let them outside. Before you get the new one, read one of many articles on "integrating new birds to established ones." There is of course the "pecking order," among chickens and they can be fierce about maintaining it.

They are older. Between 8 months and 1 year. Will do on the other - thank you!

Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. If you haven't done so already, definitely check out our Learning Center at https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center. There is lots of useful information there. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Cheers.

Welcome to the BYC flock! We are glad you joined us!

Welcome to BYC!

Hello and welcome to BYC!

"Trial by fire" is right, lol! It sounds like you're going to do just fine. If you have questions, always feel free to ask as there are a lot of helpful members here.

Good luck with your flock, thanks for joining us!