New to the chicken lifestyle.

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jdp8402

jdp8402

Hatching
Mar 18, 2016
7
0
7
Nebraska
How's it going everyone. I've been a reader of the forum for a couple of years now. I finally decided to take the plunge and get some baby chicks. They're so hard to walk by at the farm supply stores. I bought six Rhode Island Reds. I'm going to have lots of questions. First one is does anyone else have problems with the chicks pulling all of their food out of the feeder and dumping it on the ground? Feed will get pretty expensive if they keep doing that. I'm looking forward to talking with everyone on here.

Thanks,
Jeff
 
jdp8402 said:
How's it going everyone. I've been a reader of the forum for a couple of years now. I finally decided to take the plunge and get some baby chicks. They're so hard to walk by at the farm supply stores. I bought six Rhode Island Reds. I'm going to have lots of questions. First one is does anyone else have problems with the chicks pulling all of their food out of the feeder and dumping it on the ground? Feed will get pretty expensive if they keep doing that. I'm looking forward to talking with everyone on here.

Thanks,
Jeff
Click to expand...

Welcome to BYC! Glad you joined the flock! Chicks just do that as a habit. Couple ways to prevent this is to raise the feeder so only their heads can get into it. Another thing is have feeders that have holes just for the heads and not a tray. I just use a tray and then they jump in and eat.
 
Hi Jeff and welcome to BYC. Congrats on your new chicks! @Birdrain92 has already given you some good advice re: feeders.

The Learning Centre is a great resource, even for experienced chicken keepers - loads of info on anything chicken. https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

Joining your state thread will put you in touch with other BYC members in your area, which can be helpful (just type the name of your state in the search box).

All the best
CT
 
Nice to meet you Jeff. I think the feeders where they just stick their heads in probably doesn't waste as much food. It also keeps them from pooing in their feeder.
 
Welcome! When I first got chickens that bothered me a lot also. Now I just know they do that. Some more than others. I'm wondering if that's why some people use the pellets when chickens are older.
 
Thanks everyone. I started a thread in the coops and runs forum but I'm not getting any responses there so I'll try here. I'm thinking about building a chicken tractor and was wondering what people use for the framing? Also should I insulate? It gets pretty cold in the winter here. I live on a farm where I built a new house and in the process a lot of the trees had to come out so I don't have much protection from the wind right now. New trees are planted but it's going to be a while. Has anyone had any problems with their tractors blowing over? If so whats a good way to prevent it?

Thanks,
Jeff
 
By use for the framing I was meaning what size lumber. 2x2, 2x4, should the base that sits on the ground be something heavier like 4x4?
 
Hi Jeff,
Have you check out some of the tractors on here? https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-tractors-mobile-chicken-coop-designs

Since you have space on a farm, wouldn't be better to free range instead of a tractor?

As far as Installation, chicken will eat the installation so it isn't a good idea. Maybe only install the ceiling.

I remember watching this video, this person has 7 chicken in the snow.. and the chickens does fine as long as they were fully feather.

I just started having chicken as well, with 2
 

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