Boppo
Crossing the Road
Glad to meet you. If nobody has given you the link yet, you can get help identifying the breed and gender on your birds here. Read the helpful post at the top for tips to get the best pictures to help us help you.
Here are my favorite beginning articles that helped me as a newbie. I hope you will find them helpful as well. All articles are short, have illustrations, and reviews, which are often worth looking at for the comments.
1. Intro to chicken keeping
2. Common mistakes & how to fix them
3. Ventilation (important to chicken health), with helpful links to coop designs organized by climate (because what is just right for my New England hens won't work for my brother's Arizona chickens)
3(a). Farmers Almanac on Building Coops (Includes size requirements!) Allowing plenty of space for chickens is really important because, even as chicks, they will start pecking each other or plucking their own feathers, or become unhealthy if they are overcrowded. Here is a link to Colorado State Extension's publication on space and temperature requirements for chicks as they age.
4. Predator protection for new & existing coops
5. Dealing with a muddy coop and run
6. Gardening for chickens
7. BYC Lists of Chicken Ailments and Cures
8. Understand your rooster (if it turns out to be a he!) And if you live where you are not allowed to keep a rooster, here are some tips for rehoming that little boy:
a. Post to local Craigslist, and if you have a local poultry interest group on Facebook, post there. You can also post to our own rehoming forum.
b. Include the best picture you can get to show what a handsome fella he is.
c. Include all the information you would want to know if you were adopting a bird:
i. Is he healthy?
ii. Temperament - is he good with people, and kids? Is he good with other birds?
iii. Where did you get him? If you have an ID on the breed, include that.
iv. Why are you getting rid of him.
To look for articles on your own:
A. Use the SEARCH button, but use the Advanced Search choice, and select ARTICLES at the top of the box. Just enter your keyword(s) and scroll through your results!
B. I find it helpful to notice the rating and reviews. All articles are by BYC members, and all the reviews/ratings are as well. The ratings help a newbie like me sort the most useful and reliable articles.
C. You can bookmark the articles or posts you think you want to refer to again using that bookmark icon at the top of articles or posts. You can find them again by clicking on your own avatar and looking at the list of bookmarks you have built up!
Notes about where to put a coop:
1. As far as you can, put a coop and run on high ground, that drains well, so you won't have so much muddy coop problems. Chickens need to be dry, dry, dry.
2. As far as you can, put a coop with the ventilation lined up with your prevailing breezes, and away from the direction of your storms. If you are not sure of these (who is these days?), check with your local National Weather Service website.
3. As far as you can, arrange for some sort of shade over your coop and run. Preferably deciduous so the girls will enjoy winter sun, but summer shade.
Here are my favorite beginning articles that helped me as a newbie. I hope you will find them helpful as well. All articles are short, have illustrations, and reviews, which are often worth looking at for the comments.
1. Intro to chicken keeping
2. Common mistakes & how to fix them
3. Ventilation (important to chicken health), with helpful links to coop designs organized by climate (because what is just right for my New England hens won't work for my brother's Arizona chickens)
3(a). Farmers Almanac on Building Coops (Includes size requirements!) Allowing plenty of space for chickens is really important because, even as chicks, they will start pecking each other or plucking their own feathers, or become unhealthy if they are overcrowded. Here is a link to Colorado State Extension's publication on space and temperature requirements for chicks as they age.
4. Predator protection for new & existing coops
5. Dealing with a muddy coop and run
6. Gardening for chickens
7. BYC Lists of Chicken Ailments and Cures
8. Understand your rooster (if it turns out to be a he!) And if you live where you are not allowed to keep a rooster, here are some tips for rehoming that little boy:
a. Post to local Craigslist, and if you have a local poultry interest group on Facebook, post there. You can also post to our own rehoming forum.
b. Include the best picture you can get to show what a handsome fella he is.
c. Include all the information you would want to know if you were adopting a bird:
i. Is he healthy?
ii. Temperament - is he good with people, and kids? Is he good with other birds?
iii. Where did you get him? If you have an ID on the breed, include that.
iv. Why are you getting rid of him.
To look for articles on your own:
A. Use the SEARCH button, but use the Advanced Search choice, and select ARTICLES at the top of the box. Just enter your keyword(s) and scroll through your results!
B. I find it helpful to notice the rating and reviews. All articles are by BYC members, and all the reviews/ratings are as well. The ratings help a newbie like me sort the most useful and reliable articles.
C. You can bookmark the articles or posts you think you want to refer to again using that bookmark icon at the top of articles or posts. You can find them again by clicking on your own avatar and looking at the list of bookmarks you have built up!
Notes about where to put a coop:
1. As far as you can, put a coop and run on high ground, that drains well, so you won't have so much muddy coop problems. Chickens need to be dry, dry, dry.
2. As far as you can, put a coop with the ventilation lined up with your prevailing breezes, and away from the direction of your storms. If you are not sure of these (who is these days?), check with your local National Weather Service website.
3. As far as you can, arrange for some sort of shade over your coop and run. Preferably deciduous so the girls will enjoy winter sun, but summer shade.
I really appreciate your take. He is so sweet… I would hate to have to give him up. Just today he gave the best snuggles. He always stretches his neck out to lay it on my arm or leg and will sit with me for quite a while.
