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alwaysvickie

alwaysvickie

Chirping
7 Years
Sep 9, 2016
3
28
77
Just started my chicken journey for the second time. First time neighbors complained. Now on two acres with no restrictions. I have 15 one week old silkies I ordered online. I heard about this site when I purchased a 2009 Book “Raising Chickens for Dummies”, authored by Kimberly Willis and Rob Ludlow, owner, Backyard chickens. I hoping the information is still viable. I like to plan ahead. I was researching about when I move them into a coop. How do you get them to go in a night? Thanks.
 
Hi, Vickie, and welcome to BYC. Congratulations on your new flock, and best wishes as you go along. Silkies are awesome.

Do NOT buy a vinyl or plastic ready made coop! That book recommends a coop and says it will hold 6 chickens. That is SO Wrong! Either build a coop and run or have it built. Or many folks modify sheds or even children's play houses. There are a lot of examples in the Learning Center. But check out the articles below. The one on Ventilation includes links to several good coop designs sorted by climate. Don't buy a custom built coop that has been used because it can transfer diseases to your birds. I was able to find a never-used coop on my local Craigslist, but that was dumb luck.

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

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.
 
alwaysvickie said:
Just started my chicken journey for the second time. First time neighbors complained. Now on two acres with no restrictions. I have 15 one week old silkies I ordered online. I heard about this site when I purchased a 2009 Book “Raising Chickens for Dummies”, authored by Kimberly Willis and Rob Ludlow, owner, Backyard chickens. I hoping the information is still viable. I like to plan ahead. I was researching about when I move them into a coop. How do you get them to go in a night? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Boppo said:
Hi, Vickie, and welcome to BYC. Congratulations on your new flock, and best wishes as you go along. Silkies are awesome.

Do NOT buy a vinyl or plastic ready made coop! That book recommends a coop and says it will hold 6 chickens. That is SO Wrong! Either build a coop and run or have it built. Or many folks modify sheds or even children's play houses. There are a lot of examples in the Learning Center. But check out the articles below. The one on Ventilation includes links to several good coop designs sorted by climate. Don't buy a custom built coop that has been used because it can transfer diseases to your birds. I was able to find a never-used coop on my local Craigslist, but that was dumb luck.

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

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.
Click to expand...
 

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