Newcomer to the chicken world! :)

[lorren]

Hi everybody! I'm gonna be a chicken raiser coming summer from Washington state. This is the first year and I am really looking forward to the fun experience of raising chickens! Does anybody have any tips and tricks for me that I should know?

 

[Spookwriter]

Hey there Lorren.

Gotta ask....what exactly is a "chicken raider" ? From what
it sounds like, my advice is wear a mask... don't get caught.


Could it be a "chicken raiser"? Needs different advice...


We're here for you either way.

Spook....in charge of albi department

 

[lorren]

I definitely meant chicken raiser... Oops

 

[Michael OShay]

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.

 

[wbtexas13]

What kind of chickens did you plan on raising lorren?

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[lorren]

What kind of chickens did you plan on raising lorren?

I was planning on raising some buff and lavender orpinton's

 

[Michael OShay]

I was planning on raising some buff and lavender orpinton's

Orpingtons are a wonderful breed; hardy, friendly and gentle (great lap pets), and good layers of brown eggs. I think you'll be very happy with them. )

 

[N F C]

That first flock is definitely one to remember, you are going to have a lot of fun! In addition to the Learning Center, use the Search feature in the upper left, under the logo, to find posts on just about any topic you can imagine.

Make yourself at home, it's nice to have you here!

 

[DIY Chick]

Hi everybody! I'm gonna be a chicken raiser coming summer from Washington state. This is the first year and I am really looking forward to the fun experience of raising chickens!

Does anybody have any tips and tricks for me that I should know?

Hi Lorren! I'm pretty new to BYC as a member, but I've been reading a lot of the info available in the Learning Center since I got my small flock two years ago. I started out with 5 mature laying hens just to get a better feel for how demanding it would be to simply HAVE chickens before trying to actually RAISE them. I can share some thoughts with you about laying hens: Here are my top ten tips:

1. Protect your flower beds. Hens LOVE to dig them up.
2. Sand is great for a small run and easy to scoop clean (like kitty litter)
3. Be aware that anything that CAN be perched upon WILL be perched upon with resulting poop underneath!
4. Keep a pair of "chicken yard shoes" handy that you DO NOT wear into your house.
5. Hens will roost in the highest available place that they can reach. Minimize in-fighting over "the best spot" by having enough space for everyone to roost happily up high.
6. Depending on the number of birds you'll have, consider having at least two different locations for food & water. It is helpful if you have one very bossy hen chasing the others away like I have! (I also have two different nesting areas for the same reason.)
7. Have enough natural light coming into your coop so the hens can see well enough to get to their roosts at dusk, since they see poorly in low light.
8. Build your coop / run with the capability to divide areas up. Sometimes it is helpful to be able to separate birds or close off sections for cleaning / repairs.
9. Tree limbs provide better traction for roosting than smooth wood - easier for hens to get a grip.
10. A metal trash can with a tight lid is great for keeping food clean, dry, and pest-proof.

Good luck with your new adventure! I hope you have as much fun with yours as I do with mine!