post your chicken coop pictures here!

[gilcamp4]

that is neat kdogg, of course you will have to keep count down, will not work for us we already have 31 then a friend called and asked if we could take a chicken right away it was going after grandchildren so we have it then another friend came over with a white hen that had been in the hen house and never walked outside so it don't know how to walk around outside, the first one came after me today. yesterday after my granddaughter, i told hubbie it has to go to action wed night.

 

[sarah noor]

Hi
I don't know much about keeping chickens but I got 3 baby chicks for my kids that are now 5 weeks old. I tried to make this for them

 

[junebuggena]

Hi
I don't know much about keeping chickens but I got 3 baby chicks for my kids that are now 5 weeks old. I tried to make this for them

They are going to outgrow that A-frame coop in just a few more weeks.

 

[Teila]

Hey there sarah noor welcome to BYC and congratulations on becoming a new chicken parent .. your little ones look adorable.

If I can please, just a couple of things that come to mind:

1. I have one of those little coops as a hospital pen and/or broody pen when I have run out of room in the coop. They are very handy. However, as mentioned, your little ones are going to outgrow it in a few weeks. Also, when they want to start roosting, if it is the same as mine, there is nowhere to put a roost for them except maybe between the bars on the outside part. Having said that, for what you are doing now, it is ideal.

2. I do not know where you are located, but if I see the picture clearly, while you have covered one section for shade I assume, one part is open. Here, the food would attract Crows who would have no problem accessing your run and with the problems I am currently having with Crows, I would not trust them with little chicks and they may attack them.

That is a great little set up for now and I am guessing you have something else in mind for when they get bigger.

BYC is overloaded with wonderful/helpful people so please feel free to ask questions and also visit the Learning Centre where there are probably also many answers to questions you may have.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

Once again, welcome and good luck with your little ones … they are so much fun but word of warning, very addictive

 

[Latestarter]

I don't know much about keeping chickens but I got 3 baby chicks for my kids that are now 5 weeks old. I tried to make this for them

Greetings

from the front range in Colorado!

Lots of good info here, especially for new chicken owners. That's what brought me here. Lots of really good folks here eager to help too. If you have a Q or problem, you can research it or start a new thread asking for help.

Echoing what @Teila said with some added info, having that opening at the top is going to present some other challenges as your birds are about to start stretching their wings, and will fly out. Unless you want to be like Rocky Balboa and be chasing the chicken all over the neighborhood, you'd better enclose it completely. Also, if you have stray cats/dogs around (I see the fence) or even pets of your own (heaven forbid) young chickens make excellent squeeky toys. I would also worry about hawks and the like which would have no problem or qualms about dropping down inside that pen to grab a "take out" snack. They will also outgrow that little coop you have inside very shortly as well. 3 adult birds won't fit in there.

There are LOTS of coops you can look at on the site ranging from chicken mahals down to zero cost coops built entirely from re-purposed materials. Enjoy the site and congrats on becoming chicken empowered! (wait till chicken math strikes and the 3 become 30...

)

 

[Sylvester017]

that is neat kdogg, of course you will have to keep count down, will not work for us we already have 31 then a friend called and asked if we could take a chicken right away it was going after grandchildren so we have it then another friend came over with a white hen that had been in the hen house and never walked outside so it don't know how to walk around outside, the first one came after me today. yesterday after my granddaughter, i told hubbie it has to go to action wed night.

I guess chickens are like people - some are nice and some are mean. Makes you wonder what happened to a chicken or a breed to make it combative or mean. Sad really, but you just can't keep a mean chicken when there are so many nice and gentle ones to keep. We don't tolerate bullies either and had to re-home pure Marans and pure Leghorns but it was easy for us because they went into a friend's laying flock who already had other aggressive Marans and Leghorns.

 

[gpeters3]

  Sad really, but you just can't keep a mean chicken when there are so many nice and gentle ones to keep.  We don't tolerate bullies either.....
[/quote]

I have a freezer for mean chickens. Two retired fighting cocks and one young student who became worse than his teachers. We have a no rooster rule now and the chickens we have left are pretty calm. Im trying to add some variety but i have a 2 year old who loves to feed them so my tolerance level is very low and we like fried chicken My favorite isa red was taken and she wasnt especially calm, she was pretty agressive about begging for treats but she ate out of the kids hands and didnt really cause any damage so we all loved her. None of my remaining hens have much personality but maybe one will flower one day

 

[Sylvester017]

Sad really, but you just can't keep a mean chicken when there are so many nice and gentle ones to keep. We don't tolerate bullies either.....

I have a freezer for mean chickens. Two retired fighting cocks and one young student who became worse than his teachers. We have a no rooster rule now and the chickens we have left are pretty calm. Im trying to add some variety but i have a 2 year old who loves to feed them so my tolerance level is very low and we like fried chicken My favorite isa red was taken and she wasnt especially calm, she was pretty agressive about begging for treats but she ate out of the kids hands and didnt really cause any damage so we all loved her. None of my remaining hens have much personality but maybe one will flower one day [/QUOTE]

If only my DH didn't love the birds so much we could've sent some to the freezer but even the mean ones he found homes for - LOL! Rather than having a colorful egg basket as our goal we realized we preferred having a gentle peaceful flock instead. We did a lot of research, talked with owners of different breeds as well as breeders, and of course our own trial and errors, and narrowed down our personable breed choices to Silkies, pure Ameraucanas, Dominiques, and Breda. Not all of these breeds are instantly personable but over time they become like lap dogs. We've had the Breda pullet about 5 months now and are waiting to see what temperament she develops as an adult around her gentle flockmates. All of our chickens get underfoot but the Breda being the youngest is constantly following us like a puppy. The older chickens yawn when the back door opens but she'll fly like the cartoon "Flash" to meet us. We're crossing our fingers that she stays just as amiable when an adult.

 

[Granny368W]

I have been having a problem with our hens NOT making it in the automatic door since we have gotten so cold....I put the red bulb in for some heat for them in the nigh time.....but it has not been so cold so I turned the light off...That's when we have the problem.... Has anyone else had this problem? Rae

 

[perchie.girl]

I have been having a problem with our hens NOT making it in the automatic door since we have gotten so cold....I put the red bulb in for some heat for them in the nigh time.....but it has not been so cold so I turned the light off...That's when we have the problem.... Has anyone else had this problem? Rae

I have heard some have used those little photovoltaic lights you use for the garden. inside the coop. At night they burn just long enough to see to get inside.

extends their light for daylight too.. for egg laying.

deb