Rules for The Coop that the books don't tell you. My experience as a newbie.

[pinkmartin73]

Here are some I learned from keeping chickens.
1. Chickens think scabs are treats
2. They will visciously destroy any small animal they see (frogs, mice, beetles, etc.)
3. They destroy any kind of garden they get into.
4. They will try to steal food from small children.
5. Chickens are SMART. they seem to know how to annoy you when you least expect it. (example: pooping on the main sidewalk or driveway, eating your favorite plants )

These are the only ones I can think of now, but if I remember more, I will post them.

Omg yes! I had a tiny cut on my ankle. Every time it got close to healing, one particular pullet would snatch even the most firmly attatched scab right off. This would be followed by a stream of blood. The stream of blood convinced everyone present that I was a fountain. After the 3rd time, I learned to ALWAYS wear my rubber boots in presence of chickens. (I'm a slow learner)

I'm convinced that if I ever fall in the coop or run and hit my head, I will probably pass out and my girls will eat me alive. And yes, they will also eat my wedding rings. At least the resulting poop will be fabulous!

 

[AshlyMommaWard]

Wonderful info everyone, hilarious and accurate!
I'll add some of my newbie learning's..

1. When you purchase chicks, rest assured, many people find it difficult to sex chicks, let me tell you the secret. The most expensive ones will be cockerels, mean cockerels
2. When raising dual purpose birds, if you've separated the birds for meat (usually cockerels, expensive mean ones) and are determined not to get attached, lo and behold, they will reform, and become sweet and beautiful birds. And your hens will attack you.
I may or may not have been found hiding in the bed of the truck yesterday, & my husband had to run decoy. Because...
3. As stated above, never flip flops to feed the birds BUT the birds always think they're being fed, so never wear flip flops to "observe your beautiful flock free ranging" they'll hastily stop ranging, and mob you.
4. Dont bother building roosts if your coop has an 8ft high eve all the way around, who sleeps at 6ft, when there's 8ft?! Nobody! (Maybe that ones in the book... Truth be told I never read the book, I just read BYC... 24/7... For months... Hey wait, are those my kids..? Forgot about those guys.
Love this thread
Keep it up

 

[pinkmartin73]

Yes. Yes. Yes.

 

[GitaBooks]

Wonderful info everyone, hilarious and accurate!
I'll add some of my newbie learning's..

1. When you purchase chicks, rest assured, many people find it difficult to sex chicks, let me tell you the secret. The most expensive ones will be cockerels, mean cockerels

2. When raising dual purpose birds, if you've separated the birds for meat (usually cockerels, expensive mean ones) and are determined not to get attached, lo and behold, they will reform, and become sweet and beautiful birds. And your hens will attack you.
I may or may not have been found hiding in the bed of the truck yesterday, & my husband had to run decoy. Because...
3. As stated above, never flip flops to feed the birds BUT the birds always think they're being fed, so never wear flip flops to "observe your beautiful flock free ranging" they'll hastily stop ranging, and mob you.
4. Dont bother building roosts if your coop has an 8ft high eve all the way around, who sleeps at 6ft, when there's 8ft?! Nobody! (Maybe that ones in the book... Truth be told I never read the book, I just read BYC... 24/7... For months... Hey wait, are those my kids..? Forgot about those guys.
Love this thread
Keep it up

So true! Every bit of it! My birds like to sleep up at the top of their coop as well!

 

[jackieo61028]

This stuff is helping me so much! I don't feel so alone with the weird things that happen daily. I just kept thinking "I'm doing this chicken thing wrong." Lol.

 

[N F C]

This stuff is helping me so much! I don't feel so alone with the weird things that happen daily. I just kept thinking "I'm doing this chicken thing wrong." Lol.

Nope, you're not doing it wrong. It's the chickens...wily little things.

 

[jackieo61028]

Here are the looks I get when I walk out to the coop, heaven forbid, without treats.

sometimes I'm scared to go in. Lol.

 

[N F C]

"What, no treats?!?"

"I'm so disappointed in you"

"Stupid human"

 

[aafairchild]

Been keeping chickens for about 3 yrs and have had most of those things happen to me. I have mostly managed to convice my girls that toes are not treats. All told though, very funny to read about. I got a good laugh and today I needed one.

Thanks
Alice

 

[jackieo61028]

I learned today to take the ponytail holder off of my wrist before going into the coop. I thought the girls were wanting to be petted. They really just wanted my wrist closer to their beaks.