Things You Wish You Would Have Known?

[BirdsNRabbits]

Um, but they don't like vacuum cleaners. And don't wear flip-flops into the coop, even if you have run in just for a second and don't have time to change into shoes. With nail polish on your toes. Nevah evah!!

Yes! Never wear anything flashy in the coop. Different shoes, Jeans that have strings hanging off, pants with paint on them. Never

Love this thread by the way!

 

[User395221]

And for the young ones, stay out of the sun. Freckles are food, according to birds.

 

[Margot30]

They also like to peck their reflection, even if that reflection is in your eyeball!

 

[Beer can]

What's the down side of production reds?

I personally had great luck with production reds and not impressed with sexlinks. A lot has to do with the hatchery/strain they come from.
Downfall to both is they go down hill after their first excellent year laying.

 

[2MooreChicks]

That keeping chickens in town is not the same as keeping chickens on the farm. As a kid chickens were part of the landscape; you shut them up at night, let them out in the morning, fetched egg, and threw scratch in the yard if it was cold out. But city chickens need soooooooo much stuff). For instance I never would have thought to give my chickens grit if not for BYC. Nor would I have known wth a chunnel or a chicken swing was. Although the chicken swing seems to be more for the chicken keeper's amusement.

 

[fireredcannon]

That chick starter is not a good option for starting ducks too, slipped tendions can be fixed if you catch it in time and you know what you're looking at, and just because the haris 30lb feeders aren't sold with a lid doesn't mean they don't need a lid...

 

[Coop de Grass]

That chickens come with flies... and that fly traps stink...

 

[Lefu Ntlele]

I never know that my girls can lay eggs without the cock . And that 5 hens drive away hunger. 5 hens equals 4 or
5 eggs per day .Feeding them mostly food scraps from the kitchen.

 

[Reno Dan]

Not to buy whats just available at the store. With so many different breeds try an mix it up. Add some color to your eggs by getting Cream Legbars (blue eggs) and Easter eggers (green eggs).
Started last year with 2 Reds, 2 Jersey giants, 1 Australorp, 1 Blue Cochin, and 1 grey bantam.
Currently have 1 Red, 1 Australorp, 1 Specked Cochin, 1 white chicken ?, 1 grey bantam and recently added 2 cream legabrs, 1 Cuckoo Marans, 1 sex link. (and 2 chicks recently died of Cocci:
1 out of the 2 cuckoo marans i recently got and 1 turkey
Have Corid on hand just in case. First time I tried using non medicated feed to our new chicks/ turkey ended up getting cocci and it has spread to the whole flock. Wont be going that route again.
Chickens are clowns and very amusing.
Chicken math is real and now its turning into turkey math (def want to raise a turkey for thanksgiving

 

[wingedshade]

Hmm....

The cost of the chickens is nothing compared to the cost of all the chicken things.

As the caretaker of chickens on Mom's dime in the past, I gave totally underestimated this aspect of chicken keeping!