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Congrats, professor, for taking the plunge. Raising chickens is a fun and rewarding activity, a good way to relax and de-stress, and their antics are endlessly amusing. Chickens are not normally considered very intelligent animals but they are much smarter than given credit for and they have a...

I pretty much leave my chickens alone and let them figure out all the social status stuff for themselves, although that can sometimes be difficult to do. They also have free rein over much of the property, so some sleep in the coop while others sleep on a shelving unit located on the patio and...

I also like McMurray, had a good experience with them. I ordered five each of five different breeds, and all arrived prompt and healthy, and they added an additional leghorn (to the five already ordered) plus an exotic (turned out to be a GLW rooster). The chickens are 23 weeks old now and...

My brown leghorns are friendly but are not partial to being handled. Like my other Mediterraneans, they are alert and will sometimes run away when I approach, sometimes not--seems to depend on if they are hungry or not. They do love to fly and perch on all kinds of things, from garbage cans to...

Although I have not seen my chickens eat anything besides feed, grass, and treats, I really don't think there is anything gross or disgusting or even unnatural about them eating other animals. It's a dog eat dog world--or in this case bird eat bird--and, stripping it of sentimentality, we are...

Welcome to BYC from your neighbor in Polk City!! Bit of a newbie myself, just wanted to extend a welcome back to sunny Florida to ya. Hope you enjoy your chicken raising endeavors.

Quote: That seems like the very definiton of a chicken coop. The best coop is the one that fits your climate, the size of your flock, your budget, and provides at least some protection from predators and weather. Good luck!

As do most others, I bribe my chickens with treats, mainly mealworms which they seem to love. I began by hand feeding them grit for the first two weeks, then gave them mealworms. I make it a point to hand feed something at least once a day. I either sit next to the brooder or in the run...

Quote: Im very happy about my RIR and surviving Leghorn. They are so friendly! If you have a pic of your exoctic chick maybe someone/I will be able to help! I have never gotten a mystery chick though. I have strict rules of hens only until I get my own house and big yard I will certainly do...

Quote: That is very true and a good point. It's factory farming and it is what it is, terms like acceptable losses and profit go hand in hand to a factory farm. I have been able to see the whole process from the growing house thru the processing plant, poultry and pigs. Like RP said they do...

Quote: The first time I ever saw one I was amazed and shocked, makes you really rethink those store bought wings. Steve One of the main reasons I got into growing my own food and raising animals was so that I no longer had to rely on these types of warehouses to provide my food. Pics of...

Quote: True! Can't wait to get home sometimes so I can watch their antics, seems like they do something new every day. They are a real treat! btw, thanks for the welcome....hope your chicks grow up to give you lots of big eggs and even more enjoyment

Quote: Thanks for the welcome! We considered a few different things in breed selection. Although in a pretty rural area, it is still a subdivision but with large one acre lots, and code enforcement and the county did not like the coop we were building, which was around 150 square feet, run...

I suppose you could call me a backyarder, living in the country on one acre, but I prefer the term grower or homesteader. The word backyarder just doesn't do it for me, reeks too much of suburbia, hoa fees, minivans, and mowing the grass.

I bought my first batch of chickens from them a couple weeks ago: anconas, blue andalusians, black minorcas, brown leghorns, and silver hamburgs, five of each breed. They sent two extra--a brown leghorn and a free exotic chick we are still trying to identify. One chick died the first night and...

Quote: Welcome and No is not too late Glad to see more people with Anconas We really like the anconas. Although they are smaller than the other breeds, they are more adventurous and less flighty. They were among the first to perch on the edge of the brooder and the first to use the...

Hey ya'll...if it's not too late please add me to the list. Polk City, FL, and a real chicken newbie but with the help of wonderful sites like BYC learning fast! Currently I have 25 chicks: anconas, silver hamburgs, blue andalusians, black minorcas, and brown leghorns. They are just over two...