2018 Newbie Chat!

[Anna Ranieri]

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Awwwww how precious and so beautiful

 

[Crystal87]

Hello! I am a chicken newbie. I have 3 Brahma Chickens that are about a month old now. They have been moved into the coop (a store bought, assemble at home kind)... I have shavings down in the bottom of the coop part.. The run area is still just grass... should I put anything down in there? or just leave it as grass...?? Also, I have been letting them out into the run every morning, and going out in the evening and putting them back into the coop, Is there some way to start teaching them to do this? ALso, Should I have something in the nesting boxes? Shavings? Straw? .. and one more thing... the coop has two small vents that open for ventilation... i have these open, do I need to add more ventilation? How often should I change the shavings in the coop? and Do i need to move the food and water in and out of the coop and into the run as I move the chickens in and out? Sorry about all the questions... I don't know what I am doing!

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Hello! I am a chicken newbie. I have 3 Brahma Chickens that are about a month old now. They have been moved into the coop (a store bought, assemble at home kind)... I have shavings down in the bottom of the coop part.. The run area is still just grass... should I put anything down in there? or just leave it as grass...?? Also, I have been letting them out into the run every morning, and going out in the evening and putting them back into the coop, Is there some way to start teaching them to do this? ALso, Should I have something in the nesting boxes? Shavings? Straw? .. and one more thing... the coop has two small vents that open for ventilation... i have these open, do I need to add more ventilation? How often should I change the shavings in the coop? and Do i need to move the food and water in and out of the coop and into the run as I move the chickens in and out? Sorry about all the questions... I don't know what I am doing!

Welcome!!!!!
Unless your coop is out of the elements it probably won’t withstand the winter. If I were you I’d start reinforcing it so it doesn’t fall apart in a few months. I’d put shavings in the nest boxes and for now the grass should be perfectly fine. In no time flat that grass will be dirt and with rain makes mud. Once they’ve torn all the grass up I’d put a litter type in there to help keep moisture out. I’d leave food and water in the run. They don’t eat or drink at night. The feed may attract rats and the last thing you want is rats in the coop with your chickens. Hope this helps!

 

[Crystal87]

Welcome!!!!!
Unless your coop is out of the elements it probably won’t withstand the winter. If I were you I’d start reinforcing it so it doesn’t fall apart in a few months. I’d put shavings in the nest boxes and for now the grass should be perfectly fine. In no time flat that grass will be dirt and with rain makes mud. Once they’ve torn all the grass up I’d put a litter type in there to help keep moisture out. I’d leave food and water in the run. They don’t eat or drink at night. The feed may attract rats and the last thing you want is rats in the coop with your chickens. Hope this helps!

Thanks! I have added some reinforcement to the coop in some areas... It was actually pretty sturdy out the gate (Surprisingly!). I am about to change the perch posts out for wider ones because the brahmas are much larger birds and I read somewhere that having a "skinny" perch can cause them the have sores on the chest from pressing into a small area when they roost.. Also, any opinions about hanging feeders/ waterers?

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Thanks! I have added some reinforcement to the coop in some areas... It was actually pretty sturdy out the gate (Surprisingly!). I am about to change the perch posts out for wider ones because the brahmas are much larger birds and I read somewhere that having a "skinny" perch can cause them the have sores on the chest from pressing into a small area when they roost.. Also, any opinions about hanging feeders/ waterers?

I use a DIY 5 gal bucket feeder. My girls are too messy and they waste too much feed with the standard hanging feeders. I have a hanging waterer and a nipple waterer. I oddly prefer the hanging one. Just make sure to clean it all the time so algae doesn’t build up.

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

View attachment 1531185 View attachment 1531186 View attachment 1531187 View attachment 1531188 View attachment 1531189 View attachment 1531190 View attachment 1531191 View attachment 1531191 View attachment 1531185 Hi everyone, I’m a newbie too! We currently have 10, six day old chicks. 2 RIR, 2 Ameracaunas, 2 Barred Rocks, 1 Delaware and 1 SLW. I’m in love ! So, this morning I mixed up some chick grit in with their starter mash. Gave them some mashed up boiled egg yolk and they were not interested. They chow down on their starter mash and was hoping to give them some treats, but they didn’t know what to do with it . I guess I will keep trying. Here are a few pics of my littles and our coop in progress. We still need to finish adding the hardwired mesh, ladder to get in the hen house, roosting bars and the metal roof.

Welcome! What a great coop you have there. Enjoy them as the chick stage is sooooo quick.

 

[CannedMonster]

Hello! I am a chicken newbie. I have 3 Brahma Chickens that are about a month old now. They have been moved into the coop (a store bought, assemble at home kind)... I have shavings down in the bottom of the coop part.. The run area is still just grass... should I put anything down in there? or just leave it as grass...?? Also, I have been letting them out into the run every morning, and going out in the evening and putting them back into the coop, Is there some way to start teaching them to do this? ALso, Should I have something in the nesting boxes? Shavings? Straw? .. and one more thing... the coop has two small vents that open for ventilation... i have these open, do I need to add more ventilation? How often should I change the shavings in the coop? and Do i need to move the food and water in and out of the coop and into the run as I move the chickens in and out? Sorry about all the questions... I don't know what I am doing!

Hi and welcome
I have a prefab coop that has so far withstood a winter in SW Idaho, snow and all.
I’m not expecting it to last years but it works for now and they can be reinforced with better latches and a waterproof stain or paint.
Don’t paint with chickens in there though. And you only would do the outside that’s exposed to weather.
We actually haven’t painted ours.
The ventilation should be fine for 3 birds.
Don’t be afraid to keep them open at least partially in winter. The chickens create heat by breathing and pooping and the ventilation keeps condensation from forming in there.
It helps if you put your location in your profile so people know what your climate is like when answering any questions.
Cleaning is determined by your personal preference and smell lol.
I try to clean mine before any smell starts and before there’s enough poop that the birds are constantly getting it stuck on their feet.
It also depends on how many birds you have and how much room there is.
I had 12 chicks in my large prefab and had to clean fairly often but not every day.
Are they able to go back and forth between coop and run during the day?
If so, just wait until it’s getting pretty dark and they should go in on their own.
Mine try to “stay up late” and don’t go in as early as the older birds.
I used to put them in but I got sick of that and I’d just watch tv for a while and go back out when it was darker and they went in on their own.
I have mine over dirt and after a while I had to rake it out and put shavings down because it stank.
But now that my 2 month old babies are free ranging during the day and aren’t in there all day it’s fine.
BTW...I only free range birds that young because I’m home all day right now and my husband is retired.
Please post photos! We love seeing them!

 

[CannedMonster]

I use a DIY 5 gal bucket feeder. My girls are too messy and they waste too much feed with the standard hanging feeders. I have a hanging waterer and a nipple waterer. I oddly prefer the hanging one. Just make sure to clean it all the time so algae doesn’t build up.

Peepers how did you make the five gallon bucket feeder?
How do the chickens use it?
I’m having a HUGE problem right now with wild birds eating out of my feeders and drinking the water too.

It’s driving me crazy!
They’re these little house sparrows and it’s a flock of about 50 or more.
They land in the bush (7’) and wait until I go in the house and then they go down and start eating and drinking.
They even went into the prefab run!
I trapped some in there and banged on the hardware cloth scaring the crap out of them.
I finally let them out and hopefully those few will stay away but it continues to be a problem for me.
I’ve heard of those treadle feeders but I don’t think my babies and bantams are heavy enough to use it.
I did put one feeder in the walk-in coop with only the pop door open and I haven’t seen the sparrows brave such an enclosed space.
I brought the other feeder onto the deck by the sliding door and those stupid birds STILL came up to use it!
I need a way that only my chickens can access the feed.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Peepers how did you make the five gallon bucket feeder?
How do the chickens use it?
I’m having a HUGE problem right now with wild birds eating out of my feeders and drinking the water too.

It’s driving me crazy!
They’re these little house sparrows and it’s a flock of about 50 or more.
They land in the bush (7’) and wait until I go in the house and then they go down and start eating and drinking.
They even went into the prefab run!
I trapped some in there and banged on the hardware cloth scaring the crap out of them.
I finally let them out and hopefully those few will stay away but it continues to be a problem for me.
I’ve heard of those treadle feeders but I don’t think my babies and bantams are heavy enough to use it.
I did put one feeder in the walk-in coop with only the pop door open and I haven’t seen the sparrows brave such an enclosed space.
I brought the other feeder onto the deck by the sliding door and those stupid birds STILL came up to use it!
I need a way that only my chickens can access the feed.

https://www.ecopeanut.com/diy-chicken-waterer-and-feeder-plans/
I’m pretty sure I used this tutorial on it.
I also made a pvc gravity feeder. I honestly hate the gravity feeder as opposed to the bucket feeder. They still spill food everywhere with the gravity one

 

[PNW_Peepers]

YOU GUYS!!!!! I hear a lone chick peeping its heart out under my broody!!!!