2018 Newbie Chat!

[JMotuzick]

If you have power set up a MHP or buy a hot plate. Put them right in the coop! As long as there is no wind I would think they would be fine. Your location is not listed but I’m guessing your in the northern USA? I put 27 freedom rangers outside in a tractor yesterday. They have a pet taxi with heat and are 6 days old today. 50’s over night no problem at 5am today when I left for work. Really loving life now, it’s 84f the tractor is in the sun but they have a cover so come shade.

 

[Fluffy&Cutie]

yay!!!! i'm a newbie, and super loving my babies. I just got my (hopefully) gals on Friday. they are 4 week old leghorns. I didn't know that chickens were so friendly! Ours like to sit on our shoulders while we go about our day. Well, that is until there's poop. Today we are enjoying the outdoors together. I love reading all the stories this community posts.
happy day to all!

 

[Hellokittykeke05]

Congrats to all the new chicky guardians...

We actually got a little yard time today and our little barred rock roo found a worm and youd swear he hit the chicken lotto!

They are definitely testing each other and trying to establish the pecking order. I feel like it changes daily though.

 

[BBZZZZTT]

Good job little rocky roo! XD

I toss a worm in for my chickens and they look at me like I'm crazy. I don't think they have figured it they're food yet.

 

[CannedMonster]

Newbie here too! I don't have mine yet, but will have them this week at some point. I am being given 25. Uhhhhh......OK. I think that will be plenty. I am sure I will give some away. I have neighbors that have coops as well. I am just going to jump right in! I bought a house that had an existing coop, so I am cleaning that up and sanitizing it this week. These little guys are about 4 weeks old, so I have a feeling that I will need to set up a brooder for about 2 weeks. Any advice?

I second what JMotuzick said.
I’ll never use a heat lamp again.
The chicks don’t get used to the dark at night and when they finally go out to the coop they freak out until they get used to it.
Not to mention the fire hazard.
Heat plate brooders are so much better and you can brood the chicks right in the coop and no fire hazard!
With 25 birds you’re going to need a lot of space.
The general consensus is 4 square feet per bird in the coop and 10 square feet per bird in the run.
Of course that is for adult birds but chicks grow quickly and need about 2 square feet per bird after they’re a couple of weeks old.

 

[Cadencernr]

If you have power set up a MHP or buy a hot plate. Put them right in the coop! As long as there is no wind I would think they would be fine. Your location is not listed but I’m guessing your in the northern USA? I put 27 freedom rangers outside in a tractor yesterday. They have a pet taxi with heat and are 6 days old today. 50’s over night no problem at 5am today when I left for work. Really loving life now, it’s 84f the tractor is in the sun but they have a cover so come shade.

I am actually in the South. I live in Lakeland, FL. It isn't too cold here in the evenings. I spoke to the guy last night and he hasn't had them in a brooder, so I am good to go.

 

[Cadencernr]

I second what JMotuzick said.
I’ll never use a heat lamp again.
The chicks don’t get used to the dark at night and when they finally go out to the coop they freak out until they get used to it.
Not to mention the fire hazard.
Heat plate brooders are so much better and you can brood the chicks right in the coop and no fire hazard!
With 25 birds you’re going to need a lot of space.
The general consensus is 4 square feet per bird in the coop and 10 square feet per bird in the run.
Of course that is for adult birds but chicks grow quickly and need about 2 square feet per bird after they’re a couple of weeks old.

I am definitely going to have to expand the coop. They will free range during the day, so sleeping is all they will do in the coop. I am not sure what the male/female ratio of these birds are, but I am probably going to get rid of a few roosters if I have multiple.

 

[llombardo]

I am definitely going to have to expand the coop. They will free range during the day, so sleeping is all they will do in the coop. I am not sure what the male/female ratio of these birds are, but I am probably going to get rid of a few roosters if I have multiple.

I think the same way. I will have 8 total. The coop is for sleeping or chilling only. I'm hoping it works like I'm thinking...lol

 

[PNW_Peepers]

After getting a Job at my local feed store part time I’ve learned so much about farming, gardening, & Livestock! I’m so thankful I buy an organic local feed instead of feeding in to the big corporations.
I’m thinking about getting broiler chickens this month. I’d have to build a whole new coop that could house at least 20 birds. My feed store has a butchering party in November. Everyone in town with chickens gets the chooks they want to butcher together. Everyone has a role, and the whole town butchers and cleans the chickens together.

My Barred Rocks are laying machines, laying every day. These are my eggs for the week. Only four are actually laying right now too!

 

[Cbarr00]

Finally catching up on this thread! We started on our coop this weekend! Let me tell y'all this heat is no joke. Here's our forecast.

We worked Saturday and Sunday in the heat. Monday my loving husband banned me from working anymore though. We are waiting on our hardware cloth and our door for the run to arrive. We cleaned the shed all out and took out some shelves and moved them into his work shed. We need to make some windows and vents, nesting boxes, and roosts for them.

This was our backyard before we took the pool and deck down. I'm kind of regretting not keeping the pool with this ridiculous heat and only having 7 weeks left of pregnancy!

Now it looks like this(this was an hour after we started Saturday morning around 11 am and it was already 90 degrees.)

We've got a roof put on and chicken wire across the top. (I haven't taken an updated picture yet.) It's set up with electricity so we are planning on putting a fan in there for them as well.

We absolutely love our cockerels so I'm not sure how we will decide who goes and who stays. IF their temperaments remain the same.

Here's an updated photo of Casper(my fave)

Then we have Big Red

Next is Deadpool(my kids named him)

And finally Dwight! Our resident crower and man in charge.

While I was getting updated photos to compare how fast our cockerels have grown in just a few weeks, Kat got curious and wanted to be in front of the camera. She's my Fave girl!


Sorry for the long post!