2018 Newbie Chat!

[BBZZZZTT]

Ain’t it a great, stress reducing way to raise ‘em? Short learning curve then they just “get it” and take over!

It's great!
I live in the city so my favorite thing is seeing everyone look so shocked when I tell then my chicks already live outside in the coop.
Number 1 most asked question when I mention I have chickens is "what do you do with them in the winter?!"
Well they're made out of feathers and have been raised on farms since before electricity was a thing so I think they can handle it.

 

[snoozing chick]

Our chicks shipped this morning! Can’t wait to get a tracking update and see if they arrive tomorrow or Wednesday. My daughter and I already visited the main USPS sorting/dispatch facility to touch base and they said we would get a call by 6am - the delivery truck rolls up around 5am. Then we can go pick them up! Yippee! Oh, and I realized it has been THREE years of planning (not two!) - I just got my 3y anniversary badge here. So long to have been a lurker...!

 

[llombardo]

I get home today and I look outside and it's raining. I'm yelling at the dogs to get out of my way because I need dry dirt for dust baths. My neighbors surely mst think I'm crazy, my dogs sure do

 

[kklowell]

I'm a newbie too. We had chickens when I was a kid (I'm soon going to be 69) so it has been a while! We bought 6 a week ago today and six more on Saturday. I was surprised the difference a few days make! They are all for eggs, we didn't get any meat birds.

 

[llombardo]

I had a bonding moment with Sunni my yellow duckling tonite. The three ducks were enjoying swim time. While they enjoy that I sit next to the tub. The four chicks fly up and roost on the box next to me--one in particular has to be right by me. I kind of had my arm draped on the ledge and I felt some nudging. I look and Sunni wriggled his body under my arm and put his head my arm and just stayed there looking at me. I could have melted, it was the most adorable thing.

 

[KHBaker]

Hi all! I've loved reading all of your chick stories! We got our first chickens about five weeks ago Wednesday, and they are thriving! I have three Black Sex Links and three ISA Browns. Our coop is still a work in progress (it's finished, but will be upgraded), but the chickens don't seem to mind. They moved outside permanently this weekend and are doing great. So far, I'm loving having chickens! They are fun, and much more interactive than I thought that they would be. The picture is from the first night that they were home.

 

[BBZZZZTT]

My task tomorrow... Start conditioning my dog to not stare at chickens. XP

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Well, I went and tried to ferment my feed....
It went marvelously! I can’t believe I haven’t tried it sooner. My feed expands so much during the process that it should last me a bit longer. DH was giving me the stink eye about it. Gave everyone some to try out this morning after three days of fermenting. Needless to say DH is eating crow. Of course they were so jazzed that I couldn’t get any good photos because they all were jumping about ecstatically for it.

 

[BBZZZZTT]

Running out of room on my lap

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Uh oh I’m in trouble.
I have 18 chickens as of today, but my coop can hold 20 very comfortably with the 4/10 rule. 24 with the 3/10 rule. My local mom n’ pop feed store is getting in chicks this week. Chicken math has its death grips on me and I’m wondering how many and which breeds I should get. They’ll be getting Red Stars, Buff Orp, & Black Australorp. I already have:
2 Black Ameraucana
4 Blue Ameraucana
2 Splash Ameraucana
2 EE
4 Barred Plymouth Rock
2 Welsummer
1 Lavender Orp
1 Black Australorp

I’m aware I’m nuts wanting even more.
So what do you guys think?