Greetings new chicken keepers!
Congratulations on starting your flock! I am certain you will find keeping chickens (or ducks, turkeys, etc.) most rewarding! Please also know that I am not among the most experience chicken keepers on the forums, but I have learned a few things and was reflecting on what I wish I knew right out of the gates. So I am putting together a few tips for you. The world of keeping chickens can be overwhelming with regard to dietary requirements, coop and run design, flock management, and how to deal with illnesses and injuries. I'm going to keep this very high level and not get into the weeds. Sound good? Great!
You are not alone, but you decide what's best for your flock. Back Yard Chickens is an amazing group of passionate bird keepers like you. We respect you and are here to help. We have everything from livestock keepers to pet owners and everything in between. There is no judgement here, so please don't feel you need to apologize for the way you keep your flock. You will find opinions and advice from all angles, so take it all into consideration and know that ultimately you are in charge of your flock. I have gotten into trouble by being wishy washy and not knowing which advice to take. Make your best decision and see it through.
Get to know your birds and vice versa. Spend time with your flock. Get to know their individual personalities, voices, behaviors, laying status, and where they fit in the pecking order. This will serve you when trying to figure out if something is off. Also make sure they know you and are comfortable around you. If your birds are pets, this includes handling. At some point, I can just about guarantee you will need to handle a bird. Make sure your birds are accustomed to being handled. Spend time around them. Talk to them. Touch them. You might even practice gently wrapping them in a towel to keep them from flapping their wings. I also encourage you to do regular quick exams... feel your birds over quickly for crop being empty in the morning, breast muscle condition, and bloating in the abdomen. Feathers can hide a lot!
Be prepared. There is a multitude of ailments, injuries, illnesses and conditions you will read about and may possibly face with your flock eventually. It's really overwhelming, but in reality some situations are more likely/common than others. My suggestion would be to have a sick bay on hand, such as a dog crate so you can separate a bird, but keep him/her with the flock. (I use a mini coop and run that is kept within the main run). Be familiar with and prepared for the most common, urgent situations. Over time, if you hang out on BYC, you will learn about the others, as well. Except for catastrophic organ failure, most other conditions will not result in death within the first few hours. In my opinion, the most common, urgent situations include:
Learn from your mistakes. You will make mistakes. Unfortunately, sometimes this will cause you heartache. The important thing is that you learn from these mistakes and remember that you did your best.
Learn as much as you can and remember knowledge comes with experience. When you have time, in addition to getting to know your flock, hang out on BYC and soak in the information. Lurk on the boards, ask questions, and even chime in if you have advice or words of encouragement to offer. Even our most experienced members are occasionally stumped.
Enjoy your birds! This may seem like a no brainer, but sometimes we can get so caught up in trying to do everything right, we can forget to just sit back and enjoy. Watch their cute little quirks and listen to their voices. Sit with them and let them jump into your lap. Appreciate their beautiful feathers and enjoy their eggs (or meat, if you keep them for that purpose).
That's all I have for now. I hope this has been helpful. If anyone else wants to chime in (agree, disagree, add something I've forgotten/missed), by all means, please do!
My best,
Michelle
Congratulations on starting your flock! I am certain you will find keeping chickens (or ducks, turkeys, etc.) most rewarding! Please also know that I am not among the most experience chicken keepers on the forums, but I have learned a few things and was reflecting on what I wish I knew right out of the gates. So I am putting together a few tips for you. The world of keeping chickens can be overwhelming with regard to dietary requirements, coop and run design, flock management, and how to deal with illnesses and injuries. I'm going to keep this very high level and not get into the weeds. Sound good? Great!
You are not alone, but you decide what's best for your flock. Back Yard Chickens is an amazing group of passionate bird keepers like you. We respect you and are here to help. We have everything from livestock keepers to pet owners and everything in between. There is no judgement here, so please don't feel you need to apologize for the way you keep your flock. You will find opinions and advice from all angles, so take it all into consideration and know that ultimately you are in charge of your flock. I have gotten into trouble by being wishy washy and not knowing which advice to take. Make your best decision and see it through.
Get to know your birds and vice versa. Spend time with your flock. Get to know their individual personalities, voices, behaviors, laying status, and where they fit in the pecking order. This will serve you when trying to figure out if something is off. Also make sure they know you and are comfortable around you. If your birds are pets, this includes handling. At some point, I can just about guarantee you will need to handle a bird. Make sure your birds are accustomed to being handled. Spend time around them. Talk to them. Touch them. You might even practice gently wrapping them in a towel to keep them from flapping their wings. I also encourage you to do regular quick exams... feel your birds over quickly for crop being empty in the morning, breast muscle condition, and bloating in the abdomen. Feathers can hide a lot!
Be prepared. There is a multitude of ailments, injuries, illnesses and conditions you will read about and may possibly face with your flock eventually. It's really overwhelming, but in reality some situations are more likely/common than others. My suggestion would be to have a sick bay on hand, such as a dog crate so you can separate a bird, but keep him/her with the flock. (I use a mini coop and run that is kept within the main run). Be familiar with and prepared for the most common, urgent situations. Over time, if you hang out on BYC, you will learn about the others, as well. Except for catastrophic organ failure, most other conditions will not result in death within the first few hours. In my opinion, the most common, urgent situations include:
- An egg bound hen
- Coccidiosis
- Injury/predator attack (first aide)
Learn from your mistakes. You will make mistakes. Unfortunately, sometimes this will cause you heartache. The important thing is that you learn from these mistakes and remember that you did your best.
Learn as much as you can and remember knowledge comes with experience. When you have time, in addition to getting to know your flock, hang out on BYC and soak in the information. Lurk on the boards, ask questions, and even chime in if you have advice or words of encouragement to offer. Even our most experienced members are occasionally stumped.
Enjoy your birds! This may seem like a no brainer, but sometimes we can get so caught up in trying to do everything right, we can forget to just sit back and enjoy. Watch their cute little quirks and listen to their voices. Sit with them and let them jump into your lap. Appreciate their beautiful feathers and enjoy their eggs (or meat, if you keep them for that purpose).
That's all I have for now. I hope this has been helpful. If anyone else wants to chime in (agree, disagree, add something I've forgotten/missed), by all means, please do!
My best,
Michelle
I spent so much time researching and I won’t lie I am afraid. I am afraid to lose my flock... for any reason. They are my pets and I will sincerely worry for their well being as long as I own them. This is great 
Go Girl!
