Glad to meet you and Larry, who is a handsome fellow. You are a kind soul, indeed, to take care of him. You can find the nutridrench and Flockraiser feed that Dobie Lover mentions above at farm stores like
TSC and such. There are probably some in your area.
If you are planning on continuing as Larry's caretaker, you might want to read about
rooster behavior.
And if you are planning on doing some sort of coop for Larry, and possibly adding a harem for that fellow, you might want some hints on coop design and chicken keeping:
1.
Intro to chicken keeping
2.
Common mistakes & how to fix them
3.
Ventilation (important to chicken health), with
helpful links to coop designs organized by climate (because what is just right for my New England hens won't work for my brother's Arizona chickens)
But also know that not everybody puts their chickens into coops, and some folks repurpose sheds, playhouses, and even old cars into chicken coops. Just keep in mind the importance of ventilation! You may even be able to buy a purpose built coop from a nearby handyman on Craigslist (I was!). Be wary of buying a pre-built coop from farm stores, or the Internet because their claims of how many hens it will hold are always exaggerated, and they are often poorly designed and built. Here is a
good link about building a coop, with some guidelines about design and size needed.
4.
Predator protection for new & existing coops
5.
Dealing with a muddy coop and run
To look for articles on your own:
A. Use the SEARCH button, but use the Advanced Search choice, and select ARTICLES at the top of the box. Just enter your keyword(s) and scroll through your results!
B. I find it helpful to notice the rating and reviews. All articles are by BYC members, and all the reviews/ratings are as well. The ratings help a newbie like me sort the most useful and reliable articles.
C. You can bookmark the articles or posts you think you want to refer to again using that bookmark icon at the top of articles or posts. You can find them again by clicking on your own avatar and looking at the list of bookmarks you have built up!
Notes about where to put a coop:
1. As far as you can, put a coop and run on high ground, that drains well, so you won't have so much muddy coop problems. Chickens need to be dry, dry, dry.
2. As far as you can, put a coop with the ventilation lined up with your prevailing breezes, and away from the direction of your storms. If you are not sure of these (who is these days?), check with your local National Weather Service website.
3. As far as you can, arrange for some sort of shade over your coop and run. Preferably deciduous so the girls will enjoy winter sun, but summer shade.
What’s funny is, my sons dubbed my art studio the “Chick Roost” (and their game room was the bear cave) years ago.
We're so happy you've decided to join us
