ALABAMA!!

[Wisher1000]

OH! And I'll help in any way I can!

 

[groleau6]

Thanks I will do that. Oh, and your signature is one of my favorite nursery rhymes.

 

[icandi]

hi, welcome to BYC!.

I'm pretty new here too. I notice your avatar.. 3 boys and one girl? I have exactly the opposite lol They all look close in age like mine too

 

[groleau6]

Want to swap for a day? lol, I could use some girl time. I get lost in camo, sports stuff, and cars. My little ones range from 2 to 7. Connie is my oldest. She the the girliest tomboy you cold meet. haha. We homeschool too, so it's all going to be interesting once we get this up and running with our coop. It's our science for awhile.

 

[icandi]

From what I've gathered my local TSC (that only opened about a month ago!

) should get some chicks soon. I was passed to so many people and left on hold forever to get a date of 'maybe' Feb 18th when they get some in and they couldn't tell me what kinds. My local feed store will get them sometime in march and mainly RIR.. which I don't want with small kids and I really wanted 12 pullets. Without a sale at TS , feed is cheaper at the feed store. I'm not sure on quality difference though.
SO.. I got some from IDEAL shipping Wed and I'll have baby chicks a couple days before my birthday on Sunday

I forgot they pack with males though so I am hoping I will be able to tell which ones those are easily. I can't decide if this means I won't at least look at chicks when they come in to the stores or not. I know that if I look I will be very tempted to buy lol. So if I just happen to go pick up more feed on the same day I know they will have chicks.. I can still just call that coincidence right?

I'm more of a plan ahead person.. but my husband and father who said they would help do not seem to be as excited about this as I am and have not helped set things up... so maybe some chirping in the house and growing birds will get their attention.. either that or I have my work cut out for me LOL

 

[icandi]

Want to swap for a day? lol, I could use some girl time. I get lost in camo, sports stuff, and cars. My little ones range from 2 to 7. Connie is my oldest. She the the girliest tomboy you cold meet. haha. We homeschool too, so it's all going to be interesting once we get this up and running with our coop. It's our science for awhile.

Haha awesome! I homeschooled myself as a teen I would like to homeschool my brood.. but I don't know if I have the patience lol. Mine range from 8-2 with the eldest being a somewhat girly girl, then my Boy, a tomboy, and the 2.5yo is a mamas girl They may like pink/purple but not much of a doll crowd around here. They'd rather play outside and climb trees. I think they'll like the chickens since all we have is one dog and 3 fish.

 

[Wisher1000]

Groleau6 - Here is my best advice.

1. Decide how many chickens would be the absolute most chickens you think you will ever want.
2. Double that number (its called chicken math, you'll get it later.)
3. Multiply that number by 4 (this is the square foot size of the covered coop you need to build.)
4. Plan and build the covered portion of your coop this size. During design, remember that you are building to keep large dogs out, not chickens in. Build it strong, 4x4s, tin roofing, heavy latches, etc. Do not use chicken wire, use 2x4 welded wire or heavier. Get plenty of input from chicken keepers during the design phase. Four solid walls are not necessary in Alabama, but you need at least two solid corners.

This structure will get you started. Phase II would be a run attached to this part. The size of that part would need to be the same as #3 above except multiplied by 10 so leave room for that when selecting the site.

This will constitute your first coop and run! There will be more.

 

[groleau6]

We were planning on doing something along the lines of this green house only with wire and two sets of doors(one for entering and one for nesting). With a back section for their nesting area being completely covered. We were planning on 4-6 hens, either Barred Rock Plymoth or Australarp--which ever is quieter and most kid friendly.

 

[Wisher1000]

What are the dimensions?

 

[groleau6]

For my green house, it was 10x20. I haven't started the coop yet, it's just the idea we are working with right now. It will probably be about the same though, with the nesting area being about only about 3 feet deep and the rest for their grazing.