Arkansas folks speak up.........

[tnunley]

Hello y'all! I am a newby from Springdale! Our city recently changed it's ordinance about allowing chickens being kept in city limits! I am soo excited! I have a large backyard and a friend is giving me a big coop! We are only allowed 4 chickens, but that is plenty for my small family! I am not planning on getting any chicks until spring time, I want to get the coop and run set up first! In the meantime, I am trying to learn all I can! I do have several questions and I am hoping you guys can help me!

My biggest worry is that I have 2 big dogs who are outside during the day. One of them is a digger and loves to dig under our privacy fence. I am afraid my pooch will try to dig into the coop. Any suggestions on making it dog proof?

I have 2 small kids (2yo & 6mo) what breeds are friendly and easy going and will be okay with small kids (if any?). I know all the feed stores in the area will carry chicks as well as locals, any recommendations on where to get them in the spring?

Lastly, I know I will need to feed some sort of chicken scratch. Any recommendation on brand/type and do I need to add any supplements?

Thank you in advance for your help!!

 

[John farmer]

from Tontitown
I would use a cattle panel in the bottom of my coop and that will keep the dog's out
I feed layer pellets and allow my birds to free range the yard a couple times a week
If you want the most freindly chicken and a joy to own I would get Cochins if you want heavy producers I would look into barred rocks or new hamps both very friendly
I sale chicks and eggs and will probably have some nice pullets come spring your welcome to come for a visit and we can show you how we raise birds here
J & A farms
Quality Pure Bred Poultry
Tontitown Arkansas

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome from outside Prairie Grove.

My biggest worry is that I have 2 big dogs who are outside during the day. One of them is a digger and loves to dig under our privacy fence. I am afraid my pooch will try to dig into the coop. Any suggestions on making it dog proof?

Lots of different ways to do things. I suggest you look at aprons. This is where you lay about 18" to 24" of fencing flat on the ground and attach it to the bottom of your coop/run. You don't have to bury it but taking the sod up then putting it back over the fencing makes it look better and keeps it out of th eway of a lawn mower or worse, weed whacker. The idea is that the predator goes up to the fence, starts to dig, hits the apron, and does not know to back up.

I have 2 small kids (2yo & 6mo) what breeds are friendly and easy going and will be okay with small kids (if any?). I know all the feed stores in the area will carry chicks as well as locals, any recommendations on where to get them in the spring?

I'm not going to recommend any breed. I really don't think breed matters. I do think that strain matters. What I mean by that is that if the parents are people friendly, the offspring probably will be too. That can vary within a breed.

Where to get them? People on here are a great source. Most feed stores have chicks at some time in the spring. Your problem is that you can probably only have females. Most of us cannot guarantee you that our chicks are female until they get to a certain age. Most feed stores offer what are supposed ot be pullets only but sometimes they make mistakes. That's not necessarily their fault but you are probably better off getting started pullets from someone on here. You can also order from hatcheries but most of them have much more than 4 as a minimum and they are not always 100% correct in sexing their chicks either.

I don't know John Farmer or his chickens, but you might want to get to know him and take a look at his operations.

Lastly, I know I will need to feed some sort of chicken scratch. Any recommendation on brand/type and do I need to add any supplements?

You could write books on what to feed chickens. Most of it doesn't matter. Don't feed Layer to growing chicks. The extra calcium in Layer can hurt growing chick's internal organs. Other than that, it really truly does not matter that much though I'd stay away from much scratch. Scratch is something like chicken candy. It is high in energy but low in protein. A bit won't hurt but too much is not good. The general plan is start them off with a 20 to 22% protein Starter, when they get around 4 to 8 weeks old (whenever that bag of feed runs out), switch to maybe a 16% grower. Then when they start to lay, switch to Layer which has the extrqa calcium for the egg shells.

Many of us don't follow that schedule. You really can feed any of it except Layer at any time. And if you don't want to feed Layer when they start to lay, just offer oyster shell on the side. That way they can eat whatever oyster shell they want for the calcium.

 

[FarmGirl01]

from Texarkana.

 

[202roosterlane]

 

[draye]

Good Morning!

 

[The Breaker]

That is why I NEVER leave mine outside by themselves................my daughter would be sooooooooooooo crushed to see her babies flying away as dinner. We all stay outside while they are out of the coop...and I always have my pole at the ready to defend my birds at a moments notice!!! NO one messes with my flock!!

I have found that a high powered pellet rifle dos not hurt either

 

[TheJadeChicken]

Having a hard time with the holidays. Something is getting my chickens.

I have lost 2 Black Tailed Japanese Roosters, 1 Black Frizzle Japanese Baby, 1 White Crested Black Polish Rooster, 1 Mille Fleur D'Uccle Rooster, and 1 EE.

 

[draye]

Having a hard time with the holidays. Something is getting my chickens.

I have lost 2 Black Tailed Japanese Roosters, 1 Black Frizzle Japanese Baby, 1 White Crested Black Polish Rooster, 1 Mille Fleur D'Uccle Rooster, and 1 EE.

Probably that ole possum that was at my house.
Finally had to put tops on my runs to keep them out.

 

[TheJadeChicken]

Probably that ole possum that was at my house.
Finally had to put tops on my runs to keep them out.

That is what my neighbor said. I have a humane Trap. Not sure what to bait it with. :/