Baby chick questions

[KYchickadee]

It's nothing that anyone on here has said, I just need to vent... I'm so frustrated with the whole thing and just ready to throw my hands up in the air and quit. Every idea that I have, something happens that makes it a dumb or a "dumb" idea. What I mean is, "Hey, this hatchery has different colors and variations of the breed I want now... Oh, I have to order 15-25 chicks. And I have to order 5 of each variety. I can't get all the ones I want, because then I'd have 40 chickens." Or "Hey, this guy is giving away his goat house. I could add a roosting bar and a front panel with a door, throw in some milk crates for them to lay in." But then my mom and dad are like "I don't want it to look trashy." They barely agreed to help me build a coop, but I wanted to use pallets and other free wood. They refuse to help me. They want me to spend $700 on materials and I can't do that! I've been off work sick for a month. I'm supposed to go back to work on Wednesday and I'm STILL sick and honestly don't know if I can make it. And I'll find someone who has a coop I like for sale. "It's gone." Or chickens I like for sale "they're gone." Or they'll just have one pullet so I can't get two from them and I know one can't be by itself. I'm so frustrated, I'm actually crying. This was supposed to be something enjoyable and everything that is happening, especially the fact that nobody will help me build the "janky" coop I can afford and how I want to build it and where I want to build it, has leeched all the fun right out of it. I'm starting to regret even wanting them.

 

[lazy gardener]

It's tough when your plans are dependent on some one else. If you are the DIY type of person, and your family has some basic wood working tools, it shouldn't be too difficult to build a very basic 4 x 4, or even 4 x 8 coop. Have you looked at the coops tab on the top bar to see what type of coop might appeal to you and your family? I'm guessing that you live with your parents, so their input will be necessary. Do you have a family friend with basic wood working skills? It's not difficult to frame up a small coop if you have the basic tools, and are not afraid of power tools. But, unless you are getting free building materials, it will cost some money. There's no getting around that. Have you looked on Craig's list for used dog houses? What about finding a shipping crate that could be re-purposed? Keep saving your money until you find that coop to buy, or until you have a plan and the money to buy the materials. I wish you the best.

 

[KYchickadee]

I have fibromyalgia, so there's not much I can do on my own. They know this and use it to control me. Also, all of my friends I grew up with out here got married and moved away. I wanted to use the free lumber and free goat house to build my own, but they're refusing to help me unless I drop $700 on new materials. UGH! I'm so annoyed right now!

 

[KYchickadee]

Ok, now that I've got the panic mode over the chicken coop out of the way, I have some big news....

We've decided to get a frizzle and two sizzles from my cousin... AND THEY'RE STARTING TO PIP!

I just cleaned out the cage I'm using as a brooder and put poplar shavings in the bottom. Later today I'm getting stuff to go in the brooder. Any recommendations? Anything that can be homemade?

Aaaaand... dad and I came up with a plan for their coop. Mom is on board with using pallets, so hopefully she can persuade him. It's going to be 8x8x8'. The bottom 4' will be the run and the upper 4' will be their coop. We're using an existing play deck.