Beginner to BYC

Pics
Date sort Score sort
You'll need a way to keep them close to their nest box(es) for mornings, so they aren't tempted to wander off to other nesting sites.
I have a 4 foot chain link fence, but have found that it works really good as an "initial" deterrent. Having a run that is completely enclosed and attached to their coop is a good "morning sun room" that they could use until they have laid an egg - and that needs to be *fully* wrapped with good wire. I have never heard anyone complain they spent too much money or time protecting the chickens, but lots of people have complained that they spent too little. (Myself, included.)
You and your hens will work out a schedule. Or turn it into a daily egg hunt for any children around.
Clipping wings needs to be done every time they grow new flight feathers. That means you'll do it a couple of times in their first year, but only once a year or so after that. As they grow into hens, most of the time they'll lose any wanderlust, or become too heavy to fly - but that will depend on the birds and their breed.
It does look like the bird with the more developed comb and wattles is a cockerel. They start crowing pretty early, so you'll have audible confirmation soon enough. Young cockerels sound pitiful at first, as they try out their voices, so you'll have a little time to decide what to do with your little boy.
The small egg was a first attempt by a pullet "coming on line". There will be a few small ans irregular eggs, as well as some fuss and bother about them, but your pullets will soon figure things out, and their eggs will become more predictable in size.
 
FaithForkell said:
Hey everyone! I'm new to backyard chickens and have some questions. I purchased 4 chicks back in March which are now about 21 weeks old. I've never raised chickens before so my husband built a coop for me and we just went from there. I absolutely love them and enjoy watching them in the backyard. We did run into an issue with them flying out of the fence and into a neighbor's yard so I googled how to trim their wings and it solved the issue, however, I wasnt sure if this was something that needs to be done more than once? I assume their feathers eventually grow back? Also, a friend of mine who is a teacher hatched some eggs in the classroom and ended up giving me 2 of the chickens. I have no idea what kind they are and was hoping to find out. The 2 that she gave me ended up being much smaller than mine and neither of them have a high comb. One of the white ones has had green legs since it was a chick, is that normal?
So far I've found 3 eggs, 2 of them were medium sized brown ones that I assume came from one of my original chickens, but the 3rd egg was very small and white? It didnt even look like a chicken egg. Anyways, is there anyway to teach the chickens to lay in the coop instead of under bushes in my backyard? They arent in an enclosed run and I have a massive fenced in backyard which is going to make it difficult to find eggs not laid in the coop. I'm attaching photos of the white ones if someone can tell me what kind they are.
Thanks, everyone!!
Click to expand...


Welcome to BackYardChickens! So glad to have you here in our wonderful community of friendly, helpful, knowledgeable people!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom