Can people who never touched a chicken raise chickens!?

[debakadeb]

I've had my chickens for 2 weeks now...and had never touched a chicken before these six. I do wish my DH was building a larger coop but I am happy that he is BUILDING the coop. Of course, I think he is doing it as the "lesser of evils"...meaning he doesn't want me in his workshop using his tools.

Oh, well, just means he may have another building project next Spring.

Question about coops...what type of bedding do you use in your nesting boxes and what type on the floor of the coop?

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I've had my chickens for 2 weeks now...and had never touched a chicken before these six.

COOL, and are you enjoying it? I am so jealous of those getting their chicks before me!

LOL I can't wait! How is the cleaning of the brooder going? How often are you cleaning it?​

 

[coffeefanatic3462]

We got our first chickens just last October! My friend has chickens, and I absolutely LOVED them! Whenever I came over we would mostly hang out around the chicken coop all day! Then my dad was nice enough to build one, and we got some chickens at a local Poultry show that weekend :3
With a little research, I'm sure anyone is capable of raising chickens successfully

 

[debakadeb]

Quote:
COOL, and are you enjoying it? I am so jealous of those getting their chicks before me!

LOL I can't wait! How is the cleaning of the brooder going? How often are you cleaning it?

I am enjoying them. I go see them as soon as I get home from work, change out their water and food, and do some minor clean-up. Between those tasks, I just watch them. Before giving them the fresh food, I usually put some in my hand. Most of them will come eat out of my hand and one likes to get up in my hand.

Cleaning the brooder is actually pretty easy. I use a litter-scoop that you would use for a cat box to scoop out the top of the litter that appears soiled and then I fluff the litter as it tends to get packed down with their walking. They are so funny. They try walking onto the litter-scooper. Then we have the ones that are a bit upset that I'm messing with their area so they are really chirping at me. Now they are roosting on anything high.

Overall, I spend about 20-30 min each morning admiring them, talking with them, and cleaning their brooder and about 30-45 min in the evening. On the weekends, I take everything out and put fresh litter in. This may need to happen more than once as they get older but I'm hoping the coop will be ready by the time they are 4 weeks old. I think it will be warm enough here in Indiana by then.

Can't wait to see pics when you get your baby chicks. I hope you enjoy them as much as I am enjoying mine. I find they de-stress me after work

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Cleaning the brooder is actually pretty easy. I use a litter-scoop that you would use for a cat box to scoop out the top of the litter that appears soiled and then I fluff the litter as it tends to get packed down with their walking. They are so funny. They try walking onto the litter-scooper. Then we have the ones that are a bit upset that I'm messing with their area so they are really chirping at me. Now they are roosting on anything high.

THis is such a good idea...I have something else to add to my list now

I'm going to use this idea. Funny I have not run into this idea in previous posts. Your chicks sound so cute! Which hatchery did you buy through? I went through Ideal for my first batch. HAHA I said FIRST batch like I"m going to get MORE lol​

 

[starck5]

Welcome. I am a newbie also.
I just got a couple chickens 2 weeks ago. My husband isn't thrilled. Now he has to build me a chicken coop. The coop went from building a coop for 10 chickens, to making it universal for 2 goats and 10 chickens, to 2 goats, 10 chickens and a storage shed all in one. The project is getting more expensive by the minute.
So far I have 3 unknown chickens, and 9 females on order from the feed mill. They are growing so quick. We have named them, peep, peep and peep. I think one is a rooster. Everyone laughs at me when I tell them that. For someone who has never been around the farm life, I sure am very knowledgeable about chickens, thanks to this BYC website. I am on it everyday.

I think my day consists equal parts of the BYC website and sitting next to the brooder watching my 3 peeps.

Good luck from wisconsin

 

[opihiman911]

Yup, you need to build your coop/run as big as you can the first time around.
I started out with 4 RIR in a small 4x4 coop with a small run. A year later I got a couple more chicken and had to build a bigger 4x15 run on the side of my garage. 4 or 5 years after that I'm up to 10-20 chickens at any given time and I had to build a even bigger run for them.
I just finished securing a 20x15 run with an attached 3x10 coop and 4 new nest boxes for all them. It is in the place I originally build my first little coop in. It is actually my original plans, but I thought why should I build this big pen for JUST 4 little chickens? Little did I know...........
Good luck and welcome to our little corner of this wonderful world. I'm sure you will do just fine and end up just like all of us chickaholics with more chicken than you planned on.

Aloha,
Cory

 

[debakadeb]

Quote:
I didn't go through a hatchery -- didn't want to order 25. I had originally planned on getting 3...went to Tractor Supply and came home with 6.

 

[Cheryl]

I just up and told my husband last fall I wanted chickens and needed a coop! Never lived on a farm, never held a chicken, I am totally addicted now! Of course my family thinks I'm nuts, probably going through a mid-life crisis or something...

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

Until last year I never touched a chick/duckling before in my life - but I was in the feed store ( yea around easter time ) and came home with 3 chicks 2 ducklings ...

a year later I know have 9 full grown hens, 1 roo, 3 full grown ducks - 23 baby chicks - and 3 ducklings I hatched for my first time hatching anything ( they are from the ducklings I got last year LOL ) - and my bator is full of eggs !!

so I guess the answear is yes even if you have never touched a chicken ( other than frozen lol ) you can raise chickens !!

have fun with your new little ones -

julie