Paula321
Songster
I am a lover of gardening and retired this month after traveling for 20 years. We bought a new house with an acre on the same lake we live at before in Central Florida (Lake Walk in Water) because I wanted more garden space. I put in 50 fruit trees and have plans for raised beds. Chickens seemed natural as I want these systems to be organic.
I already picked up two Americana and will pick up six more quiet and easy backyard breeds I ordered after learning about them here. They arrive Friday.
I have an acre with two huge live oaks. Their coop and run will be built over the next two weeks under these trees and next to my potting shed. I will also build a portable run so they can forage daily in different spaces of my yard away from the coop. We are on a lake with eagles, hawks, and many bird predators so I want to keep them safe even if I am standing with them. We are on a lake so they will have breezes.
They currently live in a sunny screened room. I’m in Florida so have 80-90 degree days still. At night, I have them in a large plastic bin lined with three inches of pine litter on an electric blanket. I really hope I don’t kill them. I check on them every few hours at night and regularly throughout the day.
I feed my dog a biologically appropriate raw food diet with human grade food. I would love to do the same for the chickens. Feed rules for organic are not so great. Right now, I cut up my vegis and fruit very tiny and add it to the screened room litter as well as little bugs and ants. It is all organic. I also have an organic chick starter (who knows if this is good quality or really 200 percent organic). They are only three days old so I don’t want to screw this up. I plan to feed them organic compost that I will grow and fish I can catch as well as whatever else is suggested but I prefer biologically appropriate food and not feed if possible.
I was a bank auditor for 20 years and the husband is an attorney. No kids. One dog. I know the pup will not do well w the chicks already. He tried to bump one in my hands to make it squeak. We can keep them separated. He loves lounging on the couch so won’t miss that bit of the yard.
I will do what I need to do to make this a success. I plan to build a huge coop and run as wall as electrify it from predators and potentially air condition it if needed. These chicks will be our kids/pets. I have so many questions.
I’m reading your newbie questions so trying to provide detail. We have a house in Colorado. We go there about three to five weeks per quarter. My parents also live on the same lake in FL. I also have household staff (housekeeper who comes 2-3 times per week or as often as we need) who can help with the chickens when we are gone.
The dog goes to Colorado with us. My parents will happily collect the eggs for us as will other nearby friends. My housekeeper will learn to feed them and my parents will verify it is fine. If they become like dogs to us, we will bring them to Colorado and build a coop and run there too. Our dog is our kid. After a few days with MJ and PJ (the chicks) the chickens may become our kids too. (I’m not sure if chickens like to travel in cars).
Also, my sister has six chickens and lives in North Carolina. I have been reading about your site for years with my sister. It ramped up recently after deciding to get them myself. I never thought I could do it until retiring and then reading about electric door openers, 3 week feeding and watering systems, electric fences, etc (with my parents checking in daily but having little work to do while I’m gone). My parents actually love chickens and hang at my house a lot while we are gone normally. I’m so excited about this!!
I already picked up two Americana and will pick up six more quiet and easy backyard breeds I ordered after learning about them here. They arrive Friday.
I have an acre with two huge live oaks. Their coop and run will be built over the next two weeks under these trees and next to my potting shed. I will also build a portable run so they can forage daily in different spaces of my yard away from the coop. We are on a lake with eagles, hawks, and many bird predators so I want to keep them safe even if I am standing with them. We are on a lake so they will have breezes.
They currently live in a sunny screened room. I’m in Florida so have 80-90 degree days still. At night, I have them in a large plastic bin lined with three inches of pine litter on an electric blanket. I really hope I don’t kill them. I check on them every few hours at night and regularly throughout the day.
I feed my dog a biologically appropriate raw food diet with human grade food. I would love to do the same for the chickens. Feed rules for organic are not so great. Right now, I cut up my vegis and fruit very tiny and add it to the screened room litter as well as little bugs and ants. It is all organic. I also have an organic chick starter (who knows if this is good quality or really 200 percent organic). They are only three days old so I don’t want to screw this up. I plan to feed them organic compost that I will grow and fish I can catch as well as whatever else is suggested but I prefer biologically appropriate food and not feed if possible.
I was a bank auditor for 20 years and the husband is an attorney. No kids. One dog. I know the pup will not do well w the chicks already. He tried to bump one in my hands to make it squeak. We can keep them separated. He loves lounging on the couch so won’t miss that bit of the yard.
I will do what I need to do to make this a success. I plan to build a huge coop and run as wall as electrify it from predators and potentially air condition it if needed. These chicks will be our kids/pets. I have so many questions.
I’m reading your newbie questions so trying to provide detail. We have a house in Colorado. We go there about three to five weeks per quarter. My parents also live on the same lake in FL. I also have household staff (housekeeper who comes 2-3 times per week or as often as we need) who can help with the chickens when we are gone.
The dog goes to Colorado with us. My parents will happily collect the eggs for us as will other nearby friends. My housekeeper will learn to feed them and my parents will verify it is fine. If they become like dogs to us, we will bring them to Colorado and build a coop and run there too. Our dog is our kid. After a few days with MJ and PJ (the chicks) the chickens may become our kids too. (I’m not sure if chickens like to travel in cars).
Also, my sister has six chickens and lives in North Carolina. I have been reading about your site for years with my sister. It ramped up recently after deciding to get them myself. I never thought I could do it until retiring and then reading about electric door openers, 3 week feeding and watering systems, electric fences, etc (with my parents checking in daily but having little work to do while I’m gone). My parents actually love chickens and hang at my house a lot while we are gone normally. I’m so excited about this!!
Glad you joined.
