Chicken Newbie in N IL

[LIChickens]

Welcome to BYC!

You will find a lot of good information here. Keep on asking questions and you will get many good answers.

You may also want to read the FAQ below.

 

[Kickin Cowgirl]

It took much longer than I would have liked, but we finally brought our newest family members home last night! We've got 7 hens: 2 Rhode Island Reds, 4 Salmon Favorelles, 1 Colombian Rock and a Salmon Favorelle Rooster. I am so excited! I understand it will take some time for my new chickens to be comfortable and secure here. I do have a couple of questions. They were all hatched in April and have been in a coop or cage, no free range or outdoor run. I plan to allow them to free range (during the day and only when I can supervise) after they know the coop is their safe home. I have an old ladder in their coop for roosting. It seems they are all uncertain about balancing and do not feel comfortable sitting there for long (if at all). Will they learn to roost on the ladder? I checked them last night before I went to bed and 4 of the girls and the roo were huddled together on top of the cabinet I have their nesting boxes in. Tonight around dusk, I set each of them on a rung of the ladder and the hens all hesitantly stayed but the rooster wanted nothing to do with it! He was struggling to get his balance, panicked, and before I could lift him off he was straddling the ladder (feet dangling) and then flew to the floor of the coop. I don't want to push the issue, but if I should provide something else to insure their comfort, I will certainly do so! I know the rooster crows, as I heard him at the home he was previously at. How long will it take him to crow here? I am guessing it is because he does not yet feel secure here? Thank you for all your help! This site is fantastic, I have learned so much!

 

[Kickin Cowgirl]

This morning when I checked on my flock, I decided to crow at the rooster since he had not yet been vocal. He flapped his wings and crowed back at me!

I am so excited! I took my husband to the coop to see if the roo would do it again, and sure enough, he did! My hubby thinks I have fallen off the deep end.

I'm enjoying my first experience with chickens!!!