Covid-panic-induced chicken keeping?

[jsr5]

I'll confess, concern about the world / supply chain is what pushed us over the edge this year. We have been thinking about raising chickens for years, I volunteered a couple years as a 'chicken caretaker' at the nearby National Park to gain experience. We just never got around to building the coop & run. So when things came crashing down this year, we looked at each other & decided this was the year to do it.
It has been a wonderful thing for us. Another confession - my introduction post said we were starting to build the coop & didn't have chicks yet, for which so many congratulated me - well, on our shopping trip to buy the coop building supplies, the day before our state was shut down, we stopped at a Stock & Feed...and bought our 15 chicks...original plan was 10-12, my thought was all of same breed, but no, we got 3 of each breed they had labelled as cold-tolerant & calm & docile....Building & designing the coop & chicken yard (yes, kind of that order) has been a fantastic focus for us, kept us busy, and it's been great just settling down & watching chicks.
Maybe some people will be in over their heads, but hopefully they find this forum & others like it with people to talk them through it.

but no, we got 3 of each breed they had labelled as cold-tolerant & calm & docile...

Ya Know don't think I ever read a label calling them crazy balls of feathers that like to fight

 

[jsr5]

I've see that also where I live. I was in tsc and there was a guy who was TOTALLY CLUELESSon what he needed but he bought 3 dozen chicks and a pre fab coop from tsc. The coop was MUCH too small for all those chicks. It was very cold overnight temps and he, was going to build the coop and put the chicks in it that night with a 150 heat bulb. I seriously wonder if any of his chicks, survived in the cold at night in Michigan. He had no idea what to buy and he freely admitted he knew nothing but his wife wanted chickens, in case they needed food in the epidemic. I told him they wouldn't get eggs for a long time.... But he just gave me an oh well paid for his, stuff and out he, went.

Poor babies I hope his wife had more sensible ideas in mind. if not i doubt they survived. So sad should have yanked him up by the suspenders and made him understand.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

I went to get my 2 silkie chicks (and a mystery bantam), being oblivious to a run on chicks! What cracks me up (hehe) is people are thinking eggs, eggs, not understanding they may have a 6 month wait for eggs to be laying!!

Also, the chicks were all mixed up at the pet store.. can you imagine someone ending up with silkies and looking at that first egg?

 

[SharW75]

If people decided to buy chickens because of current times, and cared enough to research (and find amazing resource sites like this one!), then they're not the ones whose chickens I worry about. Even if you're a total newbie, if you care enough to learn, then you're doing right by the animals. It's the ones like the guy in the post above who bought a ton of chicks thinking he could jam them into a tiny coop without the right food, heat, etc. just because his wife wanted chickens. Those situations are just recipes for disaster, and I feel so bad for those little babies.

 

[Jeddice]

we have been in this for over 2 1/2 years now. First 3 mos were watching and learning with a chicken that just showed up in our yard (6,000 sq ft lot). She moved on after winter. We missed her so we went to TS and chatted with a the guy in charge. He said we should get a set-up before bringing chicks home. Gave us some recommendations of things we’d need. Things they sold there and alternative items we could use for Heat, containers for food, water, and them. I loved him he didn’t push their products. I spent all my reading time googling chickens. Couple days later we were ready. Picked up our first 6 babies. Zoning being as it is, 2 were rehomed. I pretty much knew after a short time I would be going with a Snap & Lock coop, no carpenters in this house. We did build a pen for them, and they get to run in an enclosed yard. I’m fortunate to have a friend who works for an auction house and has a farm of his own. So he has taken 8 or so boys off my hands. We are now at 22 ladies. have added another Snap&lock and a larger pen. I don’t know what we would for entertainment in these times we are in, hope those who get chicks find as much joy as we have. 4 adults, 7 dogs and 22 chickens.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

we have been in this for over 2 1/2 years now. First 3 mos were watching and learning with a chicken that just showed up in our yard (6,000 sq ft lot). She moved on after winter. We missed her so we went to TS and chatted with a the guy in charge. He said we should get a set-up before bringing chicks home. Gave us some recommendations of things we’d need. Things they sold there and alternative items we could use for Heat, containers for food, water, and them. I loved him he didn’t push their products. I spent all my reading time googling chickens. Couple days later we were ready. Picked up our first 6 babies. Zoning being as it is, 2 were rehomed. I pretty much knew after a short time I would be going with a Snap & Lock coop, no carpenters in this house. We did build a pen for them, and they get to run in an enclosed yard. I’m fortunate to have a friend who works for an auction house and has a farm of his own. So he has taken 8 or so boys off my hands. We are now at 22 ladies. have added another Snap&lock and a larger pen. I don’t know what we would for entertainment in these times we are in, hope those who get chicks find as much joy as we have. 4 adults, 7 dogs and 22 chickens.

I like your setup and silkies! I have maltipoos, I hope theyll be as nice as your dogs when these chicks are full grown. Right now they are more curious and scramble when the chicks move around.

 

[2hotchicks]

I am not sure if I am right, but I’ve begun to see an increase in the number of people buying chicks who are woefully unprepared to care for chickens in the long run. They seem to be worried about not having access to eggs or meat for a few weeks so they make a huge monetary investment and buy animals when they don’t actually want to take on the massive lifestyle change of chicken keeping.
This is a years-long investment and they’re doing it for a few weeks of worry? I worry for the level of care the animals are receiving based on the reason for their purchase.

It is worrisome. I think back on all the research, planning and prep work I did before I ever got my 2 young pullets, not to mention all the $ lol.

 

[GuskHomestead]

I agree. We got into chickens because we are starting to homestead and has nothing to do with covid. However I was raised with chickens on my Aunt’s angus farm so I grew up absolutely loving chickens.

 

[Lmfletcher]

I’m in England and it’s gone mad here, people who keep chickens have been told to be more cautious because for a few weeks a lot of local chicken keeps had their chickens stolen when this pandemic started. It’s crazy. Iv got a batch of chicks I put up for sale and had a few people contact to buy them, more along the lines of they want to buy 1 to keep as a pet for their child. Iv taken the adverts down because I don’t feel the people contacting me are genuinely interested in the chicks/chickens.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Anyone else thinking this is the time community restrictions might actually have a chance at changing? I hope so!