First set of noobie questions (Now with Pictures)

[bigstack]

A big Texas HOWDY

and

Sound to me like you have it pretty well coverd. The girls look very healthy! Conngrats on getting your first chickens. BUT....Now your in for it! LOL Once you start with chickens your hooked. It sounds like They have a loving, caring, wonderful owner. They will reward your efforts! They just need a little time to get cumfy and get set into a routine. Welcome again!

Good Luck and God Bless!!!

 

[lauralou]

What a lovely chicken! I have one very similar to that. Her name is Ginger.

The thing that I notice when I look at her is that the skin around her eyes is still pale. Before she starts laying, her whole face will be red.

 

[no1male]

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My eyes lit up when i read that lol

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My wife and i are already deciding how we can have more girls, i even feel confident enough to build a bigger coop. We have not even had these girls a week yet!

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ITs the first time she has been out in the garden with them, before that she has seen them through a closed patio door about 50 foot away and she has seen them in the coop. She seemed more scared then the chickens as the hen in shot just stayed there while Kacey kept jumping back lol. Shes out little girl and we knew she would be fine, as she has been perfect her whole life and never attacked any other animal or person. We seem to be lucky with our pets

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You dont know how good it is too read that, thank you.

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Ill keep an eye on that, 3 of them still look pale but one of them looks a lot redder. Hopefully if she starts the others will follow suit.


One other question i forgot to ask, every morning myself or the kids go and open the pop hole for the chickens to get into their run. This door is left open all day until we lock them in at night. For most of the day the coop door is also open so they have the run of the garden.

The question is, while they have the above doors open they still spend alot of time inside the coop, im guessing this is because this is cold outside and during the summer they will spend more time annoying Kacey

 

[gallina man]

i have the same chickens they are great birds. only had mine a month now . still waiting for the first egg but it wont be long now.

 

[no1male]

Hope you get eggs soon!

Make sure to post some pics

 

[OwensMom]

Welcome from Colorado. These people have lots of great info. I give my girls either organic yogurt or cottage cheese mixed with ground flax seed every other day. I supplement with spinach, lettuce, broccalli(not a favorite), cabbage and most other green things. During the summer, they can pasture and catch all sorts of insects. Now we just got 18" of snow so they are sulking in their coop!! You will enjoy your chickens and your kids will learn alot. Enjoy!!

 

[Warthog]

Nice to see another Brit on this board. This Brit now lives in Belize, Central America.

We have the same Red Sex Links, started with 12, now have 40, only 11 at laying age, (we did have 12 but one just disappeared).

Looking at the pictures of your hens, I would say another month before they start laying, but I am no expert, I am just guessing by the size and colour of combs. Ours started laying at 20 weeks. The number of eggs was a bit up and down for the first week or two until they settled.

They do lay some wonderful eggs, the 11 we have that are laying give us 11 every day, nice big brown eggs, and oh so tasty, you will never want another Sainsbury/Tesco egg again.

I think all your question have been answered, but one thing I did, when they start laying I kept the in the coop/pen for a day or two until they got used to where to lay their eggs.

Good luck and enjoy your ladies, better start extending that coop, you will want more.