FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[Bratsrt10]

new to the forum and to having chickens,I am in Wesley chapel,fl.

 

[AlHawk]

Yep, you're a little farther north than I am but we're plenty warm for them to be in a coop. If they get cool, they'll huddle and be just fine. Give them some hay/straw/chips to nestle in.

I put all of mine out at 6 weeks in January and they were fine.

 

[chickrunfun]

Yep, you're a little farther north than I am but we're plenty warm for them to be in a coop. If they get cool, they'll huddle and be just fine. Give them some hay/straw/chips to nestle in.

I put all of mine out at 6 weeks in January and they were fine.

We had our broody hen and her eggs in the coop and barn...hardly used the heat lamp at all and all the eggs hatch, little newborns stayed under mom less the were eating or drinking. Her broody area had 3 inches of chips and hay. All good. All over 6 weeks old now and going healthy strong outside with everybody.

 

[Goosegrrl]

I'm in Lake county and just came back to chickens after a 20 year layoff.
9 little Spangled OEGB joined my household last week, and although they won't all be staying(right now it looks like 5m/4f) I can already say that it's good to be back in the flock!
I plan on adding a group of lf Speckled Sussex as well, and maybe a few Partridge Silkies.
I really want some Olandsk dwarfs for little layers. But these more common spotties will do until I am SURE I have all the predator issues ironed out and addressed for my area(lots of birds of prey here!).

I grew up keeping chickens(etc.) in Tennessee until my early 20's... then life, the USAF, and moving around/into town all got in the way of my farm girl roots. Now that I'm back on actual property the birds had to follow. Been reading through this thread hoping to pick up on things I might need to know about keeping poultry here in hot/humid/rainy Florida that might be different than the practices I grew up with.

For now I'm brooding the chicks on my screened in back porch, which is a very good thing since they are already successfully flying out of bounds on occasion. We always let hens do the brooding when I had chickens before, I had no idea they would be flying like little quail at 3 weeks old! LOL
Next they are moving out to a grow out tractor coop so they can get better acquainted with the lawn, bugs, and sand. After that, out to the good sized coop/run we are building under/attached to our pole barn.

 

[HenKeepers]

The two age groups will probably have issues. Create a section with a barrier based on size. Let them get acquainted for 3 days or so. Remove the barrier if the older chickens look like the are cooperative. Leave the barrier if the younger chickens will need a place of refuge. Our flock has various age groups and breeds and the Silver Laced Wyandottes (Silvia, Lacy, Wynona, Dotty) are not happy with any breeds younger than them (19 weeks). The 19s bunch will not allow the 14s (Ebony, Onyx, Sally, Monica) into the coop.

Good morning y'all! Question, I have 5, 4 week olds they are feathering out nicely! Can I put them outside in the coop? Also is it ok to put them in with my 3, 12 week old chickens?

 

[Wyandotte Blue]

Thank you for all the helpful input y'all! It is defiantly my barred rock. I peeked out the window this morning and he was practicing his crow. It's not very loud but the coop is close to our bedroom window. I'm sad that was my most favorite. We do not want baby chicks! So no roosters.

If you live in an area where roosters are not prohibited, you can certainly keep him, and you don't have to have baby chicks - pick up the eggs and do not let the hens incubate them.

 

[Wyandotte Blue]

Hi there!! I'm new and I'm in south Florida! The acreage area of west palm beach to be exact!

Hi there! I am just south of Wellington. Welcome!!!

 

[Wyandotte Blue]

Nice green yard you got there. I'm full of envy. Our yard is a loverly shade of ah...brown. As is dirt. Everywhere. Yep.

My chickens are on dirt - I do not let them free range or they will be hawk food - but I pick a big bowl of fresh grass for them every morning and they go nuts over it! I just read where someone put sand down, I am going to get a load of sand and put that down, may be easier to keep clean?

 

[chickrunfun]

I'm in Lake county and just came back to chickens after a 20 year layoff.
9 little Spangled OEGB joined my household last week, and although they won't all be staying(right now it looks like 5m/4f) I can already say that it's good to be back in the flock!
I plan on adding a group of lf Speckled Sussex as well, and maybe a few Partridge Silkies.
I really want some Olandsk dwarfs for little layers. But these more common spotties will do until I am SURE I have all the predator issues ironed out and addressed for my area(lots of birds of prey here!).

I grew up keeping chickens(etc.) in Tennessee until my early 20's... then life, the USAF, and moving around/into town all got in the way of my farm girl roots. Now that I'm back on actual property the birds had to follow. Been reading through this thread hoping to pick up on things I might need to know about keeping poultry here in hot/humid/rainy Florida that might be different than the practices I grew up with.

For now I'm brooding the chicks on my screened in back porch, which is a very good thing since they are already successfully flying out of bounds on occasion. We always let hens do the brooding when I had chickens before, I had no idea they would be flying like little quail at 3 weeks old! LOL
Next they are moving out to a grow out tractor coop so they can get better acquainted with the lawn, bugs, and sand. After that, out to the good sized coop/run we are building under/attached to our pole barn.

Wow nice introduction! Makes me want to toss our more than a hi and welcome but I tend to go on if I don't keep my fingers in check on the keyboard so...
Hey there and glad to say welcome/ re-welcome? to the funny feathered farm like.

 

[Goosegrrl]

Wow nice introduction! Makes me want to toss our more than a hi and welcome but I tend to go on if I don't keep my fingers in check on the keyboard so...
Hey there and glad to say welcome/ re-welcome? to the funny feathered farm like.

Ahh... thanks! For the compliment and the welcome.
I was an English Lit and Education major, though I have learned to use a more conversational and informal manner on the web. I learned the hard way that being overly technical in writing style can sometimes come off as being a bit of a prat to some.

My little crew of chicks is still doing great on the back porch. They just turned 1 month old and at any given time during the day about half of them are out of the brooder making as much mess as possible by spreading the chip bedding that they kick out through the wire everywhere. I sweep it up, they spread it... rinse repeat. Today they also roosted on and pooped in my chair. They are so heading out to the tractor this week! I just wanted to give them a full 4 weeks with at least some heat from the light at night. I think they are as over it as I am. LOL

There was a fresh batch of Speckled Sussex chicks at my local RuralKing today... I think we all know what is going to happen this week once they are in the tractor and the brooder is all cleaned and reset.