future hen keeper

[TwoCrows]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

So glad you decided to join us. You can chat with your neighbors in the Arizona thread to see how they get along in your climate... https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/arizona-chickens.31227/

Make yourself at home here and ask as many questions as needed. Welcome to our community!

 

[Boppo]

Glad to meet you and welcome to BYC. Good for you doing some research before you start! It's a learning curve, but so much fun! You're at such an exciting stage where you choose the type of chickens you want to raise. Best wishes as you go along!

Here are my favorite beginning articles that helped me as a newbie. I hope you will find them helpful as well. All articles are short, have illustrations, and reviews, which are often worth looking at for the comments.

1. Intro to chicken keeping AND Pickin' the Right Frickin' Chicken

2. Common mistakes & how to fix them

3. Ventilation (important to chicken health), with helpful links to coop designs organized by climate (because what is just right for my New England hens won't work for my brother's Arizona chickens)

3(a). Farmers Almanac on Building Coops (Includes size requirements!) Allowing plenty of space for chickens is really important because, even as chicks, they will start pecking each other or plucking their own feathers, or become unhealthy if they are overcrowded. Here is a link to Colorado State Extension's publication on space and temperature requirements for chicks as they age.

4. Predator protection for new & existing coops

5. Brooding chicks - the first 6 weeks

6. Gardening for chickens

7. BYC Lists of Chicken Ailments and Cures

To look for articles on your own:

A. Use the SEARCH button, but use the Advanced Search choice, and select ARTICLES at the top of the box. Just enter your keyword(s) and scroll through your results!

B. I find it helpful to notice the rating and reviews. All articles are by BYC members, and all the reviews/ratings are as well. The ratings help a newbie like me sort the most useful and reliable articles.

C. You can bookmark the articles or posts you think you want to refer to again using that bookmark icon at the top of articles or posts. You can find them again by clicking on your own avatar and looking at the list of bookmarks you have built up!

 

[Nomadicus]

Hello and Welcome to BYC. Glad to have you here in this Poultry Lovers Community.

 

[N F C]

Hi, you'll definitely want to chat with other AZ members to get tips on how to deal with your heat... @TwoCrows has provided a link to get to your state thread. Best wishes and if you end up with questions, just find the appropriate forum and post.

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC. The hardest part of chicken keeping for me, has been dealing with hot summer weather. I'm in Texas. Just make sure you provide them with plenty of deep shade, good air flow, and fresh water.

 

[Stravager]

Welcome to BYC! Only 3 chickens? I wish you the best in your defense against chicken math! You'll want a good coyote proof run.

 

[Tookie]

Welcome! We're glad to have you here.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Welcome to BYC! We're glad you joined us!

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens! We are very glad you joined! ❤

 

[Insnesnakos]

Welcome to BYC Best of luck with your flock