Hey guys been lurking around the site for quite a while now. I've got a tonne of great info from here so I figured I'd share my experience with back yard chickens!
Elaine and I decided to get chickens for many reasons including creating a good environment for our son, now 6 months to grow up in, just general fun and of course the deliscous eggs and meat they provide! We decided to get our chicks as day olds from the local feed store. So first thing was to set up the coop and the brooding area! We sectioned off what was supposed to be a guest house on our property into a brooding area and coop.jbbv
Got it all warm and cozy for the chicks to arrive in a couple days
Now the little chicks have arrived!! Elaine loves them, chicks dig chicks I guess!
They took to the water just fine after dipping their beaks once and for feeder we used a milk carton, styrofoam carton worked better then the paper as they didn't seem to try and eat the foam one!
After 6 weeks in the brooder and warm temps coming we moved them out of the brooder and into the coop!
Most of the stuff made for the coop was made from recycled things I had laying around including the roost which was made out of an old barn timber laying behind the barn!
The chickens spend most of their time free ranging in the yard doing their crazy chicken things but when we go away for the weekends they stay in an enclosed run to be safe from predators! A few pics of the chickens enjoyin their outside time...
They are growing older , have not started laying yet, but are starting to become less flighty and timid, they seem to associate me mowing the lawn with food so now when the lawn mower fires up they all come running!
I hope you all enjoyed my post ! I know I didn't go into great detail on anything but I'd love to hear from people their comments and questions! Any ideas you have to improve my setup would be great!! I'll keep posting as I make progress with the chickens!!
Elaine and I decided to get chickens for many reasons including creating a good environment for our son, now 6 months to grow up in, just general fun and of course the deliscous eggs and meat they provide! We decided to get our chicks as day olds from the local feed store. So first thing was to set up the coop and the brooding area! We sectioned off what was supposed to be a guest house on our property into a brooding area and coop.jbbv
Got it all warm and cozy for the chicks to arrive in a couple days
Now the little chicks have arrived!! Elaine loves them, chicks dig chicks I guess!
They took to the water just fine after dipping their beaks once and for feeder we used a milk carton, styrofoam carton worked better then the paper as they didn't seem to try and eat the foam one!
After 6 weeks in the brooder and warm temps coming we moved them out of the brooder and into the coop!
Most of the stuff made for the coop was made from recycled things I had laying around including the roost which was made out of an old barn timber laying behind the barn!
The chickens spend most of their time free ranging in the yard doing their crazy chicken things but when we go away for the weekends they stay in an enclosed run to be safe from predators! A few pics of the chickens enjoyin their outside time...
They are growing older , have not started laying yet, but are starting to become less flighty and timid, they seem to associate me mowing the lawn with food so now when the lawn mower fires up they all come running!
I hope you all enjoyed my post ! I know I didn't go into great detail on anything but I'd love to hear from people their comments and questions! Any ideas you have to improve my setup would be great!! I'll keep posting as I make progress with the chickens!!
and Welcome To BYC! You have a beautiful flock, & love the coop/ roost set up!
