Hello and thanks for having me.

Good day to all of you chicken lovers.
My name is Ali and I am from California in the San Fernando Valley.
I've been observing and sponging information from this site for about 6-8 months now.
I finally put on my big boy pants and became a member.

When I was a kid I used to have what I thought were pet chickens. However my father never told me that they aren't pets as much as they are providers of eggs and meat.
When I got older I always told myself I will own many chickens for the same reasons my father owned them back in Iran.

Well fast forward 36 year, I have never stopped wanting chickens. Well, my lovely wife decided to surprise me with chickens. She found a farm online and ordered chickens from them. When I got the call from the post office I ran down and Behold 30 chicks are shoved in a 1' x 2' box and now I am the proud owner of 26 chickens. (I'll explain)

My wife tells me they had a minimum order of 25. The farm, Signature Poultry out of Tehachapi, CA sent out 30 chicks, I assume to cover for any cockerels and any deaths that might occur during shipping.

I received:
6 Rhode Island Reds
6 Auracanas
6 Barred rocks
6 Silver Laced Wyandottes
and 6 Buff Orpingtons

I kept them in the back room by the garage for the first 3 weeks in their little starter kit cardboard thing that came with the package.

After about 3 weeks the temp shot up to 110 outside and 115 inside the room with me having no hope of bringing it to mid 90s. The little chickens were hot as they could be, panting and hanging their little wings low.
I tried freezing water bottles, leaving bowls of ice, gave them cucumber, put extra fans in. Nothing helped and when one chicken died in the room I decided to move them outside and let nature take it's course. Instead of letting them overheat to death.

I build a 5' x 25' run/coop thing. it's all concrete/wood/chain-link and it's a little over 6 feet in height. I made it so no opossum or racoon can get in it.

I was down to 29 chicks and I had no idea these guys can easily fit between the holes of the chain-link. Before i could cover the bottom 2 feet with chicken wire. One got out and became a cooper's hawk's meal.

I was down to 28 and my friend wanted a couple to raise, as she has 5 other chickens. So I came down to the 26 that i mentioned earlier.

Now they are happy and growing really fast.



I included this picture of this guy. To find out, is it normal for the comb and waddle to be this size in such a short time? the other ones hardly have any, but this guy has a very nice comb and waddle. I got these chickens September 5th 2014


This is their home.


This feeder works great, but I am going to build one tat can hold much more food. They are still on Starter/Grower. I was told to keep them on the starter/grower for 3 months.


My friend who I gave two chickens to, gave me 5 of the 360 nipples and that is what I use to give them clean water


I pour clean sand in there so they can take their dust baths.


Well, that is how I became a chicken owner and so far I love every minute of it.
I still have no idea how many cockerels and how many hens. Well with the exception of that one guy with the big red comb.


Any Thought/Suggestions or even complaints are appreciated.

Once again, thanks for having me and thank you even more so for sharing this community with me.
_Ali

 

Here is a silly question. This layer food you speak of, does it just promote them laying eggs or does it also put meat on them as well?

 

Good input. I love new information.