Hello BYC

[jkrueger_coop]

(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
Yes--July 11, 2017

(2) How many chickens do you have right now? (3) What breeds do you have?
I have 9 girls:
3 Silver Wyandotte
2 Colombian Wyandotte
3 Buff Orphingtons
1 Australorp

(4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com?
Google Seemed to always come up when searching questions on building the coop and chicken care.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Work, Work, Work. Outside of those 60 to 65 hr week: sleep, family, hunting (deer and pheasant), fishing, movies.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
Engaged to a woman who tolerates my eccentric hobbies, each of us has a 8yr girl--one month apart, electric utility, 2nd job is factory work, ....one day dream of just being retired and starting a garden.

-Krueger

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi Krueger and welcome to BYC

Here’s a link to the Articles section - https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/ There you’ll find lots of information on almost every aspect of keeping chickens - from coop building ideas, to incubating eggs.

There’s a link on the page above to the Learning Centre - it’s a great resource. If you have a specific topic in mind, just type it in the search box - there's a wealth of information on past and present threads.

Each week, various topics are discussed, which can also be a great resource - https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive

You may wish to consider joining your state thread as it will put you in touch with other BYC members in your area - Find Your State Thread

All the best

Pork Pie

 

[RodNTN]

Hello there! And It is wonderful to have you here with us, best wishes!

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Glad you're here!

If you haven't yet, please make your chickens a FIRST AID KIT for any issues that would arise.
It's definitely better to have it and not need it rather than need it and not have it.

Also, make sure your coop(s) have a proper amount of VENTILATION. Your chickens will absolutely thank you for it!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join us all here! Great intro and you have some lovely breeds there.

Be sure to ask any questions, everyone here to help.
Enjoy your time here on BYC and all the chicken chat

 

[MissNutmeg]

Welcome to BYC!! Glad you could join us!!

~Meg

 

[MissNutmeg]

 

[Lazy Farmer]

 

[theoldchick]

Hello! Thanks for joining us!

 

[jkrueger_coop]

Glad you're here!

If you haven't yet, please make your chickens a FIRST AID KIT for any issues that would arise.
It's definitely better to have it and not need it rather than need it and not have it.

Also, make sure your coop(s) have a proper amount of VENTILATION. Your chickens will absolutely thank you for it!

Ended up getting Blu-Kote after a chicken fell into a cinder block used for a step into the coop and tore her wing up pretty good. She spent a long time in a wire dog crate (larger for a lab-retriever) inside the coop healing so the other chickens would leave her alone. Filled the cinder block with sand (was going to anyway when the sand tube come out for winter driving).

As for ventilation, 8x8 coop. 4 windows--though they are closed now--open when warmer (trying to avoid drafts). Entire roof sits on 2x6 trusses that are not notched so it's about 5 1/2 inches of venting along the length of the north and south side. Also the pop door stays open almost always. Lastly, 4 roof vents cut in near the center--2 south side of peak, 2 north side of peak.