hello everyone from Indiana

[mistystarlight]

I was raised around chickens in my early youth and have always had tummy trouble with store bought eggs. after some reading up I decided to try it myself. trying to build my coop out of as much reclaimed material as I can and the plans I have will give me a 187sq ft coop floor. I purchased 6 ameraucana straight run (4wks old this Wednesday) and 3 rainbow pullet (2days old today)(not sure what rainbow means) from our feed store. will also be taking in 6 grown hens as a rescue. 3 r barred rock and 3 r red star a yr old next month. I'm rushing to get the coop done and learn as much as I can as fast as I can. I do remember some basics but not much. my largest concern is the health of the rescues I'm getting and integrating all the chickens as the time comes. the rescues r all 6 in a 4x12 space, feet r red and sore looking, one or more may be eating eggs and know I need to add calcium to diet cause egg shells r soft. I just hope I can pull them out of their funk with supplements, clean environment and plenty of room to roam.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

the eggs used to make me sick to my stomach and good news, the fresh ones do not!! personally i wouldnt mix the old ones with the new but if you do they need quarantine for a month and the babies wont be ready for them for a few months.

 

[BrendaJ]

Hello from Oregon & welcome to BYC

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Good place to start reading for a refresher on chickens is the Learning Center https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center There is a nice article there on how to quarantine and then integrating your flocks. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock Good luck with the chicks, and nice of you to rescue the older birds. Keep us posted on them and what they look like when you are able to get them. Hopefully some good food and basic care will turn them around, another Learning Center article on breaking egg eaters. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/six-tips-on-breaking-your-egg-eater

 

[TwoCrows]

Good luck with your new chicken adventure! Kelsie has left you with some great links to follow. The learning center has lots of good reads on all the aspects of keeping your new flock.

Welcome to BYC!

 

[mistystarlight]

Ty for the warm welcomes and places to get info. 2 of my great uncles (in their 80's) still rocking raising chickens and have offered their old wise ways to help when they can after they found out about me getting chickens. they were the wonderful ppl keeping me with fresh farm eggs so I could eat all those goodies that need eggs (ie. pies, cookies, exct). took one if em out to see the hens I'm rescuing today and he said. eat eating due to low calcium, prob started the egg eating cause if that and he said small for their age so prob also eating eggs due to hunger. the feet he said happens if they wade in their waste with no place to get dry or clean.

 

[TwoCrows]

Ty for the warm welcomes and places to get info. 2 of my great uncles (in their 80's) still rocking raising chickens and have offered their old wise ways to help when they can after they found out about me getting chickens. they were the wonderful ppl keeping me with fresh farm eggs so I could eat all those goodies that need eggs (ie. pies, cookies, exct). took one if em out to see the hens I'm rescuing today and he said. eat eating due to low calcium, prob started the egg eating cause if that and he said small for their age so prob also eating eggs due to hunger. the feet he said happens if they wade in their waste with no place to get dry or clean.

Good luck with rescuing these birds! If you have any troubles with your new birds, this is the place to be to ask all those questions.

 

[drumstick diva]

There are threads on here regarding rescued chickens - the shared experiences may give you other ways to maintain them. Just put "Rescued chickens," in the search box, I would expect a lot of items to pop up.

 

[gander007]