Hello from a soon-to-be chicken owner!

[Lorus6]

Hello. We just moved to Pennsylvania from Texas and are preparing to keep chickens. Our 9 year old son is the instigator here! He has wanted chickens forever. My parents and my in-laws keep chickens (or have) and he has always loved spending time with the chickens, so for his 9th birthday we began preparing a place to keep a few.

We will be getting hens that are already started and ready to go in the coop and have been clearing out a fenced area that was originally used for ostriches. We are hoping to learn more about keeping chickens in a cold weather area as well as keeping the chickens safe from predators.

 

[liz9910]

Welcome to BYC! I would recommend the Learning Center, tons of great info there. Also, if you post on your state's thread a local may be able to point you in the right direction regarding local weather and also predators you should look out for. Good luck with your chickens







https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center



https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, Lorus6, and

! Happy you joined our community! You can touch base with some PA folks to see the steps they take with their birds.

Here is the link - the PA thread is in there somewhere!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you

With predators I urge you to invest in hardware cloth instead of chicken wire. Best of luck to you!

 

[locoguru]

Welcome to BYC and hello from Menifee, Ca!

 

[Mickey Lou 04]

First off

How cold do you mean by cold? If you are dealing with freezing temp don't get single combed birds (i.e. rhode island reds, orpingtons, etc.). The points on the comb will fall off.

Is your coop area covered? You'll find that critters that are not even actually after the birds will climb fences and eat all your feed. Which can make chickens expensive. If your area where you put the feeders is not covered consider putting it locked away at night. This will also help to prevent animals that are coming to eat the feed from finding your chickens instead. I had animals eating my feed everynight out off my coop that I thought was secure. I think it's one of those things that have to be adjusted for your area.

I am glad that your son is interested in chickens! Have you thought about the 4-H program?

Any how I hope that this helps.​

 

[sourland]

Congratulations on your new home. If at all possible get your son involved in 4 H. We need all the young fanciers that we can get.

 

[Lorus6]

Congratulations on your new home. If at all possible get your son involved in 4 H. We need all the young fanciers that we can get.

Great Idea! Thank you. I am looking into that now!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you joined us!

 

[drumstick diva]

Big difference in ostriches and chickens - for one thing the ostriches can really kick at predators - chickens not at all. They need a fort knox coop and run to be secure

 

[BantamFan4Life]