Hello from Baltimore!

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HenTimesTen said:
I just saw your previous post about your plans. That all sounds good :clap you can let them free range during the day. And nope! No such thing as an over-fed chicken- especially when you want them for meat. Just make sure that their water system is in a cool spot. Chickens can usually find bugs in the ground and eat grass when they're out of food for a few hours; but a few hours without fresh cool water can lead to damage. Sometimes they won't lay for a few days. Also, about the meat breeds- I've heard that Cornish, J Giants and Orpingtons are good for meat. RIRs are one of the best egglayers (for me)... mine lays every single day. If you're looking to get more pounds of meat, go for the Giants although they take a few more weeks to grow to their full potential than other breeds. Cornish chickens grow faster but they produce a few less pounds. Tip: (I'm sure you know) roosters will always bear more meat
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I'm going for 4 egg layers, and maybe some meat birds, but fresh eggs are my primary objective. I have quite an overgrowth problem in my back yard so if they take it down to dirt I'd actually be happy with that. it's one of the reasons I started looking into raising chickens.
Oh I just thought of one predator we do have in the area and its black snakes, but nothing big enough to endanger a full grown chicken I've removed about 3 of them (possibly the same one 3 times) from my neighbors house, they were all about 3ish feet just babies really, I've seen videos of roos eating snakes that size, do you think it will be a big problem?
 
Some good egglayers are RIR, leghorns, sexlinks, and Barred Rocks. In your situation, you should stay away from Leghorns because they tend to be skiddish and lightweight= escaping chickens! RIR, sexlinks, and barred rocks all have big fluffy butts so you don't have to worry about them flying away. Australorps and Orpingtons are good as well. About the overgrowth problem- don't worry. All of it will probably be turned to dirt with in a few weeks or less! (and you may want to be careful where you step... there will be poop everywhere)

Oh no! Black snakes! Black snakes typically don't harm the hen directly. But they will find a way into your coop and eat up all your precious eggs! If a hen (especially a broody one) notices a snake eating her eggs, she will most likely defend them. This is one of the only instances where a black snake might bite her. Up on Long Island, we don't really have problems with snakes so I can't really think of a solution for that other than make sure your coop doesn't have any sneaky hiding spots for snakes and to collect the eggs asap (even though you work during the day)
 
ok last questions of the night before bed, is a 4' high(interior dimensions) coop tall enough? and will pressure treated wood have any negative impact?
 
Hentimesten YOU ARE AWESOME! thank you so much for the help I can now plan out all my start up material costs, it looks like about 250 to build the coop, plus another 100 for fencing supplies but I might be able to cut that down, feeder and waterer can be built with materials already on hand, now I just need to price out some RIR and Australope chicks and its off to the races! Thank you again!
 
Hi and welcome to BYC :frow If you're looking for Del's @Maeschak is not too far from you and raises them. Also they fly really well. You might want to consider a portable run for them for while you're at work. Something maybe 2' - 3' high and 6 X 10 or so.
 
rjohns39 said:
Hi and welcome to BYC :frow If you're looking for Del's @Maeschak is not too far from you and raises them. Also they fly really well. You might want to consider a portable run for them for while you're at work. Something maybe 2' - 3' high and 6 X 10 or so.
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Welcome welcome! I do indeed have Delawares and am located in Mount Airy- not very far from you. I also happen to have a few too many 6 week old Delawares (and was thinking about thinning my adult Del flock). I got all of my Dels from Whitmore farm before they got out of the business. PM me if you are interested, and welcome to BYC once again.
 
Wow, that's awesome thank's Maeschak! Unfortunately I didn't know they were good flying birds, and even if I could take them on my setup won't be ready for another month or two, so I am afraid our timing is just bad right now.
 
JollyBoots said:
Wow, that's awesome thank's Maeschak! Unfortunately I didn't know they were good flying birds, and even if I could take them on my setup won't be ready for another month or two, so I am afraid our timing is just bad right now.
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No problem- if you change your mind let me know! FYI, my Dels do not fly well. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen them fly except to get up on the roost!
 

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