Hello from Florida! New to chickens. Learned things the hard way...

[XtraCrispy]

Hello everybody! Im real excited to get into raising chickens in our back yard. My wife, 2 kids and I got 8 chickens and 2 ducklings to start out on this fun hobby. One think I wish I had taken to heart was the feed store warning me that ducks were a mess. We love those guys but MAN are they messy!

I have learned chicken care the hard way so far. LOL We had one chick die a few days after we got her. I knew she probably wouldnt make it but figured I could give her a better short life than at the feed store. I next learned the hard way why you needed to let all of the chicks fully feather before putting them out in the coop. All but one were fully feathered. After a rain storm I realized why they all had to be feathered before letting them out of the brood box and into the coop. We lost her that night. THEN we forgot to bring them in one night and woke up to 2 chickens and 2 ducks left. The survivors of what was a feeding frenzy are now terrified of the coop.

Is there anything I can do to make them not so scared of the coop? I know at least 2 were caught inside the coop due to the feathers in the corner of the small run. We are planning on getting about 8 more chicks to try it again. We feel much more confident in how to care for them and what they need and are looking forward to a back yard full of chickens and fresh eggs!

Thanks for reading this!

-Zach

 

[TheCrazyClucker]

Welcome to BYC

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, Zach, and

! Pleased you joined us but sorry about your trials and tribulations on your first attempts are fowl. My advice is this: when fully feathered introduce the newbies to the established birds for several days through a fence. You can put the newbies in a cage if you wish and let the older hens walk laps around it. They are getting used to each other. After 4 or so days of this put the youngsters into the coop at DARK...they big ones won't pick at the little ones in the dark or at least that's been my experience. At first light open the coop so they aren't trapped together. Monitor. There will be some pecking and chasing as the older ones assert their dominance in the pecking order - this is to be expected. As long as none are singled out for abuse you should be good to go. If one or more is abused...start the process over with that one(s). Good luck to you!

 

[drumstick diva]

Please read up on predator proofing your coop and run - no more free meals for predators. A covered run would offer some rain protection .

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you joined us!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Welcome to BYC!!!

Glad to have you aboard!!