Hi all--
Glad to have found you! I'm new to this -- both the site and chickens! -- so I'd appreciate any help you can offer. We don't have any chickens yet, but are planning to start our first flock this spring. I have more questions than this space can possibly hold. What advice would you offer a beginner? Once we have a good, safe coop built, what comes next? How many chickens should I start with? Do I need a rooster if we don't want chicks (at least until we're more experienced)? How much time will we need to spend each day on egg-gathering, feeding, watering, interacting, cleaning, upkeep, etc.? Where should I get my first chickens? Are there people here who raise chickens for meat as well as eggs? How do I know the eggs I'm collecting are good for eating? Any good site recommendations for ducks (we're thinking about ducks as well). Are we in over our heads? Any other hard-earned wisdom or advice you can offer?
Thanks to all!
Glad to have found you! I'm new to this -- both the site and chickens! -- so I'd appreciate any help you can offer. We don't have any chickens yet, but are planning to start our first flock this spring. I have more questions than this space can possibly hold. What advice would you offer a beginner? Once we have a good, safe coop built, what comes next? How many chickens should I start with? Do I need a rooster if we don't want chicks (at least until we're more experienced)? How much time will we need to spend each day on egg-gathering, feeding, watering, interacting, cleaning, upkeep, etc.? Where should I get my first chickens? Are there people here who raise chickens for meat as well as eggs? How do I know the eggs I'm collecting are good for eating? Any good site recommendations for ducks (we're thinking about ducks as well). Are we in over our heads? Any other hard-earned wisdom or advice you can offer?
Thanks to all!