Hello from Oregon

[RoseCityMom]

So happy that I found this site! I've decided that my daughter and I are ready to start raising 2-4 hens as pets and for eggs. She is 3-years old and is thrilled. We visited the feed store yesterday to learn more about chickens. It helped talking with the people working there.

I do have a few questions for the experienced members of the site.

1. Deciding on a Coop?
We have a deck, but we also have an un-fenced area of the yard which backs up to a forest (called a "greenspace" here in Oregon). We are surrounded by woods, which have coyotes, racoons and cooper mountain hawks. I instinctively feel safer having the hens up on our 2nd story deck. I'm just not sure what type of coop would be best. The second story deck opens up to a door leading into the garage, so I'd like to have something I could roll inside the garage. The door is a standard size door, so it would have to be only about 2 feet wide. What type of construction would be best to prevent a mess getting on the deck from underneath the cage. I'm planning to keep the cage open during the day (when I'm up at home) and let the chickens out on the deck to feel free and enjoy the outdoors. Each night I'll put them back inside their coop. I notice that many farms have the chickens out without covers over the top. Do you think a hawk will fly down and carry them away? I'm worried that could happen, so maybe I'll just have breakfast out there in the morning and them put them back in the coop when we leave for the day.

2. Deciding on a Breed?

The woman working at our feed store recommended:
-Barred Plymouth Rock (because they can handle colder temperatures)
-Rhode Island Red

Please tell me what breed would be the kindest to my daughter. I've heard Silkies are kind to younge children, but will they be okay in the cold weather? Do silkies require special care for their feathers? Would it be okay for me to keep them inside the garage in the winter? I want her to have the experience of caring for the chicks as they become hens. (I imagine that when they are chicks we will keep them inside the house. I've got more questions about this, too.) I want her to love her pets and have chickens that are sweet and kind.

3. When to Start?
After preparing the coop and deciding on a breed, do you think I should get chicks this spring? Are there any chicks around this fall. I'm thinking that it may be best to go with a local breeder. Please tell me your thoughts about this, too.

Thank you so much!

 

[tobin123]

and hello from Indiana.Everyone will tell you a diff breed.But yes barred rock and rir do very good in winters and are my choice of breeds and silkies are like puppies and i keep ours in the barn all winter,and it gets really cold here and they do fine

 

[MrsStephan]

Welcome from Bend,Oregon!
I am not sure how high up your deck is, but chickens can jump up pretty high and could go over the side of a deck if frightened or excited. I have a Cooper's Hawk that hunts in my back yard. She seems to prefer doves that are medium sized and she is a little smaller than my hens, so I would be very concerned about chicks until they are almost full grown. You may have to worry about a bantam breed, also.
Cochins make sweet pets and are very cute and fuzzy. My red-sex link is a little smaller than the RIR, and is very sweet and curious. They have a good reputation and are wonderful layers.
With a small child, especially if you want to get chickens soon, you may want to get a couple of young hens, rather than chicks. They can put up with more handling and cuddling and a chick right now might not get enough body mass in time for winter.
Again, welcome! enjoy your chickens!

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

I don't have any words of wisdom but hi from across the river.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

&

 

[OregonChickenGal]

Hi from Terrebonne, Oregon! You'll really enjoy this site. Lot's of info.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

and

from Ohio. Good advice given.

 

[Imp]

Welcome from an imp in Washington

You've gotten good advice

Glad you joined us

Imp

 

[BayouPoules]

Hello RoseCityMom,.. and

.

The more the merrier!

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Right now is the best time to start! Be careful, hawks can be trouble. Be sure to read a few days worth of posts in the Predators and Pests forum to see what you might expect on that front.