Hello!! Here to learn all I can before I get chickens!

Date sort Score sort
Taror02

Taror02

Hatching
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
7
Hello everyone! My name is Andrea. I am here to gain as much knowledge as possible so I can have a happy healthy flock of chickens. My husband and I are looking to have 4 chickens to help with natural bug control and provide us with eggs that we know are healthy for us. We want pet chickens who will hopefully be interested in being snuggled and loved on. I have had dogs all my life and I am extremely confident in my dog raising skills but I have NO idea how to care for or even prepare for chickens. I have never had an outside animal but someday would love to have a little hobby farm with chickens, goats and maybe a few alpaca. I am a huge animal lover and want a very happy life for any animal in our household. We are starting from 0 with knowledge and are very much looking forward to learning from everyone who has gone before us! I can't wait to meet everyone here and some day share my very first pictures of my very first feathered friend!!
 
I very highly recommend Barred Plymouth Rocks. Good layers, hardy, friendly, and lovable! There are lots of thing that are required for brooding chicks:

Space: Chickens need 2.5 - 3 square feet. When you get chicks, provide .5 square foot per bird, then gradually increase. The litter should be THICKLY coated in wood shavings, then when they are moved to the coop, hay or straw.

Temperature: Use a red heat lamp for chicks. The temp. should be 95 degrees at the first week, then lower 5 degrees per week until at 6 weeks of age when at 70 degrees.

Feed and Water: Have fresh water at all times. Start chicks out on a Starter ration of food, at 6 weeks switch to Grower. Once the hens start layer, switch to Layer feed.

If you have any more questions, I'll be happy to help!
 
Welcome to BYC, Andrea! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

Like Blackberry18 said, barred rocks are great chickens to keep. Buff orpingtons are my personal favorite. They are affectionate, docile, friendly and very good layers. I just love them! Black australorps, speckled sussex, silkies, cochins wyandottes and easter eggers are all other friendly breeds who make great pets.

Our learning center is filled with tons of helpful info to help get you started.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

And here is a great link on keeping dogs with chickens
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/introducing-your-dog-to-chickens-tips-tricks

Hope this all helps! Good luck to you!
 
Thank you so much everyone!! I appreciate the links to the info!! I think buff orpingtons are so beautiful! I am in Arizona and hoping to find good heat tolerant, snugglers! Learning about chickens going broody for the first time. Sounds daunting to not have them do that! I wonder if some chickens are more prone to broodiness? I look forward to picking everyone's brains and enjoying pictures and stories of all of your flocks!
 
Taror02 said:
Thank you so much everyone!! I appreciate the links to the info!! I think buff orpingtons are so beautiful! I am in Arizona and hoping to find good heat tolerant, snugglers! Learning about chickens going broody for the first time. Sounds daunting to not have them do that! I wonder if some chickens are more prone to broodiness? I look forward to picking everyone's brains and enjoying pictures and stories of all of your flocks!
Click to expand...

Silkies are known for their broodiness. They are constantly sitting on eggs. Plus they are very affectionate and make great pets.
 
I misspoke. I meant to say it is daunting to think of them doing that! We won't have a rooster so won't be trying to make new babies. I never realized that the chickens could become like that even with unfertilized eggs. Very interesting but hopefully something that doesn't happen often! Thank you! Silkies are so beautiful!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom