Hello. New small flock owner

[TMosh]

Hello all. I have been lurking and reading for some time now. I will have plenty of questions so I figured now is a good time to join.

I have wanted chickens for a very long time. My grandfather always kept chickens and I just loved helping him with them when I was a kid. About a year ago I decided to go ahead and get some. I ordered a coop (my father in law was going to make me one, but he is a busy man so I bought one).

I originally wanted Easter Eggers and Barred Rocks. Well, I really wanted Silkies, but I read they didn't do as well in cold, so I needed birds that can tolerate this Ohio weather.
I honestly don't know much about chicks (I'm learning, most I learned as a child I have forgotten). I bought my chicks from a farm supply store, and the young man working gave me what turned out to be Buff Orpingtons. I am bummed I didn't get my Barred Rock's but I really am liking the Orpingtons.

Here are some pics of the coop, the birds when I got them and how big they are now. I am pretty sure I got a rooster. Maybe you all can verify. My husband says if it is a rooster, he has to go, but he is my favorite. We will see. Maybe he will be a calm guy. If not I would like to find him a good home.

Here are the gals after I got them..

Their first "get to know" your new home session in the coop..

The coop.. roof needs finished and the whole thing needs painted (and landscaped

)

And...what I believe is my rooster..Yes?

 

[Shagadelic70]

Hi there, Welcome, I just joined today too. Like you my Great Grandpa had the Easter Eggers, my fondest memories were gathering eggs with him.

I can't open your pictures, getting an error, not sure if it's the link or it's on my end.

 

[Kraftcrazychick]

Hello! I just joined the other day and I'm in Ohio too! I'd love to see your pictures but the links aren't working. Sorry to hear about the breed mix up but I hope the buff orpingtons turn out well for you. I'm sure others would be able to tell you about the buff orpingtons. I did look into those as well but they weren't available in my area.

I bought my chicks at a local farm store and got black australorps, dominiques and gold laced Wyandottes. All are supposedly good for Ohio weather according to what I read online. I've only had them for 5 days so time will tell if I chose wisely....

 

[TMosh]

Thanks for the replies!
Hmm, I tried to edit the picture links. I always use photobucket on other forums I am on as to not suck up space on the site, but it must be a little different here.
Let me try to just upload straight here...
When we first got them

trying out the new coop..

the coop..

and what I think is a rooster..

 

[Shagadelic70]

I can see the pics now. Love them and love your coop. I can't wait for mine to be finished and the chicks take it over.

 

[TMosh]

Thank you. I love the coop too, and I have plans for it. Some cute chicken metal signs and some paint. I'll post pics when I am finished with it. I bought it from Triple Braided Farm Products in Lexington Ohio. I did a lot of looking around before I bought it.
For the prices they want for the cheap pressed board coops at the local farm store, this (in my opinion) was a deal for what all it came with.

Anyone have any ideas on the possible rooster? He doesn't crow, but he is making some "hoarse" sounds lately.

 

[Shagadelic70]

We looked around for a decent coop, we didn't find anything that would hold up, so we decided to make our own. Ours is painted and we are working on the layout for the inside. This weekend we start the chicken run, which to me will be the hardest part, digging and laying the wire down to keep the coons and other critters from getting in.

 

[ChickenCrazy8]

The first thing that will happen is the cockerel's combs and wattles will enlarge and redden--you wouldn't happen to have picture of the his/her head? Judging by the tail feathers though, I think I would agree with you. . a cockerel's tail feathers and hackle feathers tend to be pointy and shiny. I'm not super great with determining gender though--curious of what everybody else thinks!

and have tons of fun!!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[TMosh]

Cute coop! I like the curtains.

For ours, I built a support frame that I dug down into the ground and leveled. The coop and run sit on that frame. I put wire between the ground frame and the coop so anything that dug under then had wire then the coop floor.I didn't put wire under the run portion though. I figured they are not in it at night, and the run door latches and locks. If something got into the run, they would have to work very hard to then get into the coop.

Do you think I should have put wire under the run too?