Hello! New to BYC - is this a rabbit hole?

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birdbro said:
Hello, I am birdbro! Hailing from Riverside, California.

Was on my way home from a Memorial Day hockey tournament held at Mullet Arena and was issued a quest by the girlfriend to procure a handful of 5-6 week old common quail from a breeder in Phoenix. It's my understanding that the bloodline originated from Southwest Gamebirds. They started laying two days ago, and I'm now up to 5 eggs!

Went to Tractor Supply last week on a supply run for the quail, but somehow returned home with $200 worth of feed and chicken chicks. Thereafter, I had to go to the local indy feed shop to get stuff TSC did not have, and ended up with another box of chicks.

I just came in from trenching a foundation for the chicken coop and piling up bags and bags of concrete mix for tomorrow. Ordering a gas powered earth auger to dig the posts for the run.

My place looks like a mountain goat exhibit (I live on a ridge) and it's surrounded by red tail hawks and big owls. So building and predator proofing this thing will require every ounce of mental energy and every penny in my pocket.

I find it a little weird that I've not stopped to question why I am doing this! My entire being is just 100% focused on this. This was a rabbit hole I never really expected to fall into but I am sure glad I did.

I'm currently at 6 quail, and 13 chicks, and plan to wait for the indy feed store to open on 6/24 to get at least another light brahma and some silver laced wyandottes.

Current flock consists of cuckoo marans, salmon faverolles, welbars (standard and bantam), silkies, light brahma, some other bantams, and a mille fleur.
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Oh, you have got chicken math for sure! Glad to meet you and welcome to BYC. I think perhaps the chickens have some sort of mindwave that controls us at these feed stores.

Here are my favorite beginning articles that helped me as a newbie. I hope you will find them helpful as well. All articles are short, have illustrations, and reviews, which are often worth looking at for the comments.

1. Intro to chicken keeping

2. Common mistakes & how to fix them

3. Ventilation (important to chicken health), with helpful links to coop designs organized by climate (because what is just right for my New England hens won't work for my brother's Arizona chickens)

3(a). Farmers Almanac on Building Coops (Includes size requirements!) Allowing plenty of space for chickens is really important because, even as chicks, they will start pecking each other or plucking their own feathers, or become unhealthy if they are overcrowded. Here is a link to Colorado State Extension's publication on space and temperature requirements for chicks as they age.

4. Predator protection for new & existing coops

5. Dealing with a muddy coop and run

6. Gardening for chickens

7. BYC Lists of Chicken Ailments and Cures

To look for articles on your own:

A. Use the SEARCH button, but use the Advanced Search choice, and select ARTICLES at the top of the box. Just enter your keyword(s) and scroll through your results!

B. I find it helpful to notice the rating and reviews. All articles are by BYC members, and all the reviews/ratings are as well. The ratings help a newbie like me sort the most useful and reliable articles.

C. You can bookmark the articles or posts you think you want to refer to again using that bookmark icon at the top of articles or posts. You can find them again by clicking on your own avatar and looking at the list of bookmarks you have built up!

Notes about where to put a coop:

1. As far as you can, put a coop and run on high ground, that drains well, so you won't have so much muddy coop problems. Chickens need to be dry, dry, dry.

2. As far as you can, put a coop with the ventilation lined up with your prevailing breezes, and away from the direction of your storms. If you are not sure of these (who is these days?), check with your local National Weather Service website.

3. As far as you can, arrange for some sort of shade over your coop and run. Preferably deciduous so the girls will enjoy winter sun, but summer shade.
 

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