I'm from central Arkansas, just north of Cabot. I've been lurking as a guest for a few days (reading and absorbing as much info as I can as fast as I can), and registered earlier today. I do not have any chickens at the moment, but I might start me a small flock in the near future (anywhere from a month from now to no later than Easter), unless I change my mind and decide I don't want to do it (which I think won't happen as my wife really likes the idea). What has brought me here is that I am going to be the caretaker for my sisters flocks. She has about a half a dozen ducks, about 10 or so Rhode Island reds, and another dozen or so white chickens with some black around the neck (I probably need to figure out what they are properly called). Right now my job is easy, I just check on them in the am and the pm, collect eggs, make sure the auto-watering system I put in is working, and make sure everyone is getting fed. I think I will be doing some sort of variation of the 5 gallon bucket feeders with the PVC elbows in the bottom, except I may go bigger and use outside trash cans. In the near future though, my sister will be away from home a lot due to work, and I'll be the main caretaker of the fowl, so I figured I need to get as knowledgeable as possible. Anyway, glad to be here, and thankful for all of the good information I have found so far!
Welcome to Backyard chickens. Have you checked out the Learning Center? It probably will answer most of the questions you have now. If not come back and ask us, and will point you in the right direction. How long has your sister had the flock? Has she had any problems with predators? You may want to check out the predator threads to see what to do & how to secure the coop/ run from any more attacks. I'm guessing that would be the worst things you might have to deal with. it doesn't happen. You may also want to join your state thread, so you have first hand information on dealing with weather extremes etc. Maybe even find someone nearby who might mentor you. Some is usually on here 24/7 sometimes me - so you will get a response IF, you don't go oftline after asking for assistance. Sadly a lot of people will report some major problem ask for help and then go offline. Once they do that there is no way possible for us to reach them.
Yes, I have checked out the learning center. A lot of good information there. I am not sure how long she has had the flock, maybe a year or two. No issue with predators. The coops are in what were horse stalls, and the runs are completely fenced in. Only issue I have is mice and rats. But I have a cat on the prowl on the outside, and will be taking measures to make sure the feed isn't laying around on the ground to tempt them. At the moment, I really don't have any questions or problems, though I imagine that will change.
Taking care of your sister's flock is a great way to learn how to raise poultry. And she is very fortunate to have your help while she is gone. If you have questions, always feel free to ask. There's a ton of information available here and a lot of helpful members. Nice to have you join us!
Ok, so I decided to ask my sister about the birds. The got her first birds (Rhode Island Reds) about 3 years ago. She had a lean-too-style barn that once housed horses, with 5 stalls (with concrete floors) and an enclosed tack room. I enclosed the back half of one stall for her to use as a coop, and enclosed about a 10x10 area outside for a run, and cut a pop-hole (I think that's the right term) in the back of the stall for them to access the run. She did all the nesting boxes and feeders and roosts. Then ducks and white-sh chickens came along, more coops added and the runs made larger. The runs are entirely closed in as free range is out of the question due to other predators in the area. Anyways, there are about 10 or so ducks, which are blue swedish, brown swedish, and Khaki Campbell (I am guessing at the correct spelling for all the birds mostly. I'll do more research on the birds AFTER I get done reading about coops and feed. Currently I am on post # 990 out of 1612 on the poop board convert thread. Learning a lot.) Then the next group is about 10 Rhode Island Reds and one Chocolate Orphington. (Sister named it Matilda. The RIR rooster is named Rooster Cogburn.) Then the 3rd and final group is composed of about 12 Colombian Wyandotte's (Rooster's name is Juan Carlos). (One is named eggbert, has a twisted foot, he is much younger than the rest) Out of those 12-ish, 4 I just released into the flock a few days ago (them and eggbert my sister incubated). I have to admit I was a bit concerned about that, but as they had been in close proximity to the others, things went rather swimmingly. Oh, and in the tack room, we have a brooding box (really a cage) that has 4 younger ones in it. My sister had been hatching in the incubator, moving to a brooding box in the house, then when they were bigger they go to the tack room, and then the last step was an outside cage near the outside runs. From there, the last batch I put in a large dog cage inside the coop for a day or so with the big birds then let them loose. In the future (after I do a rebuild in an unused stall), they will go straight from the incubator to the coop. I'll put brooding pens under the poop board. Learned a lot the last week or so perusing this site, and plan on putting all of that good information to good use.
