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Tac01711

Tac01711

Chirping
Sep 12, 2018
49
68
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Northern Alabama
Been researching chickens for months and months. Finally started incubation, and bought a few here and there, we now have 22 chicks! And a $2000 coop..

We have 3 that I hatched, salmon favorelle , Easter egger, black sumatra.

The rest are from tractor supply, 3 sienna stars, 2 golden comets , 4 americanas(apparent Easter eggers) , 2 isa browns, 2 red rangers, 4 black asians, 2 barred rock

We are loving it so far, we have 3 young children who love to help with them and have grown attached to them.


We had them in a broader until the 3 sienna stars and 2 golden comets got big enough to jump on the edge, about the same time that our coop was finished so we moved them out there, added a heat lamp and they love it!

We have an 8x10 run, and the 3 hatched chicks will be leaving and all But 1 or 2 roosters also.. but how many chickens can we house comfortably without letting them rage during the day? Our coop is 8x4.


How long should I offer the heat lamp? We live in NE AL and it's been in 60s at night. The youngest chicks are atleast 1 month old.

We've at 1 predator attack on our run during the daay to beat it all.. a hawk grabbed a chick through the chicken wire, punctured an air sac and it's skin in 3 places. It ended up living and has made a full recovery.

We like right next to a pretty busy road on .3 of an acre so completely free ranging isn't an option without a fence of some sorts.

Should we put pine bedding down or leave the grass/dirt exposed? How do we prevent stink?
 
Welcome!! An 8x4 coop gives you 32 sq feet...each chicken should have between 3-4 square feet each...larger breeds 4 sq.ft and smaller might be able to get away with 2-3 sq.ft. This means that given ur size coop they would be most comfortable with 8 chickens. As far as the run, the rule of thumb is 10 sq ft so again best plan is for 8 chickens...hope that helps...seems like you may have to whittle down ur girls a bit
 
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Welcome to BackYard Chickens!! Thanks for the great introduction!

Oh my goodness... you've really started off with quite a lot! But sounds like you'll be downsizing and keeping a rooster or two? Some cities have restrictions on roosters so you might want to check, and usually roosters are only good if you're breeding or need a flock protector while free ranging. I agree with @jess924 about being able to fit about 8 chickens with your setup.

I wouldn't think your chicks need too much heat anymore. It's ok if they go out and experience some cold air for short periods, they should be fully feathered in a week or two. My chicks were done with heat by 4-5 weeks old, but I used the MHP method and they seem to harden off quicker. If you ever start with chicks again you might consider alternative heat sources.

Sorry about the attack on your chick... are you sure it was a hawk? Raccoons have been known to reach through poultry wire and pull chickens out bit by bit, or just tear the fencing open entirely, as some other predators can do as well. Better protection would be 1/2" hardware cloth.

As far as bedding material, there's tons of options. I personally use pine shavings in the run and coop and keep adding fresh litter throughout the year. There really is no smell as long as the bedding is frequently turned and added to. In spring I replace it, keeping the old litter in compost until the following spring when I add that to my gardens. It's a great rotation! I also use sand under my coop for dust bathing, and a tray of Sweet PDZ under the roosts to catch most of the poop... easy to scoop out. If you have grass currently, just leave it until they eventually wear it down. If your run is covered and protected from the elements you could just leave bare dirt, otherwise you'll need a system to prevent mud.

Here’s some links you may find helpful:
How Much Room Do Chickens Need

Chicken Coop Ventilation- Go Out There And Cut More Holes in Your Coop!

Keeping A Rooster

Deep Litter Method The Easiest Way To Deal With Chicken Litter

Using Sand In Your Chicken Coop

Why Does Compost Smell Bad?

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Wish you the best in your new chicken adventure!!
 
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