Hello!

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MsSunshine

In the Brooder
May 26, 2023
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Hi! I am a new chicken mom in Central Florida 😊


(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I am brand new to chickens - and although my parents raised chickens for several years, it wasn't until I was put of the house , so my chicken knowledge is negligible. We got our first 26 baby chicks in February, and it has been quite the learning experience since.

(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
About a month ago realized that 25 (we lost one 😭) was too much for the space we have. So we started selling them off... and discovered that 3 month old chickens sell for more than we expected. With that, we sold all but 2 from the first flock, which has allowed us to recover nearly all of our startup chicken costs. In addition, we have 24 2- week old chicks, with the intention of raising most of them at 3 months old to recover the remainder of our startup costs and keeping a few for laying.


(3) What breeds do you have?
We have Rhide Island Reds, Buff Orpingtons and Barred Rocks.

(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
It has been such a joy to watch these chicks grow - I have gotten so attached to them, and it was actually quite difficult to sell them. I wanted to make sure they went to good families who could keep them alive since we just loved these girls so much.
But even beyond that, the chickens have been so wonderful for my children. They have gained so much responsibility in making sure they are fed, watered, taken in and out each day. We don't have any pets, so it has been fun to see them treat our birdies like pets - snuggling and loving on them.

(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
All things Jesus!
Gardening
Baking (especially all things sourdough)
 Sewing
Classic literature
Raising my children (does that count as a hobby?!)

(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
I am married to a serial entrepreneur, who is also an incredible husband and father. We have six children, ages 8 down to 9 months, and Lord willing, more to come! I am a stay at home homeschooling mom, and I LOVE it.

(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community? :D
I found out about BYC when one of our chicks was knocking on death's door, and the advice I found here saved her. That was a few days ago, and I immediately joined the community so I can learn from others who are more experienced in raising chickens than I am.

I
 
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Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow

Wonderful introduction! Sounds like you are off to a great start with your chicken keeping! Great to hear BYC was there for you helping out your chick. :) This is definitely the place to be when you keep poultry.

Make yourself at home here and welcome to our community!
 
Glad to meet you and welcome to BYC.
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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