Help Me get started the right way.

[Hamons3rdGrade]

Hello,

I am wanting to raise some chcikens at my house for the first time. Would you please lookj over my plans and tell me if I'm nuts?

I live in the middle of suburbia. I am planning on building a nice chicken coop(using ideas from the great coop page on this site) with an attached 12x 4 foot run. I plan on allowing them to "free range" in the back yard most of the time. I plan to clip there wings since I only have a 4' chani link fence around most of the yard. The hens are either Rhode Island or Red Cross Hens mixed with either White Polish or Rhode Island Red Rooster. Right now the chicks are about a week old -- so too early to tell.

Concerns I have.

Will they be ok just roaming the back yard? Not a lot of predators in the middle of the city but I suppsoe there is an occasional hawk or dof that "could" jump the fence.

Are two hens enough for them to be helathy and happy? Do the need a bigger flock?

Will they be able tourvice our winters or do I need to heat the Coop -- I live in Kansas city -- ZOne 5 USDA?

WIll they completely destroy a the lawn in the yard if they are bale to roam over the whole back yard?

Anything else I have not though of?

 

[Redfeathers]

I think you will do fine. You might want to get a plan for composting your coop bedding. Do you have room for a small garden? Chicken waste is excellent for those. Free ranging in your back yard is a great way to fertalize the lawn.

I don't know how your neighbors will feel about a Rooster, RI roos can be vocal and can sometimes be aggressive (not always but I see it on the forum often)

Good luck, have fun and don't fret, chickens are very easy to keep, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy and fun it is.

 

[silkiechicken]

I'd make sure there is a secure coop somewhere you can keep them just in case you need to keep them in. Futhermore, I'd get 3 just in case one is a roo or one dies on you.

If the coop is well insulated and not drafty, (remember good ventilation) you shouldn't have to heat it either.

Best of luck!

 

[MRNpoultry]

All of your plans sound good. Chickens do better in flocks two will work but it whouldn't hurt to have more. Some people will not be happy to here a rooster crow.

Your chicken will be fine roaming your yard. If you have flowers are any plants you do not want them to get, you will need to put them were they can't get to them. We bought 18 seedlings from a farm supplie store and my hens ate all of them.

Somtimes we get down to 15-20 degrees and my hens did fine. We did have a 70 watt bulb with them. Some of my friends don't put know lights on there chickens.


Good luck with your flock1

 

[Hamons3rdGrade]

Right now i have 6 chicks -- I will keep 2 that are hens.

Roosters will be going out to a farm

 

[JordanFamily]

I would ask your neighbors...They will all be positive about it I'm sure... If they just hear a Roo they may be quicker to call the city on you if you did not ask for their input first...Just a thoght. Good Luck