Here's a few dumbie questions about the first few weeks...

[Kusanar]

Lots of good advice on the chicken side, but something struck me as odd, you do realize that goats frequently have twins and sometimes triplets right? So, mama and 2 birthings could very well be up to 7 goats not 3.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Post a picture it’s worth a thousand words

 

[21hens-incharge]

The catch 22 on coop size especially if you don't have a run is that if you have to lock them up then there they all are regardless of if it's big enough or not.

I second that the whole structure would be needed for chickens.

Since goats are a ways out much of the materials needed to male them a secure goat shed can be gathered free or cheap starting searching now.

I would still recommend a secure run for the birds. That way if predators are active your birds are still able to be safe.

 

[Kusanar]

Question. Would it work if they had a small section of the shed fenced off to keep the goats out and had the feed, water, and nest boxes over there, then have overhead roosts across the entire ceiling? The goats could come in at night and bed down, the chickens would have the entire shed from head height to ceiling, and if they were locked in during the day and the goats were out, they would have the entire shed. I do realize goats will be pooped on, but they are goats, they do grosser things than that when they get interested in a mate...

 

[aart]

The ultimate goal over the next few years is to be able to cycle in new chicks with enough regularity in order to maintain a flock large enough for sustainable meat and egg production. Much to learn about all of this, of course.

Start with a dozen birds of mixed variety so you can decide which you like best.
Plan for a place in coop to brood chicks each spring.
Will you be incubating?
Learn how to slaughter.

 

[123RedBeard]

Lots of places have a 15 Chick minumum order ... get one cockrell at most ... and 14 pullets, if you don't like him, or he turns out cranky ... butchering one is much easier to learn on ... do not get four ... when their teenage boy hormones kick in you can understand why!

Brood right in the coop, if you need a bigger box just duct tape two that are the same size together.

I also agree on half the shed is too small for 20 chickens ...and you need a run too ... 20' X 20' atleast ... once the local predators discover your free chicken dinners wandering around ... you will be glad you have a run, and even a coop big enough to lock them up if needed.

You can never have too big of a coop ... of course there is chicken math ... which should include subtraction = Yummie!

 

[Mosey2003]

Don't order any males. There's a chance you'll get one by accident regardless. Plus, everyone is always desperate to get rid of any males THEY end up with by accident, if you join some farm sale FB groups you can have your pick, even pick up one that's over a year old and past the teenage hormone surge. That would be my preference, I'd never have a juvenile rooster around if I didn't have to.

 

[DellaMyDarling]

Oh hey, if allowing birds access to the entire coop for roosting with a goat-free area for feed needs works in everyone's opinion, that could be do-able!

Yes, goats can frequently multiply more than expected. These extra goat gifts will be sold.

We have considered creating an enclosed run for those times we cannot be home. It would especially suck to be tied to the property and be unable to go on vacation EVER. Our neighbor's kids would absolutely care for our birds if we were gone, but to have to watch them and herd them back up at night is too much to put on someone, IMO. We've had a few ideas on this. At one point we were offered some chain-link dog kenneling (that a word?) that would have made a quick chicken run with some features added, like a thrown-together roof of some kind. This is definitely on our minds and in the plans.

I should attempt to get some pics.

For now I intended to order chicks. Messing with incubation on top of everything else seems a bit much at this time. Butchering is as well. I'm planning on a year of practice just keeping birds alive before we proceed with our flock maintenance and freezer-filling plans.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Oh hey, if allowing birds access to the entire coop for roosting with a goat-free area for feed needs works in everyone's opinion, that could be do-able!

Yes, goats can frequently multiply more than expected. These extra goat gifts will be sold.

We have considered creating an enclosed run for those times we cannot be home. It would especially suck to be tied to the property and be unable to go on vacation EVER. Our neighbor's kids would absolutely care for our birds if we were gone, but to have to watch them and herd them back up at night is too much to put on someone, IMO. We've had a few ideas on this. At one point we were offered some chain-link dog kenneling (that a word?) that would have made a quick chicken run with some features added, like a thrown-together roof of some kind. This is definitely on our minds and in the plans.

I should attempt to get some pics.

For now I intended to order chicks. Messing with incubation on top of everything else seems a bit much at this time. Butchering is as well. I'm planning on a year of practice just keeping birds alive before we proceed with our flock maintenance and freezer-filling plans.

Although birds get along better when raised together I would start small.
Try out keeping half of your goal number or less and see if keeping birds is a good fit for you.

 

[aart]

For now I intended to order chicks. Messing with incubation on top of everything else seems a bit much at this time. Butchering is as well. I'm planning on a year of practice just keeping birds alive before we proceed with our flock maintenance and freezer-filling plans.

Good Idea!