Hi all Just Started, Fresh Noob,:)

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HappyHappyHappy

HappyHappyHappy

Songster
9 Years
Apr 20, 2013
83
23
106
hour North of Indy
I have just started with the chickens this year. So far it has been well Honestly Costly in both time and money. .All is good I have a fresh flock of 25chicks. Since this is my first time I wanted a large variety of chick breeds So i can decide what I will keep and weed out.. I must say so far the the Barred Rocks are my favorite. 3 weeks in. I am constructing a large chicken coop and run for the chickens to go in when the weather and temp allows it. I hope in a week or so. my coop is 8'x6' with a large 8 slot nesting box it measures 8'x8'x8' It is nearly complete plan to finish it today.all that is left is some sideing and some meshing.Going to work on building the run this weekend also. I will build fort Knox since i am in the country In Indiana there are many chicken nabbing predators around. In my Flock I have 25 All Girls I hope: 8 ISA Red ,5Barred Rocks, 2 Jersey Giants, 2 Buff Orpington, 2 araucana, 1 rhode Island red,1 New hampshire red, 1 astralorp,1golden laced wyandotte,1 light Bhrama,and 1 Cornish Cross just for the heck of it.( yes I know the CC is a meat bird We named it chicken nugget) I hope to post a lot of Pictures and stories And plan to have lots of yummy eggs from this fall on. I have taken a few videos on my I phone of the coop construction when i learn how I will post them. My Coop is rather redneck But I am A proud American Redneck. I built it with mostly Stuff I found in my father and grandfathers barns as they raise sheep and cattle. I had to spend about 200 dollars on lumber the majority of the cost was the 4'x8' sheets of OSB at 16 dollars a sheet. However I was lucky and able to get the 2x4s , metal barn sideing, and roofing free thanks to left overs from the construction of my dads pole barns.. I assume by the time I build the run I will have around at least 500$ wrapped in materials.I guess for a Coop and Run this size that is not bad. As of now I do not plan to have a rooster this year. But next year I will look into it if all goes well.
 
Greetings from Kansas, HHH, and
welcome-byc.gif
! Pleased to have you aboard! The initial start up cost of poultry is the hardest pill to swallow. From here on out your costs will really plummet. And those fresh eggs will make it all worth it. Good luck to you!!
 
Thank you everyone. It is taking awhile to get everything set up because of the cost! We are taking everything slowly... Also, my Hubby has a couple of trips planned and he is the one who has experience with chickens... I know that I have a lot to learn but I'm excited to learn.

*Lauren*

I'm just a n00bie just trying to figure this out
 
All is going well. The coop and run have long been complete and the pullets are all happy. I placed Golf balls in the nesting boxes today. A couple of curve balls along the way have been fun.. Turns out my golden laced wyandotte is a bantam. Didnt plan on that but she is cute as well as little miss attitude. As far as i can tell no Roosters all seem to be hens. The New Hampshire Red turned out to be an Easter Egger as far as i can tell. Rural King mixed that one up.
.Once my chicks were 5 weeks old and in the coop i went and bought 7 more chicks becuase i was scared that i would get a few males and have to weed them out . I ended up with 33 total chicks. When the cornish cross chicken was ready i butchered him and we had him for dinner. Now I have 32 chickens. I decided, I do not care for butchering chickens. From now on Egg layers only, no more meat chickens unless i am starving. :)
My chickens are close to the point of lay now. I notice the combs and waddles on my barred rocks and ISA reds are Bright red and have grown considerably in the last week or so. They are also Doing the 'Squat' Just noticed that one for the first time today. So happy cant wait to get my first egg. The Originals are 17 weeks old. My flock consists of 8 ISA Reds. 10Barred rocks. 2 jersey giants. 4 araucanas. 2Buff Orpingtons. 2 black astralorps, 1 light brahma, 1 golden laced wyandotte(bantam) , 1 Easter Egger, 1Rhode Island Red... 5 of the barred rocks and 2 of the Araucanas are 12 weeks old the rest are 16-17 weeks old........The First few weeks in the coop with the older chicks at the age of 4 weeks old was Crazy for the smaller chicks But Now they are all blended together fine and No serious injuries were sustained.. A lot of pecking and hide and seek at first but all ended up fine...
I am sure there are more curveballs to come. I keep waiting on one of the pullets to turn into a Rooster.. Or something of that nature. I am so excited to get my first egg ,Far worse than a kid the night before Christmas.wow... I have never Enjoyed Pets Like I do the chickens. I have had cows, sheep, dogs, cats, fish , and several other little creatures but nothing compares to chickens..
As far as the pecking order thing goes as far as i can tell the barred rocks, and two jersey giants are at the top. with the younger chicks and the buffs at the bottom. The isa reds are in the middle they are such friendly birds as are the barred rocks . the barred rocks and the reds will hop up and sit on my lap and follow me around. The Araucanas are a little more skiddish and tend to shy away from me as do the buffs and the astralorps. The little bantam golden laced wyandotte seems to be the queen and she is uncatchable she will straight fly to get out of my way and stay a distance from me..
I love how the chickens all go in the coop at night on theyre own as soon as the lightning bugs start to light up.. this makes it easy to give them a hour or so of free range in the hay field each night . I let them all out of the coop and run about an hour or so before the lightnigng bugs come out. they run and play and forage then all go back in on theyre own. I have to supervise the free range because of owls, hawks, and such I am in BFE and surrounded by woods and fields. So far so good No losses. I will Post some VIdeo as soon as i can...
 
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