Hi! Chicken newbie

[SilverBirds]

Welcome to BYC! Thanks for joining.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

Enjoy your up and coming new flock of Easter Eggers! They are a fun breed to keep. Welcome aboard!

 

[Kenneth Zweerink]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens. And a Big Hello from Eastern Nebraska!

 

[fuzzi]

Hi! I’ve wanted chickens for almost a decade now, and I’ve finally decided to make it happen. I’ve been working on installing a Purrfect fence to enclose my yard for my cat, and I plan on cordoning off part of it as a run for the chickens. I also have a couple sheds already on the property that can be converted to a coop. I’m planning on getting a small flock of Easter Eggers this spring on Chick Day, and I’m so excited about it! I’m someone who spends weeks of several hours a day, planning and making drawings and spreadsheets and word documents, and watching boatloads of videos and reading countless blogs to make sure I have a solid foundation of knowledge and everything I need before committing to a big responsibility like this, so I’m looking forward to learning more from all the experience keepers.

Welcome!

You sound like me re: planning and drawing and spreadsheets and documents.

 

[Grammy60]

Hello and welcome to BYC Thanks for joining us and enjoy your flock when you get them

 

[curlyp]

Hi, Welcome to BYC!

Good luck with your flock and looking forward to seeing pictures!

 

[Boppo]

Glad to meet you, and welcome to BYC. I was interested to read about Purrfect fencing - that is a cool thing to do for your cat! I am so pleased for you that you have such a leg up on preparing for chickens. Good for you, doing research and learning ahead of time! EEs seem to be a really good choice. Best wishes, and let us know how it goes!

Are the sheds metal, resin or wooden?

Here are my favorite beginning articles, in case they help you along. All articles are short, and 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)

4. Predator protection for new & existing coops

5. Dealing with a muddy coop and run

6. (are you where winter is starting??) Winter chicken care

7. Converting shed into coop: Metal Resin (Rubbermaid) Wood

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. (AKA choosing which shed to use)

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.

 

[swampfox440]

Welcome to BYC! good luck.

 

[Blue Raptor]

Hi! I’ve wanted chickens for almost a decade now, and I’ve finally decided to make it happen. I’ve been working on installing a Purrfect fence to enclose my yard for my cat, and I plan on cordoning off part of it as a run for the chickens. I also have a couple sheds already on the property that can be converted to a coop. I’m planning on getting a small flock of Easter Eggers this spring on Chick Day, and I’m so excited about it! I’m someone who spends weeks of several hours a day, planning and making drawings and spreadsheets and word documents, and watching boatloads of videos and reading countless blogs to make sure I have a solid foundation of knowledge and everything I need before committing to a big responsibility like this, so I’m looking forward to learning more from all the experience keepers.

Welcome to BYC!!

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC, and good luck in establishing your flock.