- Apr 11, 2010
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My wife and I have been talking about having a flock of chickens for several years now, and we just never seemed to get moving. I used to help my grandfather feed his chickens and gather eggs, but being young, ignorant, and interested in worldly things, I never paid much attention to the breeds he had or how to breed, hatch, and brood them (though I do know he had hens that did so, and I don't think he ever used an incubator). We even bought my grandparent's house and property, when my grandfather passed away (sadly, the coops/runs are all demolished), and still couldn't muster the effort to get up from the TV and get a flock started.
While at Lake Chatuge, in Hayesville, NC, over Easter weekend, we saw a flyer for a "Chicken Swap Meet" on 4/24, and decided we should try to come out, meet some folks, and at least try to learn something. Well, as many of you may already know, it not only rained, it POURED that weekend, and by the time we made the 2 hour drive, the chicken "swappers" were closing up shop. Then fate, the Lord, or just my own ignorance kicked in, and I bought 30 Rhode Island Red chicks from a man, who was getting ready to leave. I can't remember how old he said they were (excitement, ignorance, fear of getting struck by lightning, who knows), but they weren't "downy" anymore. I do remember he said that they were old enough to know they should all live, if given proper care. I had also read enough about breeds to know that the Rhode Islands were a good-laying, dual-purpose bird, which fit my vision of what I wanted in a flock. The gentleman also told me to feed them Start & Grow (medicated) for the next 3 months, and to mix in some scratch feed after a month.
Now I had chickens, a LOT of chickens, and no coop, no run, no brooder, nothing except for the rabbit hutch I'd brought with me, in case I found a hen or two to buy. My wife said I was insane, and down deep, I agreed, but I put up a good facade and said, "Well, at least now we HAVE to get off our butts and do something, or these chicks won't make it." Within two days, I'd built a 6'x8'x30" brooder, out of a solid "floor" pallet from work, some 2x4's, poultry netting, 8"h hardboard strips (to keep the litter inside the brooder), 2 sheets of OSB for the lid (one screwed to the frame, and one hinged to the other), with holes to hang a feeder, waterer, and a brooding light. I also cleared a lot of saplings & seedlings out of a somewhat wooded area next to my workshop/lawnmower/equipment building (a 20'x30', 2-room structure, with an 8'x13' floorless shed off the back, which is the last hand-built structure left that my grandfather made). I had originally intended to use the 8'x13' shed, adding a floor, walls, & door as my coop, and fence off the surrounding area as my run. Unfortunately, it is on the north side of the work building, and doesn't lend itself well to any south facing windows, so I don't know if that will work or not. I figure I've got a month or a bit less to figure it out.
Anyway, I'm practically a noob, even having had a small amount of experience with chickens as a kid, and any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm glad there's an organization like this around, to help those of us who are somewhat lost.
Thanks,
Brett & Juliana Ferguson
While at Lake Chatuge, in Hayesville, NC, over Easter weekend, we saw a flyer for a "Chicken Swap Meet" on 4/24, and decided we should try to come out, meet some folks, and at least try to learn something. Well, as many of you may already know, it not only rained, it POURED that weekend, and by the time we made the 2 hour drive, the chicken "swappers" were closing up shop. Then fate, the Lord, or just my own ignorance kicked in, and I bought 30 Rhode Island Red chicks from a man, who was getting ready to leave. I can't remember how old he said they were (excitement, ignorance, fear of getting struck by lightning, who knows), but they weren't "downy" anymore. I do remember he said that they were old enough to know they should all live, if given proper care. I had also read enough about breeds to know that the Rhode Islands were a good-laying, dual-purpose bird, which fit my vision of what I wanted in a flock. The gentleman also told me to feed them Start & Grow (medicated) for the next 3 months, and to mix in some scratch feed after a month.
Now I had chickens, a LOT of chickens, and no coop, no run, no brooder, nothing except for the rabbit hutch I'd brought with me, in case I found a hen or two to buy. My wife said I was insane, and down deep, I agreed, but I put up a good facade and said, "Well, at least now we HAVE to get off our butts and do something, or these chicks won't make it." Within two days, I'd built a 6'x8'x30" brooder, out of a solid "floor" pallet from work, some 2x4's, poultry netting, 8"h hardboard strips (to keep the litter inside the brooder), 2 sheets of OSB for the lid (one screwed to the frame, and one hinged to the other), with holes to hang a feeder, waterer, and a brooding light. I also cleared a lot of saplings & seedlings out of a somewhat wooded area next to my workshop/lawnmower/equipment building (a 20'x30', 2-room structure, with an 8'x13' floorless shed off the back, which is the last hand-built structure left that my grandfather made). I had originally intended to use the 8'x13' shed, adding a floor, walls, & door as my coop, and fence off the surrounding area as my run. Unfortunately, it is on the north side of the work building, and doesn't lend itself well to any south facing windows, so I don't know if that will work or not. I figure I've got a month or a bit less to figure it out.
Anyway, I'm practically a noob, even having had a small amount of experience with chickens as a kid, and any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm glad there's an organization like this around, to help those of us who are somewhat lost.
Thanks,
Brett & Juliana Ferguson
