I am new to growing chickens and I have some questions!!

[402homegrown]

Hey everyone. I just joined backyard chickens today, and I have been reading on and off a lot of the threads on here and I am learning a ton. I am thinking of starting a garden for the first time. Also I want to start growing some chickens as well as ducks/pheasant/quail/goose. I am also going to have a300 gallon pond in the garden with koi fish in it. I have never grown plants, chickens, fowl, or fish before, but I figure you either sink or swim right? I live inside omaha, ne, but i have a half acre lot so I should have plenty of space. So I am thinking I am going to build 2 coops on one side of the garden. One for the chickens, and the other for whatever other fowl I decide on. Both coops will have a totally fenced in smaller run with them, but during the day I will want to open up the doors of their runs so they can run around the garden. The garden will have a fence between 5-6 feet running around the three other sides to enclose it. I am going to keep my birds clipped because I don't want them flying away when I let them run around the garden. Is this a good thing or bad thing in letting them run around the garden? WIll the birds just rip up all the veggies and plants? Also is it ok to have chickens and other birds running around all together or will they fight? Is a five foot tall fence ok for the chickens when I let them out to run around in the garden, or will they be able to maneuver over it even with their wings clipped? I do have a chainlink fence around the whole property where my dog runs, so if they did jump the garden fence I do have a backup chainlink fence. The fence I am putting in for the runs for 24 hour protection is a galvanized steel hardware cloth, but it is expensive. I am wanting to put in a thinner lighter fence like replacement screen for stormdoors or something cheaper that I can cover the much larger gardern area. So basically I want to relax by my waterfall going into the pond inside the big garden a few hours a day, while I let all of my chickens and ducks, run around inside the garden and not have to worry a ton about them. This entire project will take up about a 35'x40' area. Also can you let dogs be around the chickens? Thank you all very much for any of your answers, expertise, thoughts, or concerns. Sorry the post was so long I am just really excited to start the project, but I am trying to do all of it on the cheaper side, so planning is key.

 

[happyclucker]

Welcome!

WOW u are taking on alot! I am new here so not sure about answering Questions as i don't know alot either but, there's lots of great pros on here that can help you figure it all out. Good luck!

 

[HandsomeRyan]

I figure you either sink or swim right?
That seems like a lot to take on all at once. I can't help you with fish but I keep chickens (obviously) and I am a plant scientist/horticulturist by trade as well as an avid home gardener so I have a pretty good understanding of the amount of work involved in keeping plants healthy. I don't think there is anything wrong with being ambitious but I think you will quickly become overwhelmed in terms of the work involved and (unless you are independently wealthy) the financial aspect of trying to pay for the initial start-up cost of so many projects at once. I might suggest starting with a small/simple veggie garden and either one type of fowl or the pond and add the other things in the future once you are comfortable with what you already have going.

I am going to keep my birds clipped because I don't want them flying away when I let them run around the garden.

Chickens don't really "fly" in the sense of them abandoning you and your property to migrate somewhere else. They might get brave and end up in a neighbors yard or something but in general they stick pretty close to home.

Is this a good thing or bad thing in letting them run around the garden? WIll the birds just rip up all the veggies and plants?

Chickens will destroy a garden. They eat just about any type of vegetation and their poop can also throw off the nutrient balance of the soil. Have a garden and have a chicken run but they will not work to be the same area.

Also is it ok to have chickens and other birds running around all together or will they fight?

Depends on a lot of factors not the least of which is what the other birds are.

Is a five foot tall fence ok for the chickens when I let them out to run around in the garden, or will they be able to maneuver over it even with their wings clipped?

A motivated chicken, even with a clipped wing (you generally only clip one side) can probably still clear a 5 foot fence.

lso can you let dogs be around the chickens?

Depends on the dog and the chickens. Some dogs will attack and intentionally kill chickens, others stress the chickens because they want to "play" with them, and some dogs are afraid of or utterly indifferent toward chickens. Your mileage will vary.

 

[vickichicki]

Welcome to BYC!

So glad you are taking the time to make sure everything is researched and thought about before taking the plunge. Alot of us chickens owners end up with the chickens then spend our time scrambling to make a coop and put up fencing.

I will answer whatever questions I can and I am sure others will chime in with their ideas, comments ans suggestions.

Any free ranging for the chickens is a good thing. They get their fill of natural grit (to aid in their digestion), wonderful bugs and fresh grass. Which will ultimately end up with happier chickens.
I am not sure about the vegetables and plants. I know several people who have vegetable gardens and the chickens leave them alone, although fencing them in to be sure might be the way to go. Be sure to check what plants can be toxic to your chickens. Again, I am not super familiar with this side either, hopefully someone can fill in those blanks for you.

Chickens should get on just fine and dandy with other birds you might acquire. I know there can be issues with turkey and chickens due to certain condition chickens carry called 'Blackhead'. I believe chickens are the carriers and turkey can become infected with it. Check your area for known Blackhead breakouts, just in case.

Window screen suggestions... how about bird netting? It is a whole lot easier to work with that screen and I bet is it s a whole lots cheaper too. Don;t skimp on the hardware cloth on the coop. It is amazing how determined critters can be. If the chickens are going to be roaming unsupervised all day, I would suggest making sure the run is as critter proof as the coop.

Letting your dogs with the chickens can be hit and miss. Some dogs have no interest what so ever, others may be unable to resist the fluffy chew toy looking thing that squeaks.. You hear of a lot of 'one off' cases of peoples otherwise good with the chickens dogs having a moment and picking a chicken off. I think you will have to make a determination whether you think you can trust your dogs with your flock.

Hope that has helped you a little... Any more questions.. just ask.

 

[4 the Birds]

+1

Make a run area next to the garden not as the garden. They will destroy your veg garden. You can let them in there after the season yield or just give them scraps from the garden. My garden is enclosed in field fencing with chicken wire down low to keep the rabbits out. Your chickens and dog(s) are best kept in separated fenced areas. It is possible to have them together but rarely a good idea. Create a large run area that has a roof (great for shade) or enclosed with mesh to keep them secure. A large fenced in free range area can have a 4' high fence and you can either clip one wing or hope for the best. Mine do not have clipped wings but stay in their free range area. Hope this helps!

 

[402homegrown]

Awesome thank you very much for the replies. See already would have made a huge mistake and let the chickens in the garden and it would have been destroyed. So I guess what I will probably do is give the ducks a real small run and let them in the garden for a few hours because it sounds like they don't do damage like chickens do, and let the chickens have a bigger run by themselves. Also with me having the big chainlink 4' tall fence around the entire property every once in while I will let them roam the entire area. Are the chickens really hard to catch though if they do jump into a neighbors yard? Is it better to get chicks from a reputable dealer online or from local farmers/craigslist? I have heard chicken poo is great for gardens, so do you have to collect it and disperse it out evenly to the plants or is it just bad to use all around for fertilizer? Thank you all again for the responses, what more can you can you ask for then for quick knowledgable answers!

 

[vickichicki]

Are chickens hard to catch...

I had 6 of my smaller chicks about 10 weeks old get out... Boy was it fun chasing those guys around for an hour.

As long as you are super sociable with them at a young age you should have no issues being able to pick them up. Handle the chicks daily, talk to them nicely and give treats. When they are older, hang out in the coop for a while, sit on the floor and let them know you are harmless. They will follow you around Like most animals, a slow approach is they are skittish so they do not feel the need to escape you.

As for getting chicks.. it depends on what you are after. Buying from someone reputable means you are less likely to have sick or disease issues. My recent purchase from TSC made me watch several chicks die due to bad health and stress issues. This does not mean all chicks from there will have issues.. My experience there means I will never purchase another box store chick. That being said, my first batch of chicks ever were from Orschelns and they are superb, healthy egg laying machines.
I recently picked some chicks up from a fellow BYC member and they are the happiest, healthiest looking chicks ever.
You might find a thread on here in the 'Where am I, where are you' for you state. There are plenty of breeders out there and they are more than happy to share. Hatcheries work too, but there is normally a minimum order and sometimes shipping can lead to casualties.
Craigslist can be hit and miss. There are genuine people out there with healthy chickens who just simply want to down size. Or you can run into unhealthy birds people are trying to offload someone who might not catch there is an issue.

Research some breeds you are interested in. Whether egg layers, meat birds or just for funzies.

I am not familiar with the fertilizer side of poop. We use a 'poop board' in our coop to make clean up easier but we throw away the droppings. I think it may need to go into a compost pile before it can be used... Don't quote me on this one.

 

[4 the Birds]

No problem. Chickens can be tricky to catch but I have managed to corner them the few times they have gotten out. They learned to stay in and never get out now (the dogs catch them if they get out!!). If they have plenty of hiding places in the free range area and you watch them while they are out then you should be OK. You can get a few adult chickens from a local farmer or craigslist but be prepared to get older birds that may not be good egg producers. You can order chicks from a hatchery or through a local feed store (Tractor Supply). You will setup a brooder in the garage to keep them protected and warm for 6 weeks until they are ready to go outside to the coop. Chicken poo is great for the garden!! It is high in nitrates so you will want to amend it in the soil sparingly if you add in directly. I also use a compost bin which is great for the waste and spent bedding and allows it to break down before using in the garden or for mulch.

Young chicks in the brooder

 

[402homegrown]

Seeing those little chicks in that brooder makes me so jealous haha. Hopefully very soon for me. I did just find out about an exotic bird auction in a small town by here in a couple a weeks. It says there are a lot of chicks for sale and a lot of different breeds, I just don't know how expensive they will be there. So I think I am going to order some from efowl (anybody ever use this place?And how was it?), grab a few from local people, and hopefully grab a couple at the auction. I figure thats the best way to get some from everywhere and test out different suppliers. The only thing is I don't know how to tell a sick chicken from a healthy one? I will have to research that more. Also do you have to get shots for all the birds or have them examined yearly or when you first get them? Also I am wanting to grow some chickens for eggs and others for meat. I know this is depending on breed, but I know hens will/can start laying eggs within the first year you have them. How long do you have to wait for a bird that you are going to eat for meat, to mature enough to eat? Thank you vickchicki for bringing up the socializing part when they are very young. I didn't even really think about that. I slacked on my dog I have now when I first got him, with socialization. And now three years later I can definitely tell he is skiddish towards other people/situations. I know chicks are different, but gaining there trust and social relationship with them is very important in early stages. So thank you again for bringing up something else I would have kicked myself for, for not doing in the past. Also does it really take 6 weeks before they can go to the coop? I am sure it is different for every breed, but is that the regular rule of thumb? The main reason I am worried about them getting out of my entire yard ( besides me being out of shape), is that I was reading the city ordinances, and it kept mentioning problems arise with chickens being at large (funny way to put it). I am sure it is no the biggest deal, but I don't want the government taking my chickens lol.

 

[vickichicki]

There should be some reviews on here for the efowl hatchery, from some brief reading up for this reply it seems they buy from the other bigger hatcheries (like McMurry) and sell them.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/16/chicken-breeders-hatcheries This is the link to the breeders and hatcheries. You might get lucky and find a smaller farm breeder near you too. Have a dig through when you have found somewhere and see what other peoples experience have been.

My only concern with you buying from multiple locations at once is making sure that each 'group' is separated (quarantined) for a while. It would be bad say.. if you got a group from the auction and put them with the hatchery chicks to discover one group had something contagious and there goes the two groups.
My find group of chickens I purchased were from an auction, I got 5 juvenile chickens. After a week at home, turns out one of them had 'Gapeworm'. It was terrible to watch and my husband ended up culling the bird. I was mortified. The rest of the flock were culled not long after that.

The Merek's vaccine is hit and miss for people opinions. If you vaccinate chicks they can still be carriers and putting them with unvaccinated chicks can lead to infection. Another one you might have to read up on. My chicks are all unvaccinated.

The timing of putting chicks outside varies on your location. 6-8 weeks is a good rule, but it can depend on the breed and how they are growing. I wait for mine to get their first top layer of feathers in. It is more of an issue for timing during the winter months, making sure they are not too cold. A good planned coop will help with those issues. My first girls were kept in the house for several months as I got mine sep/oct, by the time they were feathered it was really cold outside and I being a first time chick owner aired on the side of caution.

Your meat birds will differ in age and breed for eating. A good eating breed is a Cornish X. They are breed to be eating machines and are butchered at 8-9 weeks. Down fall to them is they eat non stop and have a high mortality rate. Although some people limit their food, I am not a fan of limiting the food for a chick that is designed to eat. As far as the meat goes, I heard it was the best meat ever.
If you pick a good duel purpose bird the butchering age is around 12 -16 weeks. The older the bird, the stringier the meat. So much older than that and we are talking soups, pies etc. Although all can be eaten at any age. I have 5 white leghorns I am hoping to have the nerve to dress in a few weeks. They were given to me and I am not particular on the breed so I figured my first attempts butchering can be done on those guys.

Generally there is no vet that you take your chickens too for a check up. It is all based on your interaction, being able to tell if something is wrong. you will need advice at some point, I guarantee it. But worry not, there is an extensive thread for 'injuries, diseases and emergencies' that covers just about everything and anything you can think of. Not to mention they are also fabulous at response times there.

To let you know.. It is amazing how much you can learn in such a short period of time here. There are some superb threads here that cover just about everything you wanted to or needed to know about chickens. From the coop build. hatching your own chicks to 'the dog got my chicken.. help!'.

Think that was all the questions.. ask more if you need too.