If you could give me one piece of advice, what would it be?

[Coopin-It-Real]

Hi, I'm new to the site and to raising backyard chickens. We had actually planned on starting this adventure next spring but kind of adopted an abandoned goose. I won't leave so to keep it company, I purchase two ducklings and decided there was no time like the present and brought home three hens, one RIR and two that are mixed, and one rooster. This all took place about twelve weeks ago. One of my hens (Sugarcube) started laying a week and a half ago. She laid a perfect first egg on a Saturday afternoon, nothing on Sunday, but then an egg a day from Monday through Friday. She laid again on Saturday but the egg seemed a little misshaped. On Sunday she seemed to be having trouble and I had to help remove a membrane and yolk sack with no "whites" or shell that was hanging from her vent. She did not lay yesterday, although she went out to the coop several times acting as though she wanted to. I plan to keep an eye on her closely today because I picked her up just after she roosted last night and felt her abdomen and I'm pretty sure I felt an egg. She is running around like normal so far this morning, eating fine, and not waddling or anything so I am hoping it is just her body adjusting laying. They free range from six or so in the morning until they go in to roost at night, then I close everything up tight to keep them safe. Plenty of food and water out, free choice, although I just switched to the layer feed yesterday. Any advice would be appreciated in this matter as well as I would love to hear thoughts on the title question...If you could give me one piece of advice (when it comes to raising backyard chickens), what would it be?
Thanks for any and all replies!

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, Coopin-It-Real, and

! Great to have you here! Love the user name!

Wow! One piece of advice? I would be tempted to make that advice: read everything you can and ask questions on BYC - all the answers are there! But short of that, I would say making sure your chickens have plenty of space in a safe and secure coop with a constant supply of water and the proper food. Okay, so that was really about 4 pieces of advice crammed into one sentence. So, hope about this: Enjoy your chickens and have fun with them!!

 

[Coopin-It-Real]

Thank you for replying and trust me when I say...my husband has went above and beyond necessary safety measures for our coop! All we really fell short on was steel bars on the windows.

Thanks for the advice though...will continue to research and learn as much as we can about our new hobby! Loving it so far!

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

Young pullets will sometimes lay shell-less eggs while adjusting to the whole laying process.

My advice would be - use your own judgement in following advice you get anywhere, as there are many conflicting opinions and not all of them are either right or a very good idea.

 

[bug fead]

I don't know about advice 'cause I'm new to this too

but, welcome and have fun!

 

[CayugaLover]

! my advice... buy a muscovie! even if you don't like their appearence, i have two and mine are more like people than ducks, and even though they are large and intimadating, they are the sweetest birds!

 

[sumi]

Hello and welcome to BYC

Glad you joined us! The only advice I can add is use your common sense. If I'm unsure what to do I ask myself: what would've happened if this hen, chick, rooster, broody hen was in his/her natural environment? We've taken them out of nature, but they are still wild creatures at heart.

 

[Coopin-It-Real]

Hello and welcome to BYC

Glad you joined us! The only advice I can add is use your common sense. If I'm unsure what to do I ask myself: what would've happened if this hen, chick, rooster, broody hen was in his/her natural environment? We've taken them out of nature, but they are still wild creatures at heart.

100% in agreement. We have an assortment of pets around here including one anole, 4 koi, 7 comets, one cat, one goose, two ducks, three hens, and a rooster. We try to think along that line of thought with all of them! We enjoy researching what it is that they would have, need, use, etc...if they were in their natural environment and we were not "interfering"! Thanks for your comment!

 

[liz9910]

from California!

 

[Coopin-It-Real]

! my advice... buy a muscovie! even if you don't like their appearence, i have two and mine are more like people than ducks, and even though they are large and intimadating, they are the sweetest birds!

Glad to here from another duck owner! My ducks are actually (currently) residing in the coop with the chickens. There are actually two sections with a door to separate but we just leave the door open so that they all have more room (they're only in there after dark anyway). My question for you is are ducks always as messy as mine are now?!

The chickens are immaculate creatures compared to the ducks. I spend about a half hour each day cleaning up a combination of duck and chick poop (much more duck than chicken). I switched from straw bedding (which in my opinion is just horrible) to wood shavings and it has made things much easier but still...And what about the feathers!?! Our entire backyard looks like a pillow factory lol...will this ever stop? I'm not sure of their exact age, but I bought them the first Saturday in June and they were still yellow ducklings at that time...I was guessing they were a few weeks old then. I have had them for 12 and a half weeks...any thoughts?