I'm a complete newbie

[Chickenchic49]

I am a complete newbie. My daughter is begging me for a pet chicken and I have zero experience with anything more exotic than a cat. I'm hoping to learn as much as possible about everything from finding the right chicken to making sure I can keep it healthy in hurricane central. :~)

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens are you saying your in Florida or another stricken state enjoy the time here

 

[Hobbits Mommie]

@Chickenchic49 Welcome to BYC, and Hurricane Central, LOL. I'd say the first priority is to make sure that you have a predator proof coop and run, because everything loves chicken, not just us. There are plenty of good ideas on this site, but the key is to have any open areas covered in 1/4" hardware cloth which needs to be dug into the ground about a foot to keep out diggers.

Second, you don't want just one chicken, they need friends.

Decide what you will use them for. If you want pets, research the friendliest breeds. If you want eggs, research which ones will produce the eggs you want.

You'll also need to think about bedding materials, waterers, feeders.

Baby chicks need to be on chick starter food, and at about 21 + weeks when they begin to lay eggs, you'll switch over to a layer feed (or whatever you decide on but you have to make sure they have enough protein, etc.)

Then, get your babies, sit back & enjoy. Good luck to you.

This is what I have for 5 chickens, which is probably twice as big as they need.

 

[GrowingOurHomestead]

Hello I think you've come to the right place to learn everything Chicken

 

[Leahs Coop]

Hello and welcome to Backyard Chickens! So glad you decided to join the flock.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC.

Here are some links to useful resources:

• List of guides on how to use the site - “How to...” guides
• Great go-to resource - Learning Centre
• Good starting point for browsing the site - Articles
• Insightful feedback on how members manage their flocks - Topic of the Week back-catalogue
• Excellent sources of local information - U.S. States

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[feathermaid]

I'm glad you're thinking about starting a wonderful new adventure with chickens! You definitely should have more than one... 3 is a perfect amount to start with. Chickens are flock animals and thrive amongst their own kind. There have been some people who keep a single house chicken, but it will likely have to wear diapers, and egg laying does complicate things.

Bantam breeds or silkies are small and easy to manage in a simple prefab coop available at most farm and feed stores, but there might be a few modifications necessary. Even standard size birds can fit as long as you don't have more than just a few. These articles will help you stay on the right track:

The Essential Beginners Guide to Backyard Chickens

How Much Room Do Chickens Need

Chicken Coop Ventilation - Go Out There And Cut More Holes In Your Coop!

Predator Proofing

 

[NHMountainMan]

Advice from a recent newbie: as your are planning your coop, anticipate that you're going to love this new hobby, and the few chicks you plan on today may become a dozen before long. Better to plan in advance. The experienced people on this site talk about chicken math. I laughed at first that it would never be me, but now I'm looking at a second coop and many more chickens.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
You've gotten good advice. I'm just saying hello!

 

[CarpCharacin]

Welcome to BYC! We're glad you decided to join our wonderful community!
You need more than one chicken in order for them to be happy.