Introducing myself

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silkwormlady

silkwormlady

Chirping
Mar 3, 2015
115
3
63
Southern West Virginia, Zone 5
I finally decided to get chickens! Am starting with chicks: 3 Buff Orpington hen babies and 3 Speckled Sussex hen babies (are these "pullets"? I think pullets are 20+ week old hens). Also one Speckled Sussex rooster. Never had chickens before. My husband has been around them so he had the "coop" built, against my objections as to initial construction. (I like the word hen house better.) Looking at BYC, I can see for sure: The hen house is all wrong in construction, not tall enough, no way they can roost, too many nesting boxes (for now), not enough floor space. We'll need to rebuild it! We do have enough outdoor space fenced in for them. Can't let them free range since we have hound pups who would want to be "friends". Fortunately the chicks are going to live all snuggy warm in a big box in my big bathroom for 4 weeks or so. I'll be getting them the first week of April. Looking forward to reading forums on keeping them. Found a great cardboard box brooding box idea already on BYC!
Heard about backyardchickens from a friend in NC who's had chickens for a few years. Bumped into site before this through google. Her thumbs-up led me to subscribe. I've been reading forums on hen-house construction, baby chicks ... Love it!
We live in rural southern WV, have a garden, flower beds, fruit trees. I am a fiber artisan, make silk paper out of silk roving to create landscapes (can't be precise with them since fiber doesn't want to lay precisely the way paint will when applied).
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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So glad you could join our community!! You have definitely come to the right place for all the fun and learning.

Chickens need about 5 square feet per bird in the coop, 10 square feet per bird in the run. They need to have plenty of air space above their heads to keep them out of the moist air they will be producing at night through breathing and pooping. A big air space will help prevent frost bite which can occur in temps even just above freezing.

If you need any ideas, stop by our coops pages. Lots of good ideas from our members...https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/2/Coops

And if you run into any trouble, you can always ask some questions in our Coop and Run Construction forums as well...https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/9/coop-run-design-construction-maintenance

Enjoy your babies!! If you have any questions along the way, you know where we are! Welcome to our flock!
 
Welcome to BYC!
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Nice to have you join us. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

BYC has a lot of different "parts" to it. One you may want to check out is under Miscellaneous, Hobbies, lots of various interests there such as photography, quilting, baking (that's mine), music, art, etc. Your interest in fiber would fit in well there. Here's a link to help you find it:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/41/hobbies

Have fun with your upcoming chicks!
 

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