Introduction

Pics
Date sort Score sort
:frowW E L C O M E:frowI have bought a kit and later added a "build my own". I personally like both. I started out with 8 chicks and 5 turned out to be roosters, which left me with only 3 hens. I gave back 4 roosters for store credit after about 4 months of raising them. I wish that I didn't buy straight run, because less than half were hens.
I bred with the remaining chickens to get the amount I wanted, but now the older hens give the younger ones a bad time. So I built my own additional coop to spoil the new ones.
 
Hello! I'm new here too, though I've had chickens for almost 2 years now -and I also had a couple horses years ago... I rode on a drill team.

I would strongly avoid a pre-fab coop! Unless you weather-proof every single surface before assembling, add extra sealant everywhere and promise yourself to never get more than 3 chickens ever. I made the mistake of buying a cute "Xtra Large" coop from Costco for $300 that said it would house 9 chickens with the included little run-- now I realize that couldn't even be possible or humane. My three hens are let out all day. Haven't even had my store-bought coop for 2 years yet and it's already falling apart, leaks everywhere and mold under all the roof panels. Very poor design! We do get more rain here in Oregon, but still.

A new custom custom coop is in the works for me right now and that's the best way to go. With 15 acres you should have room for a large flock eventually -especially if you free range, but I think starting out with minimum 3 chicks is fine. However, I would suggest building your coop with 20 chickens in mind for down the road. You will love having them as well as giving eggs away to your friends. There's tons of information here to help plan your space and design the perfect coop.

As far as breeds go, if you think you might be interested in smaller cuddly chickens, then start with bantams. That way if you add standard chickens later, the original smaller ones will be able to hold their own. Whereas if you add bantams later they're likely to get bullied and injured. But if the reason you want chickens is for the eggs, then go with larger breeds. I wanted friendly docile chickens so my then 4 yr old daughter would enjoy them too. We got a Barred Rock (Pepper), Buff Orpington(Macy) and an Ameraucauna(Jewel). Pepper is the friendliest and quietest, the first to come up and greet us with soft cooing noises. Macy is super sweet and likes to be held. Jewel is the loudest squawker but she's the best layer of the group. She also has cute fluffy cheeks instead of waddles. I think the more you hold them as babies, the friendlier they will be. Of course each chicken has it's own personality.

Most important- predator proof your coop. Use ½ inch hardware cloth instead of chicken wire or poultry netting to keep raccoon hands from reaching in and grabbing your chickens out in pieces. And use that hardware cloth to cover all windows and ventilation openings. Then to be sure, bury a 1 or 2 ft. apron of hardware cloth all around the perimeter of the coop and run to keep burrowing animals from digging through.
Once you know they're safe, chicken keeping is so fun!
 
Yay! Me being late to greet is better than missing a chance to meet a newbie! Glad I caught your intro and even more glad you decided to join us.. Woot!
5363023.gif
5363023.gif
Alt-WELCOME-farmer-connie-1.gif
5363023.gif
5363023.gif
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom