Is it really this complicated? Feeling a bit overwhelmed!

[walkerbrens]

Definitely the coop first.....you can order chicks from some of the places listed in the "Buy Sell Trade" section. You can also order from mypetchicken.com and order smaller amounts. Good luck! It really is fun!

 

[MICRZY2]

Oh I can relate! I am also a beginner. I wanted 6 hens. also had to order 9 more for the 15 minimum. (meat chickens filled the order) After I placed my order, a friend asked me to pick up a Rooster for him. Maybe someone you know could add 4 hens to their order for you ? We built our portable coop in 4 weekends. lots of scrap wood we had, a dozen 2X4's and some 5$ clearance windows. All of the ideas for a coop came from this website~ WONDERFUL ideas ! Placing the order was a BIG motivator! We also built a 'kennel' (portable) to keep the girls safe from predators while we are at work out of used chain link fencing - top & sides are chain link. I still have to learn how to house the meat birds as I hear they grow very fast AND build it yet!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Just be honest with yourself. Do you procrastinate? Then build it first. Do you want your birds right away, then look at portable coops. Chickens are easy... make having them fit your life. They need a little love, food and water. Protect them from predators and keep them healthy. Wish you only the best of luck, its just the most rewarding thing out there

 

[minnow]

Regarding getting a small number of chicks:

Our Tractor Supply Company here only only sells chicks in quantities of six. I needed fewer than that, so I bought six, and then Craigslisted the extras for a fair price. I see ads on Craigslist frequently for chicks, roosters, mating pairs, etc. Be confident that you will be able to get and keep what you want by being resourceful. You could easily mail order 15-25 and then sell the extras.

If it's your first rodeo, you can just make a makeshift washroom brooder from a large Rubbermaid container and a clamp light with a 100W incandescent bulb. Get a waterer, feeder, feed, and shavings from the feed store, and you'll be set for chicks.

The folks on here are wise to encourage you to get your coop ready before you buy your chicks. That's sort of like "putting a ring on it" before you dive into the marriage! Put forth the effort and investment up front. It's a commitment; That's for sure.

 

[cknkids]

Heed my warning build first!!! We let our daughter bring home 8 chicks last June that were hatched in her 2nd grade class... started with a cardboard box in the family room. Didn't think through that we had a weeks vacation planed a few weeks later. Because of concerns about predators we kept them in the family room for almost 8 weeks. They got comfortable free ranging in the yard and we had 4x8 chicken wire enclosed run that we could leave them in during the day but didn't trust it at night. First we Converted a small child's playhouse to a hen house, but someone had to let them out in the AM and back in at dusk we were figuring out how to attach a run and where in the yard to put it. we Finlay decide to build the run on an existing concrete pad, during construction we decide to ditch the playhouse and enclose part of the run as the house. We now have room for 7. and love that when need they're pretty self contained in their house and run. Though they prefer having the run of the entire yard. We had to build tall, DH is 6'3". Getting sexed chicks is a good idea if you don't have a plan for the roos. 1/2 our were roos and of course my daughters favorite was. Re-homing was heart breaking. Both kids and myself would love to get more chicks but we're only zoned for 5. Don't forget about Carigslist. You might get luck and find a hen house or a shed you can convert. Good luck and enjoy!!

 

[cknkids]

p.s. If we leave the back door open the girls will just wonder in looking for their first coop. It would be cute if they didn't poop! We all love our girls and can't imagine life with out them.

 

[chick chicks]

Well this is my story, it was easy enough that a 15, and 12 year old could do it (not without bumps, learning curves, and a little adult help along the way). Me and my friend googled all the info we needed and built our own incubator (this couldn't have taken more than a couple weeks) we found a friends who could give us some fertile eggs, and set them. We set 8 and considering we had everything home made, we got 2 a hen and a Roo as we now know, I think that's pretty good for first time teenage chicken raisers at first we planned on selling them when they got older but soon learned its easy to fall in love with these amazing creatures and so my dad built a coop in the corner of our half acre yard (luckily the neighbors absolutely love our rooster) so we could keep them. We've now had them for about a year. I'm no expert, but it is so worth it even when you are just learning as you go. There are people on here to help as you go along, and the experience is really amazing

 

[Dylon]

Check out Ideal poultry. The minimum is 25 DOLLARS..not chicks.. they are good. The Birds aren't show quality, but if all you really care about is eggs, and just keeping them and not showing then they are perfect!

 

[ChicKat]

for someone starting out, I would recommend looking at Craig's list and getting point-of-lay pullets. (pol) -- Search your local Craig's List for "pullets", or hens. Be very careful that you don't get chickens with diseases....some unscrupulous people have used Craigs List as a dumping grounds. Kind of interview the sellers. If their reason for selling seems reasonable. Depending on where you live, you could also check the livestock section of your local paper.

ETA - I just checked the local Craigs List here---and I have to say there are some excellent chickens for sale. Some are from folks here on BYC. (I may have to go buy some)--- The prices are higher than I wrote before - feed costs have gone up -- but still worth the price.

A good breed to look for is Golden Comet sometimes these birds are called red sexlinks, or golden sexlinks and there are also black sexlinks, they can go for about 8.00 per hen or even less depending on the going rate in your area. They are healthy, friendly birds that produce close to an egg per day. They also eat less and produce more than most birds.

Depending on the reason that you want chickens -- you will have less time to wait, fewer risks of the babies deaths as they go through the chicken growth....and you can know if you want chickens for the long haul. Barred Plymouth Rocks are another good backyard breed. Many people are buying more chicks than they want long term, with the thought that chicks will die - one person gave the advice 'get twice as many as you want to end up with'.

When you say buy-or-build, I'm thinking you mean coop. -- presently TSC (tractor supply) has a combination coop and run - with 2-nesting boxes, that have external access and an attached little run, all under a roof. It is wooden and bolts together - price is around 199.00 -- If you buy it--you could bolt it together in a very short time and be ready for chickens in an afternoon. Keep the box and if you decide at some future time chickens are not for you--you could scrub it up --dry it off -- put it back in the box and sell. (you will probably discover chickens are for you --and then you can use your little coop for an isolation pen for when you get new chickens, or if one needs extra attention, separation , etc. There is always a use for a little coop when you have chickens) ETA - Of course after you have built your very big coop if you get carried away by chicken math and decide you need one-of-each.

This little coop is also one that has a slide out poop tray. There is a thread here by Trish that is so brilliant. With a bag of pdz (a horse stall additive) and a couple of kitty littler scoops, you can have a sparkling clean coop in just moments a day (like scooping kitty litter) put the scooped droppings in a pail and in time have valuable compost for you garden or flower beds..... Couldn't be easier as far as keeping clean - https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...graphic-gross-poop-pictures/760#post_10717061
The thread is huge---and lots of people have hopped on - but Trish makes the points very clearly in the first couple of posts with answers to questions...it is as easy as cleaning the kitty litter box.

For about 450.00 you can get a snap lock coop. Would hold a few more chickens, but being plastic it wouldn't require painting ever, and could be hosed down...same approach...you could snap it together in minutes....resell easily if you decided you don't want chickens at some future time, so your investment could be partially recovered. Has slide out poop tray. Plastic coops are also less friendly to redmite populations so the extra investment may be well worth it in the long haul. SnapLock Doesn't have the little enclosed run area though. http://snaplockchickencoops.com/chicken-coop-pictures.html

Hopefully you can/will be able to free range your chickens in your yard, but -- when you are gone they should be penned for their protection.

If eggs are your goal, pol pullets cut the waiting time from months to weeks, and you can be more certain that you really won't get roosters. Backyard chickens can be extremely rewarding. Some folks in England have amazing discipline and keep a few hens at the bottom of the garden. Seems folks in the states have a bit less restraint - LOL.

You can start small with little risk -- see how it goes -- and as time passes you can add to your flock and get in as deeply as you want. -- In the meantime -- you can have those nice little clucking creatures in your yard, get eggs, put out not too much serious cash while you decide if it is right for you.

Depending upon where you live - varmits - raccoons, coyotes etc, or neighborhood dogs can be a threat to your chickens....and heat is a serious threat if temperatures get above 102...so make sure that you have shade for them in summer.......

Meanwhile - once you get your first eggs--you will wonder how you ever got along without your own chickens. It's nice to get a hen and two pullets, and get your first egg the very next day. I'm surprised more people don't do this....and if you add the cost of lamp, feed, brooder and your time -- it is far more cost effective to get a hen than a chick -- at the prices people sell hens for.

 

[BuffOrpington88]

I would suggest getting a coop before getting the chicks. There are many pre-made coops at garden and feed stores.