Mail-Order Chicks on Their Way but I am confused???

[CannedMonster]

It doesn't specify the size of the coop it's self, but comparing it to the run and the size they give for that, I don't think it's anywhere near large enough for 18 chickens. I know they say 15, but prefab coops are notorious for dramatically over estimating the number of birds they can effectively house.

Oh absolutely.
Mine supposedly can house 15-18 and I would never put that many in there.
More like 8 and only if they free range also.

 

[analyticalblonde]

It doesn't specify the size of the coop it's self, but comparing it to the run and the size they give for that, I don't think it's anywhere near large enough for 18 chickens. I know they say 15, but prefab coops are notorious for dramatically overestimating the number of birds they can effectively house.

I totally agree! I have called twice now to get the "true" dimensions of the coop...not the perimeter of the run...and yet to receive the answer.

With that said, I have until this Thursday to modify my order because I absolutely do not want there to be inadequate space, period.

I believe the manufacturer is basing their headcount amount based upon the three roosts inside the coop. It appears that possibly 4 birds per roost. But, that still doesn't support the 15 animal capacity amount and I believe 4/roost is potentially overcrowding. With that said, I more than likely will be reducing the count of chicks from 18 to 10.

 

[ChemicalchiCkns]

Can you teach them to use the voting Machine?

 

[adstowe]

I think most of those prefab producers base their space off of what commercial "battery" hens are provided, which is far from adequate for healthy, happy birds. You could probably build a more appropriate coop for less money than what they are charging for that one.

 

[analyticalblonde]

I think most of those prefab producers base their space off of what commercial "battery" hens are provided, which is far from adequate for healthy, happy birds. You could probably build a more appropriate coop for less money than what they are charging for that one.

I agree and both my husband and I know that this "prefab" was only a brief situation (a year or two at the maximum) as we construct a proper coop simultaneously. I did mention we are newbies and I believe there will be many learning lessons along the way but our hearts are in the right place. We want to raise good girls with the right home...maybe I was premature in pulling the trigger...I don't know. I have reduced our order from My Pet Chickens from 18 to 10 but now feel a bit attacked on this forum for being stupid, ignorant, naive? I have bought two feeders and waterers for the coop and two feeders and waterers for the brooder. I have bought a thermometer for the brooder as well as the best pine shavings that are known to create no dust. I have purchased one of the highest rated brooder lamps, have packets ready to go of electrolytes and probiotics for their arrival and I have I spent over a year reading posts from this forum and books and only wanted to know what I should do if I got a cockerel or two from my order. I thought I was getting the best of both worlds with a coop and run that was integrated knowing we would have to make improvements to protect the girls. Now, I feel I am not ready AT ALL. Thank you for your input and will move forward because I am financially committed with both the coop, run, support supplies, and chicks on the way. I am going to do the best I can with what I have done. The only way the undo what I have done is to refuse my coop/run order, refuse all of the items I purchased to make sure the girls would have a great start, all with a fine, cancel my chick order by tomorrow with a fine, and wait another year of wanting to do this for my joy for another year. I have dreamed of this for more than a year, going on two, and now that my husband and I have the acreage to do this, I thought I had it figured out...now, I don't feel I have anything figured out.

 

[aart]

I have reduced our order from My Pet Chickens from 18 to 10 but now feel a bit attacked on this forum for being stupid, ignorant, naive?

Good move! Kudos!
That can happen, passions run high and some don't consider the whole situation-or read the whole thread, try to let it roll off your back. A lot of the 'anger' is really directed at the manufacturers mis-information.

Now, I feel I am not ready AT ALL.

You'll be fine, but will probably make more mistakes. Chickens are a huge leaning curve, the first year is tough...like getting sip of water out of fire hose.

 

[ShanasCastle]

Hi All!

Well, I finally took to leap after reading up on just about all I can maintain in my head and ordered 18 chicks (all sexed females) of different breeds. Blue/Black/Splash Ameraucanas (3), Lavender Orpington (3), Barred Plymouth Rock (3), Buff Orpington (3), Silver Laced Wyandotte (3), and New Hampshire Red (3). They will arrive the week of March 25th.

This is my confusion...I know there is a chance that choosing sexed females is not a full guarantee and that I might end up with a cockerel, maybe two, and I won't know which breed and its temperament will potentially turn out being a cockerel. I chose only breeds that are known to be docile, except for maybe the Wyandotte. From my reading, "Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens" as well as on this forum, it is said, "at 3 to 8 weeks, depending upon the breed, peck-order fighting will get serious and sexual activity will start. If you haven't already done so, it's time to separate the cockerels from the pullets or at least to pare down the number of cockerels to a reasonable ratio for the number of pullets."

So, the potential ratio would be 1:17 assuming no deaths but I'm sure there will be or, 2:16 with the same potential deaths of One-Day Old chicks.

Here are my questions/concerns:

1) Why do I have to separate the cockerel at this time from the pullets if chickens are supposed to be flock animals?
2) I am kind of hoping I do get a cockerel because we have ~2 acres, with NO trees for protection, and have hawks, hawks, and hawks. I would like that "Alarm" system in place to protect the flock. But, is it naive of me to keep the cockerel when there is a possible chance he could create total mayhem to me and the flock?
3) I have done only research on hens and have no clue about roosters. If I do end up with a cockerel or two, should I just cull it (them) since this is my first rodeo?
4) Because I selected docile breeds (except for maybe the Wyandotte), does that docile nature known for the pullets/hens apply to the cockerels/roosters as well?

Your help and advice is greatly appreciated!

Hey there,
So, roosters. I LOST the chicken lotto big time from tractor supply! I ended up with FIVE roos and Four hens. No problems with any of the roos towards humans but man oh man are they rough on the girls. We are trying to re-home four of the roos but have a feeling they will end up being culled. I have buff orpingtons, RH white, and two Easter eggers. All are docile, sweet, love cuddles etc. BUT they need more hens! My poor girls are losing feathers & the back of their heads have been nipped in a hundred places. So I bought saddles for the girls, have more sexed hens coming, and still need to get rid of some roosters! IF anyone is interested...Northern NY here.
Hope this helps!

 

[ShanasCastle]

Hi All!

Well, I finally took to leap after reading up on just about all I can maintain in my head and ordered 18 chicks (all sexed females) of different breeds. Blue/Black/Splash Ameraucanas (3), Lavender Orpington (3), Barred Plymouth Rock (3), Buff Orpington (3), Silver Laced Wyandotte (3), and New Hampshire Red (3). They will arrive the week of March 25th.

This is my confusion...I know there is a chance that choosing sexed females is not a full guarantee and that I might end up with a cockerel, maybe two, and I won't know which breed and its temperament will potentially turn out being a cockerel. I chose only breeds that are known to be docile, except for maybe the Wyandotte. From my reading, "Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens" as well as on this forum, it is said, "at 3 to 8 weeks, depending upon the breed, peck-order fighting will get serious and sexual activity will start. If you haven't already done so, it's time to separate the cockerels from the pullets or at least to pare down the number of cockerels to a reasonable ratio for the number of pullets."

So, the potential ratio would be 1:17 assuming no deaths but I'm sure there will be or, 2:16 with the same potential deaths of One-Day Old chicks.

Here are my questions/concerns:

1) Why do I have to separate the cockerel at this time from the pullets if chickens are supposed to be flock animals?
2) I am kind of hoping I do get a cockerel because we have ~2 acres, with NO trees for protection, and have hawks, hawks, and hawks. I would like that "Alarm" system in place to protect the flock. But, is it naive of me to keep the cockerel when there is a possible chance he could create total mayhem to me and the flock?
3) I have done only research on hens and have no clue about roosters. If I do end up with a cockerel or two, should I just cull it (them) since this is my first rodeo?
4) Because I selected docile breeds (except for maybe the Wyandotte), does that docile nature known for the pullets/hens apply to the cockerels/roosters as well?

Your help and advice is greatly appreciated!

Hey there,
So, roosters. I LOST the chicken lotto big time from tractor supply! I ended up with FIVE roos and Four hens. No problems with any of the roos towards humans but man oh man are they rough on the girls. We are trying to re-home four of the roos but have a feeling they will end up being culled. I have buff orpingtons, RH white, and two Easter eggers. All are docile, sweet, love cuddles etc. BUT they need more hens! My poor girls are losing feathers & the back of their heads have been nipped in a hundred places. So I bought saddles for the girls, have more sexed hens coming, and still need to get rid of some roosters! IF anyone is interested...Northern NY here.
Hope this helps!

 

[ShanasCastle]

I agree and both my husband and I know that this "prefab" was only a brief situation (a year or two at the maximum) as we construct a proper coop simultaneously. I did mention we are newbies and I believe there will be many learning lessons along the way but our hearts are in the right place. We want to raise good girls with the right home...maybe I was premature in pulling the trigger...I don't know. I have reduced our order from My Pet Chickens from 18 to 10 but now feel a bit attacked on this forum for being stupid, ignorant, naive? I have bought two feeders and waterers for the coop and two feeders and waterers for the brooder. I have bought a thermometer for the brooder as well as the best pine shavings that are known to create no dust. I have purchased one of the highest rated brooder lamps, have packets ready to go of electrolytes and probiotics for their arrival and I have I spent over a year reading posts from this forum and books and only wanted to know what I should do if I got a cockerel or two from my order. I thought I was getting the best of both worlds with a coop and run that was integrated knowing we would have to make improvements to protect the girls. Now, I feel I am not ready AT ALL. Thank you for your input and will move forward because I am financially committed with both the coop, run, support supplies, and chicks on the way. I am going to do the best I can with what I have done. The only way the undo what I have done is to refuse my coop/run order, refuse all of the items I purchased to make sure the girls would have a great start, all with a fine, cancel my chick order by tomorrow with a fine, and wait another year of wanting to do this for my joy for another year. I have dreamed of this for more than a year, going on two, and now that my husband and I have the acreage to do this, I thought I had it figured out...now, I don't feel I have anything figured out.

Honey, I'm SORRY. I was treated the same when I came here...it's WHY I haven't been back on much. If you'd like, I will be your chicken partner in learning. I'm almost a year in, having listened to MANY other people and made mistakes, found what works for me and what doesn't and trusted my instincts! Don't worry about rude people who act like know it all's, judgemental, and just mean. That's NOT what this forum is for. Personally, I think any and ALL that chose to be that way, should be suspended. Seriously, we are here to help, learn, and connect with other chicken lovers!! Again...I'm sorry. I'm here for you Welcome to raising Chicks

 

[JurassicBawk]

In regards to the original post question about separating roosters, I bet that was for straight-run numbers, which usually are more around 50/50%, than sexed chickens with the occasional possible male. So one (or two) in your 10 will probably be manageable. (Side note- I did start out with 4 EEs from the local feed store as my first flock, and there's nothing wrong with getting pet quality birds from a feed store if there are no other easy options where you live. One of those 3 did turn out male though, so that 90% correct sexed claim didn't work for me. lol)

Like a few have said, the internet is full of people who either don't think, don't care, or don't comprehend how their words are taken when talking to newbies. I've experienced it on other forums with other hobbies, and being made to feel stupid when I've done my research makes me feel awful. But you just learn to ignore the unhelpful responses and look for the knowledgeable helpers. There are many helpers here.

My dad built my chicken house for my 4 chicks. It is raised off the ground and 4'x4', so 16 sq ft for 4 chickens, as per standards. That sits inside a 10x10 chainlink dog pen that has been fortified for protection. Then I later added 3 rescue bantam chickens, so I still have appropriate run space but my house is technically "too small." But honestly, they usually sleep on top of it anyway, and even when I put them inside for bad weather they all fit just fine for the night. I cannot free-range so they're always in that pen, but have plenty of room on the ground plus areas to go up/sideways and toys for entertainment.

I think by looking at the pics of the coop you linked that you may be able to make it work for the 10 chickens you have ordered. It looks to me like the house is 4'x4', based on the outer dimensions they give and my personal 4x4 house. Especially if you are planning on something bigger in the short future, I think 3 chickens will fit on each perch. (Check the size of those perches. Mine sit on 2x4s with the 4" side flat, so they have plenty of space to rest on. You might want to upgrade yours if they are 2" or less wide. Also, probably remove 2 of those nest box dividers, just leave the middle one to make 2 larger nest areas. You don't need 4, and those look small.) I'm not saying you'll have only 9 chickens, but I know that chicken math also includes subtraction, as something could happen to one or one may be a rooster you eventually rehome. I'd bet 10 could fit in there if they had to. It's not regulation size of course, but...

... what I'm actually going to recommend to make things work, (instead of trying to cram the chickens in there nightly,) is to make sure that the actual pen is secure then not lock them up at night and add branches/perches/roosts inside the pen itself. My whole coop is literally against my house under my 2 story deck for protection, so they are covered and secure, and unless it's wet AND freezing, I don't lock them up at night. They can get on top of their house and love to roost up there, as chickens will go to the highest point they can to sleep. They are protected from the elements, happy, and healthy, and do have the option of the house if they want it. They still go in to use the nest boxes and will play around in there, but would rather sleep outside, up top. Your pen being 13x13 gives you plenty of room to add roosting places for them that would be protected with that top canopy, and I think your chickens would be happy to have the choice to sleep outside or go inside the coop if they wanted. As long as predators can't get in, there's no reason they couldn't do either and you sleep sound at night. Especially if you are going to free range them on your property during the day then lock them in the coop at night, the whole coop (pen and house) then becomes their secure sleeping area. I know we all want to baby our pets, and I used to make sure they were tucked in every night for safe keeping... but I've found that mine are pretty self sufficient and are much happier sleeping where they want instead of me going out there and trying to catch/cram them into the house.

So don't stress. Get your chickens, get your coop, use the time while they're growing in their brooder to get the coop set up with some extra perches/roosts for them to play/sleep on. Spend this first year getting some first-hand chicken knowledge so that you know what you want/need when you expand the next year.