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

[analyticalblonde]

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.

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.

Thank you aart! You are kind and I still take your words you wrote earlier to heart.

 

[analyticalblonde]

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

Hi ShanasCastle!

Just about all of the responses I have received with this thread have been sweet, genuine, knowledgable, understanding...it really only began to occur when I mentioned and posted, the integrated coop/run and the link to it...like aart said earlier, more than likely the members were upset/angered/mad at the TSC coop and not necessarily at me and my beginners mind. Still, it did hurt and I am so grateful for your kind words...there are a lot of really good people on this forum and I am happy that I have made friends, including you!

Thank you, again and I hope you are able to rehome your roos. I have read that too many roos can tear up the girls and it sounds like you are doing your very best at trying to get a handle on the situation. For some reason, the potential of getting a roo or two has me in a state but then again, so many members have chimed in and said that the roo(s) they have are pretty gentle considering that most roos have been painted as and are typically aggressive. I will just keep in mind that not all roos are created equal and I could get lucky as others have.

 

[Sungrove Farmstead]

I love having a rooster - we have a Big black Wyandotte rooster, who tries to terrorize my children, but isn't actually aggressive (I think he sees them similar to the dogs and they are always picking up his girls and he is not amused...basically he jumps at your feet but is never in "attack" mode, they know and don't mess with him) and he is the BEST rooster to the hens! He is always on watch, mounts on the girls but is SO nice to them, and he is super easy to handle, catch, etc -- I love having a good rooster, I definitely feel like the hens are safer

I don't see any reason to seperate them? The chicks we have had that turned into roosters just got raised with the flock, i didn't really notice either were roosters until they started trying to crow

 

[analyticalblonde]

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.

Hi JurassicBawk!

My husband and I are going to do exactly what you said...we are going to super fortify the run! We intend on trenching 1"x1" welded wire mesh down about 18" and then out with about 1 ft of mesh going up the sides of the perimeter. Also, we are going to close up all the gaps that I know will exist around the gate and coop. Another idea that I didn't think about was another member suggested to shore up the canopy in that smart predators can climb the metal walls and gain access at the top. Letting the girls chose to go in and out is a wonderful idea! I really like that idea!!! Even more important is the protection you talked about. And the toys, extra roosts for them to swing on, etc. I want to spoil them...my husband has made mini-swings/roosts for the babies using 2"x2" (really it is 1 3/4"x1 3/4" because there really isn't true 2x2 at the home improvement stores) which will get them used to the larger swings/roosts when we move them out to the run. Then the swings/roosts will be larger inside of the run because the girls will be bigger by then.

I have a question though...if the coop is truly 4x4, could I put an extra coop inside the run for more coop space if needed by the girls or would they always want to be together?

Thank you for your suggestions and your kind words...I greatly appreciate it!

 

[analyticalblonde]

I love having a rooster - we have a Big black Wyandotte rooster, who tries to terrorize my children, but isn't actually aggressive (I think he sees them similar to the dogs and they are always picking up his girls and he is not amused...basically he jumps at your feet but is never in "attack" mode, they know and don't mess with him) and he is the BEST rooster to the hens! He is always on watch, mounts on the girls but is SO nice to them, and he is super easy to handle, catch, etc -- I love having a good rooster, I definitely feel like the hens are safer

I don't see any reason to seperate them? The chicks we have had that turned into roosters just got raised with the flock, i didn't really notice either were roosters until they started trying to crow

Hi Sungrove Farmstead!

Should I end up with a roo, I hope I am lucky like you! With this my first time at raising chickens, it sure would be nice to have a loving rooster like yours! I am nervous about it but kindof want one for the protection factor...we have coyotes, hawks, skunks, really large crows and other carrion-eating birds, barnyard cats from the neighbors, and neighbors who don't keep their dogs from roaming all over the place, voles whose tunnels they dig can be used by other predators, and probably racoons but I haven't seen any and they probably are out there.

 

[Chickassan]

Yes, you could put an extra coop in the run. There will actually be some times where that will come in handy in alot of ways besides extra sleeping room.

Hi JurassicBawk!

My husband and I are going to do exactly what you said...we are going to super fortify the run! We intend on trenching 1"x1" welded wire mesh down about 18" and then out with about 1 ft of mesh going up the sides of the perimeter. Also, we are going to close up all the gaps that I know will exist around the gate and coop. Another idea that I didn't think about was another member suggested to shore up the canopy in that smart predators can climb the metal walls and gain access at the top. Letting the girls chose to go in and out is a wonderful idea! I really like that idea!!! Even more important is the protection you talked about. And the toys, extra roosts for them to swing on, etc. I want to spoil them...my husband has made mini-swings/roosts for the babies using 2"x2" (really it is 1 3/4"x1 3/4" because there really isn't true 2x2 at the home improvement stores) which will get them used to the larger swings/roosts when we move them out to the run. Then the swings/roosts will be larger inside of the run because the girls will be bigger by then.

I have a question though...if the coop is truly 4x4, could I put an extra coop inside the run for more coop space if needed by the girls or would they always want to be together?

Thank you for your suggestions and your kind words...I greatly appreciate it!

 

[JurassicBawk]

I'd think you could put another coop inside the run if need be, especially if it was raised and didn't take up more floor space... but I'd wait and see how things go first. My big 4 sleep on top of the house, but not necessarily together. Two of my bantams sleep on a roost I built in an opposite corner, the other bantam sleeps by herself either on the porch of the house or on their swing. They're all close enough inside the coop that they don't feel the need to bunch up.
This is what my house looks like. (This is mid construction, but the only pic I have available right now. Of course we roofed it and put a hinged roof on the nest box.) Something like this added in would work... if they did need more indoor room.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

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.

You'll be fine. Chickens doesn't require too much special care, really...... unless they get sick, in which case you can just come back on this site and get some help.

 

[analyticalblonde]

I'd think you could put another coop inside the run if need be, especially if it was raised and didn't take up more floor space... but I'd wait and see how things go first. My big 4 sleep on top of the house, but not necessarily together. Two of my bantams sleep on a roost I built in an opposite corner, the other bantam sleeps by herself either on the porch of the house or on their swing. They're all close enough inside the coop that they don't feel the need to bunch up.
This is what my house looks like. (This is mid construction, but the only pic I have available right now. Of course we roofed it and put a hinged roof on the nest box.) Something like this added in would work... if they did need more indoor room.

WOW...that is neat! I love the window, nesting boxes, ventilation, and access door. It looks easy enough for my husband to make...I will wait to see how the flock behaves to see if the extra covered room is needed. Thank you!

 

[analyticalblonde]

Yes, you could put an extra coop in the run. There will actually be some times where that will come in handy in alot of ways besides extra sleeping room.

Oh...that's right...I recall reading sometimes there is a need to separate from the flock if the bird is needing hospice or isolation. So much to remember/think about! Thank you so much!