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N F C said:
:welcome

Try to get your coop built before you get chicks...those little things grow incredibly fast and you don't want to have to scramble at the last minute :)

It's nice to have you here!
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Aw Debby, you KNOW that is the opposite of the proper way to get chickens! What fun is it if you don't have them in the house WAY longer than you expected while you get that coop built that "won't take too long"? ;)

Welcome @tsparling and "happy" Native American Heritage Month. Do you do anything in relation to that?

I learned a lot about chickens here when I got my first dozen in 2012 (and yet didn't know the suggestion Debby gave you). If you've not found it yet, check out the Mama Heating Pad thread. Much closer to a real hen raising chicks than the heat lamp method. And if you've run across the "Chicks require 95°F ambient for a week, drop by 5° for 3 more weeks" 'fact' (impossible not to), ignore it because it isn't true. No hen can modify the ambient temp. What IS important is that they have a warm place to go when they start to get cold. They will run around in 50°F temps as day olds and go back under Mama as needed. They also SLEEP at night without the light from a 24 hour heat lamp.
 
bruceha2000 said:
Aw Debby, you KNOW that is the opposite of the proper way to get chickens! What fun is it if you don't have them in the house WAY longer than you expected while you get that coop built that "won't take too long"? ;)
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I learned by doing it the opposite way...chicks first, then coop. Oy, what a mess :lau
 
Welcome. What some don't emphasize is the importance of planning an additional housing option over and above the primary coop. It could be an additional coop on the other side of the property, a basement or garage.
There can be illnesses, injuries, new birds, chicks, broodies and several other reasons to have a safe place to house chickens away from your primary flock.
Once birds are sick or injured, it is too late to find them another place to sleep.
It is more work but other than healthy chickens, one of my best assets is having multiple housing options.
 
ChickenCanoe said:
Welcome. What some don't emphasize is the importance of planning an additional housing option over and above the primary coop. It could be an additional coop on the other side of the property, a basement or garage.
There can be illnesses, injuries, new birds, chicks, broodies and several other reasons to have a safe place to house chickens away from your primary flock.
Once birds are sick or injured, it is too late to find them another place to sleep.
It is more work but other than healthy chickens, one of my best assets is having multiple housing options.
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That's good advice!!!
 
Hello and welcome to BYC!
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We're so glad to have you here with us!
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Thank you for joining our wonderful community of fellow poultry enthusiasts!
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tsparling said:
Hello folks,
I am new to chickens and no exposure to raising chickens while I was growing up. I have a feeling that I wish that I had done this years ago. I don't have any chickens yet, but that is the plan. Raising chickens has been gaining momentum here in Western Washington. We are noticing chickens everywhere! As I started my research, I was continually redirected to this site so we figured, why not join? I'm looking forward to learning about raising chickens and building the coop & run.
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You are doing what I did. Reading everything I could prior to buying the chickens. I even started picking up the chicken magazine at the farm goods store. I figured since the house came with a coop, why not give it a shot. After reading encouraging posts from here, I jumped in. 1 yr in and I now have 16 chickens and a rooster. I have rebuilt their run, added 2nd coop, secured it with mesh blanket around both in their perimeters, added newer securing closures, water heaters, meds to have on hand, food, wood shavings, granite and oyster shell, treats, hanging water and food buckets, tools, vinegar, and so many other things. People on here are great and I hope you do well on this venture. You will definitely learn as you go. What kind of birds are you interested in?
 
I wish I had gone about it the way you are: research & coop first, then chickens. I acquired my chicken before the coop! He had to sleep in a doggie crate until we got it done. It was a lot of work and scrambling around before the cold weather set in, but what a joy chickens are to own!
 

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