This all started back in the spring when I began tossing around the idea of getting a couple chickens. Yes. A couple! As in 2 or so... Began doing some chicken research and looking around my property for the perfect coop location. Picked out a couple potential coop spots and decided with all the work involved in building a coop and run that the chicken thing wouldn't happen until next spring. Then, on one of my wanderings to find the perfect coop location, I realized that my grandpa's garage (that sits practically in my back yard) has an old chicken coop built onto the back of it! Jackpot!! Went and asked him if it would be ok if I fixed it up and used it in exchange for him getting eggs and he was A-ok with it. Yay!
I promptly got online and got my chicks ordered. I already had the breeds picked out that I wanted (and by this time I had gone from 2 chickens to 6) ordered 5 Buff Orpingtons, 5 Easter Eggers and 5 Rhode Island Reds. 15 total, silly minimum orders.. We got right to work building a brooder box, fixing up the coop and building a run. Coop and run ended up being WAY more work then I thought it would be. Doesn't help that (according to my brother) I apparently built the Chicken Taj Mahal (I will be naming the coop this)
A week before my chicks were due to arrive I started thinking about ducks. Did some research and found that if they are raised with the chickens and are not males everyone seems to get along fine. Well darn-it! My chicks were already ordered and on the way! Too late to get ducks to raise along with them now!! I decided to search Craigslist without much hope of finding anything (I live in Alaska and this was the beginning of August) I found a guy who had ordered 10 ducks but only wanted 2 (darn minimums) and they would be arriving 2 days before my chicks were getting here. I texted him and he said he had one female Pekin and one female Chocolate Runner left. I had been planning on only getting one duck but a duck needs a duck friend right? So, reserved them both.
Just in the last few weeks I've managed to finish the coop and run and get everyone moved out there. They seem to be enjoying it and no issues so far. They sure are easier to take care of once they are out of the house!!
Oh by the way. Once the chicks arrived I had too much trouble picking out just 6 to keep. So I kept 10! Haha! I thought people on here were nuts when they said chickens were addicting!!!
Puddles and Splash
Chicks are here!
Ducks weren't playing nice so I had to build a wall. Everyone got supervised together yard time until they were all getting along
Now they are friends
Bath time!
Hmm. Time to upgrade to a bigger waterer
This one is so sweet and likes to sit in my hand. I will name her Omelette.
Treat time!
Trying to catch "some" of the water the ducks like to slosh
Time to start using the lid
Getting crowded
The coop (before)
All clean
Framing in the walls and nest boxes
Starting the run
Still working on the run but they've outgrown the brooder box
First time having access to the outside. They aren't sure what to do
"Hey there's bugs out here!!"
Omelette
They grow up so fast!
I promptly got online and got my chicks ordered. I already had the breeds picked out that I wanted (and by this time I had gone from 2 chickens to 6) ordered 5 Buff Orpingtons, 5 Easter Eggers and 5 Rhode Island Reds. 15 total, silly minimum orders.. We got right to work building a brooder box, fixing up the coop and building a run. Coop and run ended up being WAY more work then I thought it would be. Doesn't help that (according to my brother) I apparently built the Chicken Taj Mahal (I will be naming the coop this)
A week before my chicks were due to arrive I started thinking about ducks. Did some research and found that if they are raised with the chickens and are not males everyone seems to get along fine. Well darn-it! My chicks were already ordered and on the way! Too late to get ducks to raise along with them now!! I decided to search Craigslist without much hope of finding anything (I live in Alaska and this was the beginning of August) I found a guy who had ordered 10 ducks but only wanted 2 (darn minimums) and they would be arriving 2 days before my chicks were getting here. I texted him and he said he had one female Pekin and one female Chocolate Runner left. I had been planning on only getting one duck but a duck needs a duck friend right? So, reserved them both.
Just in the last few weeks I've managed to finish the coop and run and get everyone moved out there. They seem to be enjoying it and no issues so far. They sure are easier to take care of once they are out of the house!!
Oh by the way. Once the chicks arrived I had too much trouble picking out just 6 to keep. So I kept 10! Haha! I thought people on here were nuts when they said chickens were addicting!!!
Puddles and Splash
Chicks are here!
Ducks weren't playing nice so I had to build a wall. Everyone got supervised together yard time until they were all getting along
Now they are friends
Bath time!
Hmm. Time to upgrade to a bigger waterer
This one is so sweet and likes to sit in my hand. I will name her Omelette.
Treat time!
Trying to catch "some" of the water the ducks like to slosh
Time to start using the lid
Getting crowded
The coop (before)
All clean
Framing in the walls and nest boxes
Starting the run
Still working on the run but they've outgrown the brooder box
First time having access to the outside. They aren't sure what to do
"Hey there's bugs out here!!"
Omelette
They grow up so fast!
