Hey Guys and Gals,
New here, from N. Fl. and a new chicken owner/father. OK, heres my story (because I cant believe I own chickens LOL)... First I am not the typical person you would picture as someone that would own chickens. I grew up and lived most of my life in a big city. (Orlando) I am tattoed and covered with piercings. But I did have a short stint in the country when I was like 12 and 13 where my chores included feeding pigs, chickens and rabbits. I HATED it. Mostly because I was scared to death of the pigs. But kinda liked the chickens, I thought they were the funniest things to watch. But anyways, I am now 35 and have my own kids and now live in the country in N. FL. (actually I am in the suburbs of the country) But 8 or 9 weeks ago I was passing by the local feed store and saw there sign that "Chicks were in". I stopped more outta curiousity than anything else. When I was looking at all the chicks I thought to myself "Why not?". I came home with a wattering bowl/system, a 3 lb. feeder, some chicken wire, a brood lamp, 25 lbs of medicated chick starter feed and 4 chicks.(a Black Sex Link, a Golden Comet, a White Leghorn and e Rhode Island Red rooster). My wife thought I was NUTS!! Never the less I got busy building a brooding pen in my garage. In the mean time my wife and daughters are severely bonding with the new chicks. For the next couple of days the new comers didn't actually spend much time in the pen, they were being spoiled at the hands of three beautiful ladies. (poor guys LOL) So anyways, a couple of days later I was passing by a different feed store, and as you may guess, I decided to stop again. This time I came home with 2 Barred Rocks, a hen and a rooster. My wife was begining to think I had gone Bonkers. But she fell in love with them too. That weekend Me and a buddy of mine built a coop. Just a basic rabbit style cage, just alot bigger, like 5'x8'. So we moved the chicks in when they were 4-5 weeks. 2 weeks later again I stopped to get a bigger feeder, and you guessed it! This time I came home with 2 Buff Cochins. I came home a rebuilt the brooding pen, since I had dismantled the first one. They are currently still in the pen. Yesterday I had to stop to get more feed. This time it was 3 Silky Bantams. LOL! I know, But these really are the last. I am going to enclose the coop I have now to look like our house and build a run. Also I am gonna put up a privacy fence. As you can see this has spurred many new projects and I am enjoying the hell out of it! Now I am addicted. I check on them every morning before work, and they are always there waiting on me, the same afterwork. I buy them meal worm or crickets every couple of days, as the little country store by my house is also a bait and tackle store. I love sitting with them and unwinding. Their so darn funny to watch. When I feed them I have 3 that always jump up on my shoulder...Kracker, Blanche and Red. Their such a trip! Its like they are supervising to make sure I am doin it right. So anyways I am new to this and was looking online for bigger coop ideas and to make sure I am doing this right when I came across this forum. I am sure I will have many questions and any help or suggestions will be much appreciated.
Thanks, Mark.
New here, from N. Fl. and a new chicken owner/father. OK, heres my story (because I cant believe I own chickens LOL)... First I am not the typical person you would picture as someone that would own chickens. I grew up and lived most of my life in a big city. (Orlando) I am tattoed and covered with piercings. But I did have a short stint in the country when I was like 12 and 13 where my chores included feeding pigs, chickens and rabbits. I HATED it. Mostly because I was scared to death of the pigs. But kinda liked the chickens, I thought they were the funniest things to watch. But anyways, I am now 35 and have my own kids and now live in the country in N. FL. (actually I am in the suburbs of the country) But 8 or 9 weeks ago I was passing by the local feed store and saw there sign that "Chicks were in". I stopped more outta curiousity than anything else. When I was looking at all the chicks I thought to myself "Why not?". I came home with a wattering bowl/system, a 3 lb. feeder, some chicken wire, a brood lamp, 25 lbs of medicated chick starter feed and 4 chicks.(a Black Sex Link, a Golden Comet, a White Leghorn and e Rhode Island Red rooster). My wife thought I was NUTS!! Never the less I got busy building a brooding pen in my garage. In the mean time my wife and daughters are severely bonding with the new chicks. For the next couple of days the new comers didn't actually spend much time in the pen, they were being spoiled at the hands of three beautiful ladies. (poor guys LOL) So anyways, a couple of days later I was passing by a different feed store, and as you may guess, I decided to stop again. This time I came home with 2 Barred Rocks, a hen and a rooster. My wife was begining to think I had gone Bonkers. But she fell in love with them too. That weekend Me and a buddy of mine built a coop. Just a basic rabbit style cage, just alot bigger, like 5'x8'. So we moved the chicks in when they were 4-5 weeks. 2 weeks later again I stopped to get a bigger feeder, and you guessed it! This time I came home with 2 Buff Cochins. I came home a rebuilt the brooding pen, since I had dismantled the first one. They are currently still in the pen. Yesterday I had to stop to get more feed. This time it was 3 Silky Bantams. LOL! I know, But these really are the last. I am going to enclose the coop I have now to look like our house and build a run. Also I am gonna put up a privacy fence. As you can see this has spurred many new projects and I am enjoying the hell out of it! Now I am addicted. I check on them every morning before work, and they are always there waiting on me, the same afterwork. I buy them meal worm or crickets every couple of days, as the little country store by my house is also a bait and tackle store. I love sitting with them and unwinding. Their so darn funny to watch. When I feed them I have 3 that always jump up on my shoulder...Kracker, Blanche and Red. Their such a trip! Its like they are supervising to make sure I am doin it right. So anyways I am new to this and was looking online for bigger coop ideas and to make sure I am doing this right when I came across this forum. I am sure I will have many questions and any help or suggestions will be much appreciated.
Thanks, Mark.
