New From Iowa!

[Yorkshire Coop]

Welcome to BYC @Plushness

 

[sourland]

 

[Kenneth Zweerink]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens. And a Big Hello from Eastern Nebraska!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens. This is a great place to learn and explore.
Hardware cloth is new best friend.

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Blue Raptor]

(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I'm new to chicken keeping, I recently gotten my first 4 chickens last weekend.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
Currently, I have 4. Since I'm new, I hope to have all 4 by the time they've fully grown up.
(3) What breeds do you have?
Unfortunately, I don't remember. I was able to buy them at a local hardware store that sells farming related equipment, which also has chicks as well. I wasn't able to get information on the breed, since I was pretty hyper focused on finally having chickens since we missed last year.
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
I currently plan to raise them indoors, and yes, I know that is unconventional. Though this does easily solve problems of predators, can keep a better eye on them and other various reasons. I do understand this is not what people typically do, which I'm willing to go through solving some of the problems when having home chickens.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Playing video games, making art in various mediums, clothing making, cooking and baking.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
I don't have any other pets, which is another reason why I plan for my chickens to be indoors. My bf and I cannot afford to have a pet, thus the chickens are a good option as a pseudo-pet. We hope to benefit from the eggs they lay, as well as having chickens to socialize.

Currently, my occupation is to stay at home being a "housewife", I'm male btw. My bf and I have been together for about 4 years, we live what is considered to be a more traditional life style, I guess you can say. Nonetheless, our traditional life style might not be for a long time because, before I moved in, I have saved a lot of money of my own to use on perusing my own means of higher education and starting a business of my own.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
I have only recently found out about BYC, I want to know more about keeping chickens and have plenty of my questions answered. I want to make sure I get, ideally, zero deaths of my current 4 chickens with how I plan to keep them. Though I will only know the answerers to my questions if I utilize this website and discuss on the various questions and topics I may bring up. I look forward to making more forum posts in the near future! (´｡• ◡ •｡`)

(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I'm new to chicken keeping, I recently gotten my first 4 chickens last weekend.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
Currently, I have 4. Since I'm new, I hope to have all 4 by the time they've fully grown up.
(3) What breeds do you have?
Unfortunately, I don't remember. I was able to buy them at a local hardware store that sells farming related equipment, which also has chicks as well. I wasn't able to get information on the breed, since I was pretty hyper focused on finally having chickens since we missed last year.
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
I currently plan to raise them indoors, and yes, I know that is unconventional. Though this does easily solve problems of predators, can keep a better eye on them and other various reasons. I do understand this is not what people typically do, which I'm willing to go through solving some of the problems when having home chickens.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Playing video games, making art in various mediums, clothing making, cooking and baking.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
I don't have any other pets, which is another reason why I plan for my chickens to be indoors. My bf and I cannot afford to have a pet, thus the chickens are a good option as a pseudo-pet. We hope to benefit from the eggs they lay, as well as having chickens to socialize.

Currently, my occupation is to stay at home being a "housewife", I'm male btw. My bf and I have been together for about 4 years, we live what is considered to be a more traditional life style, I guess you can say. Nonetheless, our traditional life style might not be for a long time because, before I moved in, I have saved a lot of money of my own to use on perusing my own means of higher education and starting a business of my own.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
I have only recently found out about BYC, I want to know more about keeping chickens and have plenty of my questions answered. I want to make sure I get, ideally, zero deaths of my current 4 chickens with how I plan to keep them. Though I will only know the answerers to my questions if I utilize this website and discuss on the various questions and topics I may bring up. I look forward to making more forum posts in the near future! (´｡• ◡ •｡`)

Welcome to BYC!!

 

[swampfox440]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

I don't think it is so much hostility but trying to get people (especially those who have never owned chickens) to understand that these creatures belong outside.
They love to scratch around in the earth and search for bugs, grass, weeds, seeds, etc. to eat.
View attachment 3449038
They love to sun bathe.
View attachment 3449036View attachment 3449041
They love to run and flap their wings and fly up to perch on things.
View attachment 3449050
They love to dig holes in the ground and dust bathe and need to do so to keep their skin healthy.
View attachment 3449040
They are extremely dusty and each bird poops about 12 - 16 times a day.

Whenever you get any animal it is best to provide what that specific type of animal needs, not what you want.

Pretty birds.

 

[swampfox440]

Hi, welcome to BYC! pleased to meet you, thanks for joining us.

 

[DobieLover]

Overall, they will be in the space of humans, which is far more sanitary than the outdoors. However, they will still need to do what is natural to them to have fun, be happy and stay healthy.

There is nothing unsanitary about a chicken properly kept outdoors given enough space. What is natural to them is to be on the earth, in the sun and rain. These things cannot be provided inside a human dwelling. But good luck to you and to the birds.

 

[Boppo]

Glad to meet you, and welcome to BYC. Let us know how the indoor chicken thing works out. Is it just care about protecting them, or do you not own a yard or space for them outside? Either way, there certainly are people who keep chickens indoors.

Here are my favorite beginning articles that helped me as a newbie. All articles are short, have illustrations, and reviews, which are often worth looking at for the comments.

1. Intro to chicken keeping

2. Common mistakes & how to fix them

3. Ventilation (important to chicken health), with helpful links to coop designs organized by climate (because what is just right for my New England hens won't work for my brother's Arizona chickens)

3(a). Farmers Almanac on Building Coops (Includes size requirements!) Allowing plenty of space for chickens is really important because, even as chicks, they will start pecking each other or plucking their own feathers, or become unhealthy if they are overcrowded. Here is a link to Colorado State Extension's publication on space and temperature requirements for chicks as they age.

4. Predator protection for new & existing coops

5. Dealing with a muddy coop and run

6. Picking the Right Breed of Chicken

To look for articles on your own:

A. Use the SEARCH button, but use the Advanced Search choice, and select ARTICLES at the top of the box. Just enter your keyword(s) and scroll through your results!

B. I find it helpful to notice the rating and reviews. All articles are by BYC members, and all the reviews/ratings are as well. The ratings help a newbie like me sort the most useful and reliable articles.

C. You can bookmark the articles or posts you think you want to refer to again using that bookmark icon at the top of articles or posts. You can find them again by clicking on your own avatar and looking at the list of bookmarks you have built up!

Notes about where to put a coop:

1. As far as you can, put a coop and run on high ground, that drains well, so you won't have so much muddy coop problems. Chickens need to be dry, dry, dry.

2. As far as you can, put a coop with the ventilation lined up with your prevailing breezes, and away from the direction of your storms. If you are not sure of these (who is these days?), check with your local National Weather Service website.

3. As far as you can, arrange for some sort of shade over your coop and run. Preferably deciduous so the girls will enjoy winter sun, but summer shade.