new from Miami FL! Lots of questions :)

[Alyssa]

well my whole family has decided that our backyard is pretty much going to waste and that we would love to have some chickens

ive dont alot of reading and it seems great i just have a couple of questions

do all the chicks i order have to be the same breed? or can i mix it up?

im looking for a chicken thats cute, lays lots of eggs, is friendly. and one that isnt that loud and one that can deal with the miami heat. and ones that are larger so they wouldnt be bothered by my cats. so please help me with choosing a breed or breeds

is mypetchicken.com ok to get chicks?
i want all hens because i live in a neighborhood that would appreciate all that noise from a rooster

do i use cedar, pine, or paper towels on the bottom of the lil baby chick box? i know i need a light, feeder, waterer, thermometer, box, and chick food.

i plan on having a small # of chickens maybe about 3 or 4, and i will have them in a space in my backyard, but which kind or fence should i use, is a tall dog exercise pen ok to keep them in and give them space to walk around? if not, what kind of fence/wire should i use to give them some place to run around. i would give them free run of the backyard but we have a pool and a patio and i guess they would fall in the pool or poop all over the patio area or do you think they would avoid that area?

 

[banter]

Go to the index on this site and read it all-most of your questions are answered there! This is a very helpful site. Also feathersite.com is great for researching breeds. Can't help you with that because I need chickens that can survive at minus 0!

 

[Heather J]

I can't help with the breed questions, because I'm also in a very cold area during the winter.

Never use cedar shavings for your chicken bedding, they will make your birds very sick because of the fumes they give off. The first couple of days use paper towels over pine shaving, then you can remove the paper towels. This prevents spraddle leg which they are really susceptible to at first.

I've never used mypetchicken, but I've heard both good and bad about them. The fact is, no company can be on the ball all the time, and when they send out so many orders, someone is bound to have things messed up. If you only want 3 or 4 and you can't buy them locally, they are pretty much the only people you can order from, everyone else wants you to order a larger amount than that. I believe you can specify a couple of different breeds, even in a small order, but you'll have to check on that.

On the fence issue: If you line your dog run with hardware cloth on the bottom couple of feet so the holes are small and raccoons can't reach through, it will be fine. If you have a raccoon problem in yor area, or if there are dogs that might try digging under, you will probably want to try burying some fence a few inches below the ground to discourage them. Also, you'll probably want to cover the top of the run with either fencing or netting to discourage flying predators. It'll also keep them from flying out when they get bigger--and some do fly over six-foot fences.

Good luck!

 

[herechickchick]

You can order an assortment of breeds from any hatchery.

I think Barred Rocks would do very well for you they are nice birds with an excellent reputation of being a good layer. Check out Hendersons chart for breed info.

I would work with a hatchery that is close to you, check out Ideal but My pet chicken has a good reputation here so they would be fine as well.

Use paper towel for the floor of your brooder for the first few days and then switch them over to pine shavings, avoid cedar shavings as they could lead to respiratory problems.

They will poop on the patio. Hens are most happy to free range, perhaps think of putting in a 3 or 4 foot decorative fence around the patio so they can just have access to the yard. They could fall into the pool and drown so you do want to be careful of that.

Good luck

Edited to add Welcome to BYC

 

[Alyssa]

i decided on my breeds:
1 easter egger (my sister says she just HAS to have one)
1 barred plymouth rock
1 red star
1 silver laced wyandott

do you think those are ok? and will get along?

 

[hatchcrazzzy]

they will get along as long as you get them together

 

[Alyssa]

do u think the cats will try anything once they are full grown?
i dont have any other predators around
just mosquitoes and cats

 

[banter]

My experience is if you do not expose them to cats unsupervised until they are grown, they will very likely beat up the cats! The cats will leave them alone!

 

[chicken_angler]

DO NOT put cedar down or pine for the first 1 or 2 weeks. They will eat it . Also do not put cedar at all cause it will kill chickens or make them really sick!

 

[gritsar]

Hi Alyssa & welcome to BYC. I have a grand-niece in Miami by the same name, too funny!

Everyone has given you good advice, so I'll just add a welcome. Also, one piece of advice. Unless Miami has changed drastically since when I was a kid (yes I know it has in alot of ways), you do have predators other than mosquitos and cats. There are possums and some raccoons too, they just keep out of sight. Follow the advice given here and you should do fine. Good luck!