New from Oregon with five chicks!

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FlowerFarmer

FlowerFarmer

In the Brooder
8 Years
Mar 10, 2011
66
1
39
Thank you for ANY advice on raising five chickens in a smaller backyard. They'll have a coop with run, and will also be able to range the yard (and flower beds) in the evenings while we're out. With a smaller sized yard I'm most concerned with flying over the fence, their smell (and I'll be good about cleaning out the coop, but still..), and how much noise they make, as they'll be cooped about 30 feet from outside my bedroom.
I've been busy raising our 13 month old daughter (who loves the chicks), and teaching our German Shepherd/Lab dog (who is very well behaved) to peacfully coexist with the chicks... perferably ignoring them.. but I think that's out of the question.
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I'm already enthralled with these sixteen day old chickens! I've even drempt about them at night... haha.

We have:
1 buff orpington
1 new hampshire red
1 blue laced red wyandotte
1 silver laced wyandotte
1 barred plymouth rock
 
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from Virginia!

The Raising Chickens for Dummies book has helped me a lot in learning about chickens.
It's a good book for those of us who are new to the chick world, and you can get it for half price at Amazon.
Here's their link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/04...mp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470465441

I also bought the Building Chicken Coops For Dummies book that I'm using now to build our coop. I'm not a carpenter or handyman, so this seems to be what I need for now.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/04...mp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470598964

Good luck with your chickens! and ENJOY!!!!!

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Welcome!!!!

We have our coop probably less than 30 ft from my parents bedroom window, they prefer it that way. They said they love listening to them after they lay an egg and like being able to hear any predators at night. Once they heard some raccoons and my dad ran outside so fast he forgot to put a robe or shoes on...
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luckily Im on the other side of the house... But the racoons weren't even after the chickens just the grapes. Anyways they can get pretty loud but mine have never been too bad. I have 4, A buff orp, a golden laced wyandotte, easter egger, and a polish. I also have a mini schnauzer who at first we thought she wanted to attack the chickens and so we kept them at safe distances from each other, well we were wrong and all she wants to do is sniff their butts and eat what comes out.
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As for the smell it hasn't gotten too bad. It was starting to get pretty stinky recently with all the rain but we went out on a dryer day and scrapped out the top layer of... dirt/manure mix and covered it with an all purpose sand. Looks and smells amazing!
One warning I'd give is to make sure that your run and coop are secure enough that raccoons cannot get in. We had one once dig under and pull one out, it's not a pretty picture.
 

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