Hi, I'm a chicken newbie wannabe. I've been begging for chickens for Christmas for 6 long years. I've finally been informed that Santa will be bringing me a coop and chickens. I need any and all help I can get from anyone. My fiance is planning on building the coop with a concrete bottom and footer. I understand only a few basics 4' per bird inside run and a little less in the coop. I want about 8 chickens. Should i start with fewer? I live in extreme south Alabama. Temps are sometimes in 20's in winter (not too often) and very often in 90's in summer. He is planning on placing the pen next to the existing barn so we will be able to run electricity if necessary. He is also planning on roofing the coop and 1/2 of the run for shade.I only have one very large Oak tree on the property and a medium size popcorn tree. If the pen should be under a tree please let me know??? Questions are: shouldn't the run be dirt? location, location?? Building materials (we have predators around: coyotes, hawks ect.) ? All equipment i will possibly need? chicks or hatch my own? types of feed, scratch etc? Any and all help will be greatly appreciated. I would especially like to hear from anyone that lives in the deep south about their experiences and any problems they have encountered here with our varying temps and predators. i so want this to be a pleasant and super fun experience. Sincerely, lealea
Welcome to BYC. Here's a link that should answer all your questions: https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you Hi Glad you joined the flock. Sounds like Santa will be bringing you great presents this year!! Check out the above link for your state thread people there should be able to help you with weather questions and what they find best for your climate. You never know you may have other chicken fanatics close to you. Enjoy BYC and have a great Christmas
Hello there and welcome to BYC! Congrats on being able to now get some chickens! Definitely stop by our learning center. Lots of great articles on getting started and raising your new birds. You might start in the early spring with some chicks from your feed store. This is the easiest way to get them. If you pick from a "straight run" bin, you will no doubt get some roosters. So if you can, pick from "pullet" bins. All hens. Start them on chick starter and keep them on this until they are ready to lay. There are good articles in our learning center on setting up the brooder and raising your new babies...https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...ks-the-first-60-days-of-raising-baby-chickens You can start with started birds if you prefer. Do some chatting in your state thread and maybe one of your nearby chicken neighbors has some birds for you. Get the right amount of birds to fit your coop...4 to 5 square foot per bird in the coop, 10 square foot per bird in the run. Don't be tempted to cram them in. They will fight and you will have all kinds of aggression issue. You can bed them down in pine wood shavings, (never use cedar shavings, toxic on the lungs of birds) grass hay or even sand. I use sand and love it! Any other questions you have should be answered in our learning center. If not, feel free to ask questions along the way. Enjoy this new journey you are on and welcome to our flock!
Welcome to BYC! If you aren't sure which breed(s) to get, here are some links with chicken selectors that may help: https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/chick_selector.html http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/which-breed-is-right-for-me.aspx You're going to have a wonderful Christmas! Nice to have you join us.
This site is an awesome reference site - it tells you everything from management to illness and how to use the meds etc. - and it isn't just about chickens it covers lots of animals - my vet recommended this, they use it in colleges ! http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/index.html Have fun ! !