New member saying hello!!!

Hello all! Ryan D here I'm a chicken newbie. I'm a 47 y/o veteran of the Marines and Air Force reserves. Avid guitar player gardener and mtb biker. Also have a Boxer obsession. I have 4 dogs.
I can be viewed on Instagram by searching marinetoflyboyboxers

I've been wanting backyard flock for a few years now. And I've used this site heavily in my preparations and research. I've picked up a wealth of knowledge and am very grateful for all who share experience with the masses. My coop search lead me down many bumpy roads. I was considering building my own but after a 2 year search I finally found one that fit ALL my requirements. Wanted it structurally sound secure and aesthetically pleasing. I don't live in the woods & I fact I'm on a corner lot in the suburbs. So it would get a lot of views from everyone.

I thought I couldn't afford the ones I wanted but came across a 1 year old Amish 6x10 Quaker combo with full secure attached run with all the bells & whistles & power on CL for $800. This thing cost the seller about $3500 with all the accessories and delivery. The woman said her husband had passed away and was the (flock caretaker) she gave away the birds she had and I got lucky. It matched my Klotter Farms shed perfectly. Even the keys to the coop lock my shed. It was destined to be.

So it was not easy to find help getting it from her yard to mine & companies that specialized it shed moving wanted a fortune to move it. Found a guy online who tows cars locally cheap and I figured with his flatbed and winch we could get it done. Success for $200

I prepped the site with patio blocks I got free and made sure it was nice and level
As the last I got it from had it sitting in the dirt. I wasn't about to have the coop rot in a few years.

The Birds. So the woman sold me on mypetchickens.com and said she had a very positive experience with them. So I ordered (10) day olds. 1 of each I figured would be lovely friendly and good in my climate. RIR, Buckeye, Buff Orp, Plymouth BR, Austrolorp, SL Wyandotte, GL Wyandotte, Buff Brahma, EE & a Welsumer. Unfortunately the Welsumer didn't make it and died in transit. But a lady I became friends with a mile up the road who has over 60 birds and shows some, gave me 2 babies that hatched out the day I got mine delivered. They are Speckled Susssex (a breed I wanted) THEY BETTER NOT BE ROO's or I'll send them back to her LOL

Brooded them for 1st week in a Rubbermaid tote in my 1st floor bathroom in the tub with heat lamp. After a week I put them out in the coop with lamp and have weened them off the lamp at 2 weeks as its been a hot August in New England. They are thriving and enjoying being chickens in the run as I couldn't imagine leaving them in a small brooder for 6-8 weeks. Now they are able to fly run play and forage in the safe confines of the run. Totally acclimated to loud noises like cars my dogs and people coming by. I spend several hours a day in a folding chair in the run with them. The Buff Orp is my lap chicken. I will do sand in the run and shavings in the house. As of now they are free to eat the grass bugs and what ever they can find. I'm still having to put them to bed the last 3 evenings (the hard way) but hoping they catch on soon.

I'm so looking forward to learning and sharing on this site. Thanks for reading my long winded intro and see you all on here!

Ryan