- Apr 6, 2015
- 188
- 13
- 166
So I thought I should sign up here and introduce myself. This site has been such a great resource already! My husband and I after years of tossing the idea around of having chickens and being more self sufficient decided to just dive in and do it!
We got 4 chicks 3 weeks ago, I then NEEDED to have a chicken that laid colored eggs so got a 5th, oh my gosh are they growing fast! Well I got the chicks before the coop knowing they could stay in the brooder for a bit and I am not sure we would have gotten the coop started with out the chicks! It's going to be a race to get the coop done by the time they are ready for it.
I wanted semi to good egg layers and also wanted a mixed flock. We got 1 Silver Lace Wyandotte, 1 Barred Plymouth Rock, 1 Black Sex Link and a Brown Leghorn, an Ameraucana or Easter Egger (They told me both names so I thinks she's really and Easter Egger, I think a had read that the true Ameraucanas are more rare) I just hope that they are all Hens, not sure how to tell until they are much older.
They have so many more feathers now!
Mostly Newer photos: Cant seem to get a pic with all of them in 1 shot.
I did a lot of reading on this site about coops, man are there a lot of ideas and different ways to do it. I will have to post the plans or the process. We ended up going with a 4x8' floor plan since almost everyone seemed to say if they had done something different they would have made the coop larger then they thought they might need. I am trying to make the coop as easy to clean as possible and happened to have some vinyl floor in my shop so we covered the floor with that should help make it very easy to clean out. also planning on making it so I can add water and food from outside the coop, and will have it so one of the short ends opens fully for clean out. Got 2 of the 4 walls built as well. The run will be 8'x12', I think i'll be able to have 8 chickens in their easily but for now I will stick with 5 and they can enjoy their space.
Well so far thats where we are with the new adventure. I think its going to be a lot of fun and I sure appreciate all the great information and knowledge I have found on this site and in these forms.
We got 4 chicks 3 weeks ago, I then NEEDED to have a chicken that laid colored eggs so got a 5th, oh my gosh are they growing fast! Well I got the chicks before the coop knowing they could stay in the brooder for a bit and I am not sure we would have gotten the coop started with out the chicks! It's going to be a race to get the coop done by the time they are ready for it.
I wanted semi to good egg layers and also wanted a mixed flock. We got 1 Silver Lace Wyandotte, 1 Barred Plymouth Rock, 1 Black Sex Link and a Brown Leghorn, an Ameraucana or Easter Egger (They told me both names so I thinks she's really and Easter Egger, I think a had read that the true Ameraucanas are more rare) I just hope that they are all Hens, not sure how to tell until they are much older.
They have so many more feathers now!
Mostly Newer photos: Cant seem to get a pic with all of them in 1 shot.
I did a lot of reading on this site about coops, man are there a lot of ideas and different ways to do it. I will have to post the plans or the process. We ended up going with a 4x8' floor plan since almost everyone seemed to say if they had done something different they would have made the coop larger then they thought they might need. I am trying to make the coop as easy to clean as possible and happened to have some vinyl floor in my shop so we covered the floor with that should help make it very easy to clean out. also planning on making it so I can add water and food from outside the coop, and will have it so one of the short ends opens fully for clean out. Got 2 of the 4 walls built as well. The run will be 8'x12', I think i'll be able to have 8 chickens in their easily but for now I will stick with 5 and they can enjoy their space.
Well so far thats where we are with the new adventure. I think its going to be a lot of fun and I sure appreciate all the great information and knowledge I have found on this site and in these forms.
and Welcome To BYC! Looks like you will have a cute little flock and a colorful egg basket! They are too young to sex, usually by 4-6 weeks young cockerels will start growing more comb/wattle than the girls, and by 8 weeks on most breeds you will have a good idea if you have an imposter, you can post pictures in the What Breed/Gender forum if you are questioning any later 
