New to byc

[bmfenn]

(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
New, as of 6/16

(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
3

(3) What breeds do you have?
Light Brahma
Jersey Blue
Jersey Gem

(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
Their personalities

(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Hunting, Motorcycles

(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
2 kids, 1 on Autism Spectrum. She's the reason for the chickens. She wanted them for her birthday, and we've read how they can be therapeutic.

(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
Google, a few months, figured it was about time.

So my 6-year-old daughter with autism became obsessed with baby chicks this spring. So we decided that we would get her some chicks for her birthday. I built a small coop using plans found on Home Depot garden club, with some modifications

.

We have a bi-level style house with a deck off of the second story so the coop and run were built under the deck in the unused space. Luckily, I was actually able to build the coop itself for only around $60 using "purple marked" or damaged wood from my local Home Depot, and got some oops paint from Lowe's for the color. As the area where the run is an old concrete slab we have sand down in the run area, and pine shavings in the coop.

 

[bmfenn]

I forgot to add pics from the "chicken cam" I pointed a wyze at them when I introduced them to a nipple waterer in the brooder, to make sure they figured it out, and now it's looking out the window at them since they've moved outside.

 

[HappyClucker7]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Here are some helpful links:

• Great go-to resource - Articles
• How to start a new thread
• Find other BYC members nearby using the links in my signature, below (turn your phone to landscape to see them).

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
Your coop needs a lot more ventilation!

 

[Fuchsia]

Hello and welcome!!!!

 

[N F C]

Having the coop and run under the deck will provide some nice weather protection.

Thanks for joining, I hope your DD gets a ton of enjoyment from her flock!

 

[bmfenn]

Thanks, in my gut I felt that the two 4" vents in the plans weren't enough, but I'll pick up some more vents

 

[Rldad1]

Welcome to BYC. I can't tell if the wire is field wire, chicken wire or Hardware Cloth. I suggest you close off the top so predators can't slip between the joists in the run, Hardware Cloth will work for that. Ventilation is a must, just keep a draft off the chickens.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Love your photos, thanks for sharing! Make yourself at home here and welcome to our community!