New to chickens in my yard

[Cyclingchix]

Hello,

My family and I are new to the world of raising poultry. We found a wealth of info on BYC. Thank you to all!

So in 2 weeks we will receive our first batch of order from Meyer Hatchery (15 Cuckoo Marans female). Second delivery from mcmurray will be delivered end of October (25 chicks: Aracauna, buff Orpington, barred rock, and silver laced Wyandotte females). Mcmurray was all sold out of Cuckoo Marans, hence 2 different hatcheries. We are sooooo excited. Can't wait. Hopefully, the chicks arrive safely.

Our coop will be delivered shortly. Went a little overboard, but wanted to make sure chicks have safe home.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hello,
My family and I are new to the world of raising poultry. We found a wealth of info on BYC. Thank you to all!
So in 2 weeks we will receive our first batch of order from Meyer Hatchery (15 Cuckoo Marans female). Second delivery from mcmurray will be delivered end of October (25 chicks: Aracauna, buff Orpington, barred rock, and silver laced Wyandotte females). Mcmurray was all sold out of Cuckoo Marans, hence 2 different hatcheries. We are sooooo excited. Can't wait. Hopefully, the chicks arrive safely.
Our coop will be delivered shortly. Went a little overboard, but wanted to make sure chicks have safe home.

A belated but warm welcome to BYC!

Looks like your post got missed by the greeting committee. I see you found the Bay Area thread and there is another called California- northern that is very active with lots of nice folks.

Congratulations on your new babies! Sounds like you chose some nice breeds. I have 11 pullets, all (but 2) different breeds. I like variety! I was wondering about the Aracaunas you got. That is supposed to be a fairly rare breed and usually the hatcheries sell crosses of these. On BYC they're called Easter Eggers and have quite a fan club. Don't be surprised if your Aracuanas turn out to be EEs! I have an EE that was sold a an Ameraucana. She's obviously not purebred, but is one of our favorites!

 

[Chicks on DL]

Welcome! How are your chicks doing? By now you have received your Marans. Very ambitious being new to poultry and starting with so many. I fretted so much over my 4 when we were new to keeping chickens that I couldn't imagine worrying about 40, but ours are more like pets than poultry.

 

[Cyclingchix]

A belated but warm welcome to BYC!    Looks like your post got missed by the greeting committee. I see you found the Bay Area thread and there is another called California- northern that is very active with lots of nice folks.

Congratulations on your new babies! Sounds like you chose some nice breeds. I have 11 pullets, all (but 2) different breeds. I like variety! I was wondering about the Aracaunas you got. That is supposed to be a fairly rare breed and usually the hatcheries sell crosses of these. On BYC they're called Easter Eggers and have quite a fan club. Don't be surprised if your Aracuanas turn out to be EEs!  I have an EE that was sold a an Ameraucana. She's obviously not purebred, but is one of our favorites!

Hi!

Sorry have to get the terminology straight. Hatcheries call the breeds Ameraucana/Araucana. I hopefully have hens that lay cool colors!

 

[Cyclingchix]

Welcome!  How are your chicks doing?  By now you have received your Marans.  Very ambitious being new to poultry and starting with so many.  I fretted so much over my 4 when we were new to keeping chickens that I couldn't imagine worrying about 40, but ours are more like pets than poultry.  

We actually thought about starting out with 3. Then my mom who use to raise chickens when I was a kid mentioned I should triple the number due to mortality rate and the possibility some may be roosters. Chickens are social animals. I was concerned they would be lonely with just a few. I watch all the chicks interact and they are really funny. What a community. They help me unwind after a stressful day at work. One of the Buffs I call "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" always greets me when I open the brooder pen. She jumps into my hand and perches. So cute.

In about 2 weeks I am having a fence contractor build their pen next to their coop. By the way, neighborhood cats are already hanging out on our driveway. They can hear food! My chicks are secured in a pen in the garage. We are thinking of installing outside cameras with night vision and sensors so we can see who's messing with the "community".

 

[Chicks on DL]

Ahhh, see you are already worrying about them. They won't be ready to go outside permanently until they are fully feathered, about a month. While they are bittys only take them outside supervised but with so many you will want a small fenced area. Read the articles in the Learning Center of this site. Oh and you will want the fence buried about a foot underground to prevent predators from digging under the fence. I thought for sure if the chickens ever got out they would become chicken dinner for the cat. They were about 2-3 mons old when they got loose for the first time. I saw my cat just sitting watching the chickens with little interest. One walked up and pecked her on the nose and she flinched and then walked away all annoyed. I think if they were smaller chicks it could have been a different story. I have had stray cats in the back yard but they haven't attacked one yet, and they are full grown. I chase them off anyway because I really don't want them around.

 

[Cyclingchix]

Ahhh, see you are already worrying about them.  They won't be ready to go outside permanently until they are fully feathered, about a month.  While they are bittys only take them outside supervised but with so many you will want a small fenced area.  Read the articles in the Learning Center of this site.  Oh and you will want the fence buried about a foot underground to prevent predators from digging under the fence.  I thought for sure if the chickens ever got out they would become chicken dinner for the cat.  They were about 2-3 mons old when they got loose for the first time.  I saw my cat just sitting watching the chickens with little interest.  One walked up and pecked her on the nose and she flinched and then walked away all annoyed.  I think if they were smaller chicks it could have been a different story.  I have had stray cats in the back yard but they haven't attacked one yet, and they are full grown.  I chase them off anyway because I really don't want them around.  

That is scary. Good thing your chicks were a little older. Otherwise, they would have been tasty morsels.

I watched several videos on YouTube of chickens the day after an attack and its so heartbreaking. I have an extra wired pen I can use to cover them while they are outside. Will need to put them in a box, carry them out to the yard, and put the pen over them while they discover hidden treasures in the grass. I will sitting on my lounge chair with a bottle of beer!

Yes definitely bury the wire fence deep and wedge slabs of flagstones against the bottom perimeter of the fence for extra reinforcement.

Thank you for the tip. Love this forum.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hi!
Sorry have to get the terminology straight. Hatcheries call the breeds Ameraucana/Araucana. I hopefully have hens that lay cool colors!

No need to be sorry! I've just read so many times how disappointed folks are when they don't end up with the cool purebred chickens they were expecting. My EE is great, a very good layer of blue-green eggs. I'll get more EEs in the future, when there's room in the coop!
This is Monkey. She's much sweeter than she looks. Such a ferocious expression!

That is scary. Good thing your chicks were a little older. Otherwise, they would have been tasty morsels.

I watched several videos on YouTube of chickens the day after an attack and its so heartbreaking. I have an extra wired pen I can use to cover them while they are outside. Will need to put them in a box, carry them out to the yard, and put the pen over them while they discover hidden treasures in the grass. I will sitting on my lounge chair with a bottle of beer!
Yes definitely bury the wire fence deep and wedge slabs of flagstones against the bottom perimeter of the fence for extra reinforcement.
Thank you for the tip. Love this forum.

I did this for far too long last spring while we were trying to get the coop built. Seemed like every free weekend it would rain, so the construction took quite a while.

When the chicks were little it was easy, but by 6 weeks that box got heavy. Had to make several trips back and forth to the garage. Was a good day when they finally got to move out to permanent digs!
They spent nights in the garage. Chicken dust everywhere!

 

[Cyclingchix]

No need to be sorry!  I've just read so many times how disappointed folks are when they don't end up with the cool purebred chickens they were expecting. My EE is great, a very good layer of blue-green eggs. I'll get more EEs in the future, when there's room in the coop!
This is Monkey. She's much sweeter than she looks. Such a ferocious expression! 



I did this for far too long last spring while we were trying to get the coop built. Seemed like every free weekend it would rain, so the construction took quite a while.    When the chicks were little it was easy, but by 6 weeks that box got heavy. Had to make several trips back and forth to the garage. Was a good day when they finally got to move out to permanent digs!
They spent nights in the garage. Chicken dust everywhere!

Awwww! Monkey is a beautiful bird. Love the different shades of color on her feathers.

Ya! I noticed the garage is more dusty now. It will be nice when they finally move out to their new coop waiting outside. I like how you have a perch for the chicks in the pen. My chicks are really starting to play now and thought to add something that gives them perching practice.

 

[Chicks on DL]

That is a nice box. I need a setup like that when it is time to add to our flock.