new to chickens with questions

[Pollock Hill 20]

We are new to the BYC-club, and new to having chickens, this was on my wife's bucket list, who just Oct.2011,with Leukemia, a friend of ours give us a beautiful game Rooster,which we had to put him in a puppy cage,until I could get the roosting house made, then I started working on the yard, I took the boat shed and wired it with the chicken wire, and small dog wire, she had the Rooster name Clayton, she new what kind of hens she wanted,but Clayton was lonesome, so went to flea market and bought 5 hens, not knowing anything about them, other than they we young pullets,we noticed after a few weeks, the smallest was acting sickly, and the next day she had died, not sure why are what killed the hen, the other 4 are doing good, since we decided to raise our own baby chicks, as my wife calls the Hens her girls, we were at St.Elmo Seed and Feed, Feb.3,2012, we have takem great care of the babies, that were Feb.1,2012,so they were 3 days old, yesterday, I had to build a bigger cage simce they are growing so big so fast, we have joined the BYC-club, and hopeing we can learn from others who are experinced with the back yard chickens, and what it takes to keep them healthy, and laying good eggs, also any do's and don't about BYC. If anyone knows when and where they meet in Mobile Al.,. plz let me know, so we can be there,
Pollock Hill 20
Tony and Polly

 

[growinupinfl]

I don't know when they are meeting in Mobile, but over here in in Pensacola, they meet up at the Farmers markets. You can also look on Craigslist.org and ask under the Farm and Agriculture link of where you could meet up with other chicken types people.
It will work. As for the sick hen it could be a bunch of stuff, she could have had a pre-existing illness, it could be mites which are rampant down here, or who knows what.

Chickens are hearty in some respects but in other respects their lives are very fragile, and if you are going to raise chickens you must assign yourself to the heartache of losing them sometimes.

If you need anything let me know, my husband drives over there 5 days aweek to USA, so drop me a line.

BTW you may want to move this link to the new members area and they have threads with different states and such. Here is the link for the Alabama section, and right on top is Hi I live in Robertsdale. So follow the link below and go see if they can help you more.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/29002/alabama

Christal

 

[Pollock Hill 20]

Thx., So as you can see we are new to these back yard chickens, My Grand-parents did have a Rooster, with a yard of hens, so even as a child I do remember a few things, but not a lot. My wife remembers that her Grand-parents also had chickens, but neither of our parents did.
It's just something she wanted, and I have had to do all the work, but I have found out how much fun they are raising them from babies, 3-days old.Not sure about raising them from egg yet. but we have sat for hours together and watched the babies (girls) play, sleep, eat.
I told my wife, we know now that we are truly hooked on this hobby,and not have gotten one egg. Please keep in touch.
We have joined the Mobile Bay Area BYC, and found when they meet, when and where. I will go to the new members section, but plz keep in touch.
Thx again
Tony and Cindy
Pollock Hill 20