New to chickens

[Lee912]

Hi, I am new to chicken raising, I have always wanted to raise chickens and now I have achieved the dream! I currently have 4 chicks (wanted to start off small, see how it goes) 2 Rhode Island Reds and 2 Asian Pullets. They are about 3 weeks old at this point and the coop is ready for them when they are old enough. I also have 3 dogs, 2 Boston Terriers and a Chihuahua that have not really had any contact with the chicks but then again I think that's a good thing. Anyway that's it for now, thanks in advance for the advice and information!

 

[IvanK]

Hi!

Welcome to the amazing world of chickens and congrats on realizing this dream.
You'll be learning on the fly and it never seems to stop. As your chicks grow, make sure you keep researching and asking questions so you have the info before you need it. Chickens aren't overly complicated but it's best to be prepared/informed.
Ok, so based on the information that you've shared I'll comment on your dogs. Simply put, don't let any of them near those chicks and you'll want to think twice once they are grown. While there may be some chicken friendly breeds, some dogs have too much of a hunter/play toy instinct. I believe terriers are the latter and you'll probably need to keep them away from the birds for good. As for your chihuahua, they're pretty feisty and I know one that kills rabbits and rats...not much of a nurturing breed...cute and loyal though!
So all that being said, I would prepare accordingly. If you need to make changes to your layout, now is the time before you chicks get older.
When you have more questions, and I'm sure you will, you'll find these forums to be a fountain of information and experience. Enjoy and good luck!

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings Lee912, Welcome to BYC!

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi Lee and welcome to BYC


Here’s a good link where you’ll find lots of information on almost every aspect of keeping chickens - from coop building ideas, to incubating eggs - https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/


There’s a link on the page above to the Learning Centre - it’s a great resource. If you have a specific topic in mind, just type it in the search box - there's a wealth of information on past and present threads.


Each week, various topics are discussed, which can also be a great resource - https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive


You can use this link to contact members in your area - Find Your State Thread

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[N F C]

Make yourself at home here, thanks for joining us!

 

[Joeschooks]

Congratulations on getting your chicks! There’s so many helpful, knowledgeable folks here and I’m sure you’ll find this site a very useful resource. I hope you enjoy it as much as we all do.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

 

[Kiki]

We are glad you joined this flock!
Jump right in and make yourself at home.

This video will help you learn how to navigate this site:

Coop Ideas:
Chicken Coops


BYC has an APP!

 

[drumstick diva]

I believe it's best to err on the side of caution. I don't think dogs/cats should ever be around chickens. It's always the chickens that end up dead. Have never heard of chickens killing cats or dogs. But that's just my opinion.

 

[NonnasBabies]

I know you'll enjoy it here!!