New To Everything..help

[flossy169]

My partner wants to buy 2 chicks that are 6 weeks oLd,, IF i agree to let him buy them i have loads of queshtions ect before i decide

1,, are they ok if you have children?
2,, are they easy to care for
3,, do u have to bring them in the house in the winter
4 ,, how long do they live for


also what would be a good chicken coop? Wheres best to get one from and how do i set it up? HELP

 

[sammyh312]

1. definitely! 2. very 3. no 4. seven or so years

 

[patman75]

Quote:
X2.

 

[pawsplus]

Oh, they can live lots longer than 7 years! My Clarice is 8 and still laying 3-4 eggs a week.

A recent poll taken here showed that there are some pretty old chix out there! If you care for them well they can live into their teens!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=522611

 

[flossy169]

how do i set up a chicken house thing?

 

[jjthink]

Please please wait until you've done a lot of research. Honestly, I would spend some months reading up on all aspects here on BYC......You will not regret it. There is a wealth of information here organized into different categories. (feeding, housing, illnesses, etc etc.). . All kinds of things can and do go wrong and you need to be prepared so you know what to do.

JJ

 

[BoltonChicken]

how do i set up a chicken house thing?

Look here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/coopdesigns.html

Also read the the information about chickens under the FAQ section of this forum.

Also do searches on this forum for any questions you may have.

There are tons of answers to any questions you can come up with. You just have to take the time to look.

Please please wait until you've done a lot of research. Honestly, I would spend some months reading up on all aspects here on BYC......You will not regret it. There is a wealth of information here organized into different categories. (feeding, housing, illnesses, etc etc.). . All kinds of things can and do go wrong and you need to be prepared so you know what to do.

JJ

+1! That is perfectly stated!​

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
1. Depends on the breed. Delaware, Orpingtons, Barred Rocks and Golden Comets are calm and friendly.

2. I don't think so. If your young perhaps. The design of your coop make all the difference. Feeding and watering yes, cleaning not so much.

3. With just two, I'd say provide heat if you are in a cold climate area. If you are in an area that doesn't go below freezing no. Though I don't recommend less than three or four. Bantams are nice and lay decent sized eggs.

4. As a rule til they die. Some breeds are longer lived. Hybrids not so long, heritage types longer 4 to 5 years. Some have broken records I'm sure. Even in breeds individuals may vary. How well they are taken care of makes some difference.

5. Ask yourself or friend, "Why?" Why do I want chickens? "What?" What do I want them for and what are my expectations? "Who?" Who will be responsible to take care of them?

6. No one here will discourage you so do your research first. Just be warned. They are addictive and aren't long lived. However they are great to have. Better than a cat or dog imo but they are a responsibility.

My only regret is I didn't get them sooner and when I was younger.

I wish you a happy chicken experience.

Rancher

 

[CSWolffe]

There are a couple of options, depending upon where and how you live.
You can free-range, ie let them roam around your yard, happily eating bugs and weeds and all your pretty flowers.
You can build or purchase a Chicken Tractor, which is a smaller, portable type coop which you move about every couple of days.
You can build a coop and run in a back corner of your property. For two or three chickens, you can even convert an old dog-house into a coop. Old sheds or even walled of pieces of a garage work well.
Stick around here, there are a lot of good ideas on coops and runs you can steal/borrow.
First, I suggest you find out what your local ordinance is regarding chickens. Most cities now allow hens, but a few still stubbornly refuse. It would be a tragedy if you spent time and money ona nice coop for your girls and fell in love with them, only to be told you have to get rid of them.

 

[ThinkingChickens]

I would become overly concerned. Raising chickens is easy and so much fun. Coops range in size from a small converted doghouse all the way up to storage buildings. If you click "Coop Design" at the top of the page you can scroll through a bunch of photos. A search on your local Craigslist may help you find a reasonable priced used or new, custom built coop. You'll need food and clean water and you'll want to know about predators in your area. We dove right in and have never regretted the decision.