New to owning chickens.

[oasishillsfarm]

Hi, we just bought a 43acre farm in the Georgetown, TN area. This is my first time owning chickens. My father-in-law also just bought baby white midget turkeys which we will be raising on the farm. Any tips qould be greatly appreciated, especially any tips for being as natural as possible.
Thanks.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Welcome to BYC and congratulations on your new home! 43 acres is nothing to sneeze at.
What breed(s) of chickens have you chosen?

 

[oasishillsfarm]

We bought the existing animals with the farm, so we have 5 Nubian goats, 3 steer, 10 chickens, 2 male ducks, 3 great pyrenese dogs, 4 other dogs, 1 house cat and probably 5-6 barn cats.
I am unsure what breed the chickens are. They are laying light to dark tan/brown eggs.

 

[ChippieChicken]

Hi, oasishillsfarm! Welcome to the cult--er, I mean the world of chicken raising! \/ It's very rewarding, so I really hope you enjoy it.

As for tips, one that helped me a lot is the deep litter method for your coop. Cuts down on maintenance time, which is great for beginners AND busy farms, and the need for chemicals, which is great for living more naturally. Plus it cuts down on smells from your chicken coop (mine barely smells in the peak of the CA summer, and even then mostly like shavings), works as insulation, and promotes good microbes. Here's some more detailed information on what it is and how it's done:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...e-easiest-way-to-deal-with-chicken-litter-dlm

http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/p/deep-litter-method.html

If you're ordering new chicks through the mail from a hatchery, consider getting them vaccinated by the hatchery for Marek's at least, and coccidiosis. Especially since you already have some chickens on the farm and never know what they might be carrying, even if they seem perfectly healthy. It doesn't cost much extra but is an extra layer of protection for your flock. It is also NOT the same as treating a chicken with antibiotics, and doesn't make your chickens "un-natural". (Not sure if they would qualify for "certified organic" afterwards though.) This is unfortunately a pretty common cautionary tale, but worth knowing:

http://growitcookitcanit.com/2013/03/11/before-you-get-your-baby-chicks-you-should-read-this/

(I went though a similar, though thankfully less severe, experience myself, which is also why I won't get birds from a poultry auction ever again. An ounce of prevention, as they say.)

But mostly, have fun! Best of luck to you and your flock!

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. Wow! Forty-three acres is a good sized farm. ) If you haven't done so already, definitely our Learning Center at https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center. There is loads of useful information there. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your flock.

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to Backyard chickens - that's a whole lotta dogs you got with the farm. Hopefully you flocks will be well protected.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!