New to the world of chickens

[sara1226]

Hi everyone, my name is Sara and I am getting chickens for the first time. I have always wanted just a couple of chickens, and I came across a great opportunity. My co worker informed me that she had 2 speckled Sussex chickens that were the friendliest she's ever had (she has 100's and is part of a co-op), and that soon a bunch of chickens were to be butchered including the 2 she told me about. I don't want them for meat, and I only want a few eggs for my small family (3 of us), so I figured this would work out well. My question is.. What do I need to include in our coop? I know I need food, and water in a bowl they can't tip over, nesting boxes, and a perch, but what should I use to line the bottom? Hay..? Wood chips..? We also plan on building the coop 3-4 feet off the ground to avoid predators(we live in Northern Wisconsin). Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome Sara, so nice to meet you. The speckled Sussex sound perfect for you - does your friend know for certain they are females? A lot of folks use pine savings in the coop. A raised coop can be helpful but, predators will find them regardless. Please check out the coops and predator sections for good advice on safeguarding your birds.

 

[N F C]

Hi Sara, welcome to BYC!

You're going to love the Speckled Sussex! We have 3 in our mixed flock and they are by far the sweetest ones.

Sounds like you may want to look over the info in the Learning Center on coops. Here's a link to get you there. And if you have more questions after reading those, head to the coop/run forum.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/housing-and-feeding-your-chickens

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/9/coop-run-design-construction-maintenance

Hope that helps, good luck with your new flock!

 

[Wyandottes7]

Hi Sara and welcome to our flock!

So glad you could join BYC! Congratulations on the beginning of your chicken adventures. The speckled Sussex is a nice breed with a reputation for good temperaments and egg production. In a coop, you need a feeder, waterer, nest boxes, bedding, and roosts. Some good bedding materials are wood shavings, chopped straw, and sand. I've always used shavings, with good results.

Be sure that the coop has enough space. Each chicken should ideally have 4 square feet of space inside the henhouse and 10 square feet or more of run space. More space is better. Raising the coop off the ground may help deter predators, but will not entirely prevent them. You'll need to make sure that you use hardware cloth (not chicken wire) for the run, since predators can easily rip through chicken wire. Bury the run wire 12 inches or create a "skirt" of wire extending outwards 18 inches to prevent digging. Put secure locks on doors, since raccoons in particular are very adept at opening latches. Cover all small openings in the coop with wire, or predators like weasels or rats may slip in. Never understimate the spaces that predators can squeeze through or their determination.

Good luck with your future flock! I hope you enjoy BYC as much as we have.

 

[PrettyClouds]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

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

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC, Sara! (My name is Sarah too!)

Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

I have a speckled sussex and she is very curious, friendly and talkative. She doesn't like to cuddle because she is always on the run to investigate new things. But she still eats from my hand and enjoys being petted.

Pine shavings are my bedding to use in the coop and nesting boxes. Do not use cedar as this is toxic. Hay can be wet so I would look for straw instead. Here are two great links on bedding https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/bedding-part-1-comparing-materials https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/bedding-part-2-maintaining-your-bedding
You have all the essentials which is good. You can add a bell, mirror or some herbs to add a little entertainment.

Good luck to you!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC!