New urban chicken keeper, couple questions!

[ubersteiny]

(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
Yes, got them yesterday.

(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
4
(3) What breeds do you have?
1x speckled Sussex, 1x Amauracana, 1x Whiting true green, 1x white polish

(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
Eggs, and family members.



Hello everyone, we bought a house last year that already had a full enclosed chicken run/coop built. We finally decided to get some birds ourselves after our daughter showed interest while at the petting zoo.

I listed the breeds above and they're all 7 weeks old right now. I noticed last night that they all slept huddled together except the White Polish was a little separated from the group. Do you think I should get a 2nd Polish for the flock so the current White Polish has a similar friend?

Also, I attached a photo of the coop. You can see it doesn't have a separate hen house, but half the run is covered from the elements and I have a smaller enclosed area I can use for a nest box in there.

I will be building them a place to roost today (I have an old ladder in there temporarily for them). On my way to grab some 2x4's now. Although they seemed content just huddling together, at what point should they start showing interest to roost on a perch?




Thanks for all the help!

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC and congrats on your new hobby. They will investigate and then begin to use the perches in their own time.

Here are some links to key resources:

• List of guides on how to use the site - announcements-feedback-issues-guides.3
• Great resource for beginners - https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/category/learning-center.11/
• Good starting point for browsing the site - https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/
• Interesting feedback on how members manage their flocks -https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archives
• Excellent source of local information - Find your State's thread. Use the BYC search facility to find other country / regional threads.

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[cheekychick3]

Hi and lovely set up you have, and your girls are beautiful.

 

[007Sean]

Howdy and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Thanks for joining our community!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Welcome to our FUNomenal community! Best wishes and have lots of fun!

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
There is no set time when they roost. If they are learning on their own, it will take longer than if there are existing adults to show them the ropes. Congratulations on the new chicks.

 

[BlueBaby]

Hello, and welcome! Glad that you joined!

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC, and congratulations on your new home and flock.

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC.
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 (how to upload photos too):

Coop Ideas:
Chicken Coops.

What exactly did you Google to get here? <<<<<<<<<<<Click there to go to the thread.

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