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Intlgreen29

In the Brooder
Jan 30, 2024
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Hi! I’m new and thinking about adopting a couple of chickens! I’m in Santa Clara county and I didn’t think I could have chickens where I live. I’m wrong!

Will two hens/chickens be able to lay about an egg a day between the two of them give or take?

Do most of you build your own coops or is there a great source you can recommend for purchase of one?

I would appreciate being directed to other threads here or any advice based on your own experiences. Thank you.
 
:welcome

Hi, it's nice to have you here with us! I would recommend starting with at least 3 chickens...they are flock animals and if you start with 2 and something happens to 1, that could leave a lonely only. For a coop, most prefer to build (or modify something like a shed) as the pre-fab coops in general are always too small for the number of birds they say they can accommodate (and they usually are not built well).

You might want to check out the Learning Center for some good articles to help you get started: learning-center.11. And of course you can always ask questions, so make yourself at home!
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
I agree with @N F C. Start with 3 chickens minimum and don't get a pre-fab coop. Modifying a shed or similar existing structure is so much easier than building from scratch. Make sure you visit the Coop and Run Forum before building so you fully understand what makes a proper home for chickens.
Good luck with your new adventure!
 
First off, hurray for being able to have chickens!! Absolutely great news! And, joining BYC gives you access to an incredible amount of information and experience from folks who know what they're talking about.

If, like me, you are not particularly good at construction, check out used coops -- and thoroughly clean them top to bottom! My first coops came from Craigslist; most were built by previous owners. My avatar coop is a prefab that needed just a little tweaking. It is, however, built like a tank; much of a maple tree fell on it during a durecho and while it tipped, nothing broke! I got it for a fraction of the price of a new coop because the owners needed more space for more chickens (a frequent occurrence, as you may learn).

How many eggs you get from two chickens (BTW, I would also start with three -- which was my plan until I came home with four!) depends on the breed. One way to learn what you can (hopefully) expect to get is to request free catalogs from hatcheries. For example, Hoover's and Murray McMurray catalogs have color photos of the chickens and information about cold/heat hardiness; size, color and number of eggs; average bird's weight; and disposition. I use those as guidelines when deciding on breeds. Although I've never bought directly from those hatcheries, I have purchased Hoover chicks from a local feed store and McMurray birds from their previous owner.

Welcome to BYC; remember, we are always happy to help you!
 

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