Newbie here! (Urban dweller attempting to reconnect with nature)

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Cosmosis

Cosmosis

Hatching
5 Years
May 16, 2014
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Hi all!

I first found this site when researching coop designs a year or so ago. My fiance (now wife as of 2 weeks ago) went ahead and got herself knocked up, so I decided to really get moving on raising a couple of chickens for eggs.

Quick synopsis: I have lived in the city/suburbs my entire life, but have recently started to want to reconnect with nature and the source of my food. I've combined two of favorite pastimes, kayaking and fishing, to begin fishing form my kayak (amazingly enjoyable, just add beer). Anyway, I eat at least 2 eggs per day, and with a child on the way, I'd like him/her to learn where there food comes form - to have some attachment with nature and understand how it works. Thus, backyard chickens!

I've already purchased and setup my Coop - it's a Trixie Natura with the added run. A lot smaller than I thought it would be, but its ok for my first coop. I'll probably end up building one with my neighbor within a year or two.

I've got a big rubbermaid tote I'll use as my brooder for the chicks. I already had a heat lamp from one of my turtle tanks (I had 2 turtles, but unfortunately 1 became egg bound and passed last year, after 7 years of age). I just need a waterer and feeder for the chicks (and for the coop when they're older, but I have a bit of time to research/buy/build one). Next stop is to my local animal feed store to look at those items, as well as scope out what kind of chicks they have. As I'm only interested in eggs, I'm looking at Plymouth Rocks, Reds, and Orpingtons, though it really depends on what my animal feed store has.

Therein lies my first question - should I buy from my local feed store (has great reviews on Google and Yelp), or should I look for local breeders? I'm in Sacramento, so there are plenty of farms/ranches and it shouldn't be hard to locate a breeder.

Furthermore, it sounds like some breeds may be better suited for hear than others. It gets HOT in Sac. Their coop will be mostly shaded, though - it's under a tree and in the shade of my house. But even without direct sunlight, ambient temps have been over 100 for 14 days before. I believe Plymouth's are good hot weather chickens. Any others I should look into?

Thanks!
 
100 degrees is about the heat tolerance limit for chickens. Any breed will need more than shade, they will need some good air movement as well, to survive (and, obviously, plenty of cool water.) You can sort our Breeds section by heat tolerance, or look some other places, such as HERE. I don't know that they will want to be inside that coop in the heat. You may find they stay in the "outdoor" wired area of your setup. We go over 100 at times. We have a large coop (11'x17' building) which they go into in the hottest part of the day, in spite of some good shade in their yard, but it is cooler than outdoors in there because it is like a wind tunnel. It's not so much an enclosed building as it is a roofed shelter with walls of large areas of wire. I run a box fan all summer in the coop in spite of the air movement in there.

You can buy simple, inexpensive plastic waterers and feeders from most feed stores, about 2-3 gallons, which are fine.

"Good" breeders are not that easy to find. You might want to hang around your state thread (see below) and see what you can learn. Plenty of people have flocks from places like your feed store, including me. In my case, they order from ideal hatchery, one of the larger hatcheries in the country. Yours may do something similar, or they may purchase from local sources.

You may want to modify that setup a little. HERE is a thread about the sort of setup that works well in hot climates: It will be important that they have enough space and air movement on hot days. HERE is a great writeup about space.

As for a brooder, you could probably brood them in your coop and not have the mess in your house at all, in those temps, if not from day one, at least way before 6 weeks. You might need an apron 9wire fencing) fastened around the bottom of your run to keep digging predators out.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/161/california-southern/0_20

Good luck!
 
Welcome to BYC - Judy has given some great advice. Somehow, I think that you were part of that process with your fiancée/wife.
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Both my production reds and my pure RIR's do great in heat. I live in southern Louisiana so it gets really hot and humid here. Local breeders only have what works good in the area because they would loose too much money having something that can't handle your area. Look into methods of cooling your flock because even the best hot breeds can get over heated. I have a raised coop with a shallow pan of water under it so my hens can stand in the shade and cool off by way of their feet. I also put frozen watermelon out as a treat in summer and frozen gallon jugs of water for them to lean against if it gets really hot. The coop is your real danger zone for heat. Make sure there is plenty of air flow for summer. While you don't want a breeze across the roost in winter for their health it is suggested for summer. If you don't have enough air flow in there then consider putting a fan in there.
 
Beautiful, I love this community already! Thank you SO much for the links and tips.

Yes, I will definitely see about modifying the coop to install a fan for air circulation. I just found out a buddy of mine grew up on a farm when he was young and they had "100s" of chickens, and he literally just mentioned air movement/possibly adding a fan as well. Awesome!

I hadn't thought of using the coop as the brooder, but you're right! It never gets too cold at night this time of year, and I'm sure I could safely affix the heat lamp someplace in the roosting area for them. The only issue then would be how to modifying the heat output. My original plan was just to raise the lamp with each successive week, but I suppose I could simply just buy a dimmer switch that allows me to control the wattage to the lamp itself.
 
Cosmosis said:
Beautiful, I love this community already! Thank you SO much for the links and tips.

Yes, I will definitely see about modifying the coop to install a fan for air circulation. I just found out a buddy of mine grew up on a farm when he was young and they had "100s" of chickens, and he literally just mentioned air movement/possibly adding a fan as well. Awesome!

I hadn't thought of using the coop as the brooder, but you're right! It never gets too cold at night this time of year, and I'm sure I could safely affix the heat lamp someplace in the roosting area for them. The only issue then would be how to modifying the heat output. My original plan was just to raise the lamp with each successive week, but I suppose I could simply just buy a dimmer switch that allows me to control the wattage to the lamp itself.
Click to expand...

I zip tie the clamp to whatever it is clamped on so if the clamp fails it is still in the general area and doesn't start a fire. I run a hot/cool brooder meaning that my entire brooder is not the "perfect temp". One side has a heat lamp with nothing on the other side and feed and water is in the middle. My chicks get to decide what temp they want to be in. I have had some chicks want no heat in under 2 weeks and some still needed heat near 6 weeks. Too much heat in a brooder with no way to escape it can cause pasty butt so keep an eye on it if you keep a perfect temp brooder.
 
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Welcome to BYC!

When ever you have the chance to buy from breeders, and they are good reliable breeders, then I would do so. I have hatchery stock and I have heard that private breeder stock can be healthier and happier. But it is up to you. My hatchery birds do just fine.

You might consider sand in your coop and run to help with the heat. I use sand in my run and coop and I hose it down in the summer and the birds stay incredibly cool. No panting and the feet are actually cool to the touch.

Here is a nice thread on sand if you would like to read up on it...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/444759/got-sand-you-should

Good luck with all your poultry adventures and welcome to our flock!
 

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