Newbie here.

[MarilynM]

With the economy going crazy we decided to raise chickens. This is all new to this city girl. My hubby grew up with chickens. I have a lot to learn.

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to BYC Marilyn, anywhere you roam on this site, you will find great information.

 

[CHlCKEN]

Welcome to BYC! This awesome community of poultry keepers and experts will be very excited to jump in and answer whatever questions you may have.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Hello and welcome to BYC! This is a great place to learn and share your chicken adventures.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Here are some helpful links:

• Great go-to resource - Articles
• Space requirements
• “How to...” guides
• Find other BYC members nearby using the links in my signature, below (turn your phone to landscape to see them).

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[N F C]

Hello, thanks for joining! What breed of chicks do you have?

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Welcome to our FUN-omenal Community!

Best Wishes & Be Well!

 

[riss]

Welcome @MarilynM! We are so happy to have you. If you have any questions feel free to ask

 

[janiedoe]

Hi Marilyn & Welcome to BYC!

 

[littledog]

Congratulations on finding such a fun, rewarding and productive pastime! Welcome! You'll get so much help and good support by joining here.

The biggest mistake most new chicken owners make, is not giving their chickens enough space, by buying a coop from the local feed store and assuming they are truthful in their advertising about how many chickens can live in it.

Most pre-fab coops the feed stores sell are cheaply-made, not predator-proof, don't last very long, and can only support about half the number of hens they claim.

It's definitely more cost-effective, safer, and more humane for your chickens to do your research on coops here and then build one yourself, or if your finances allow it, hire an experienced chicken-knowledgable person to build it. Or buy a pre-fab for two or three hens for now, with plans to expand it and surround it with a more secure yard as soon as you can.

The second-most common issue is the chickens' run becoming wet and muddy, they quickly destroy the grass and vegetation way faster than most people would expect. If you have only a few hens but a large area, you can solve this by housing them in a "chicken tractor" in other words a coop that is mobile (there are many designs for this you can find on here by doing a search) and moving it to a new area before the old area gets overgrazed and muddy. This is a great way to go if you also grow a garden - the chickens can do all your composting and rototilling for you, as well as fertilizing each area in turn.

Welcome, and good luck to you!