newbie...I keep getting different answers & so confused

[ottbjumper06]

Always be watching for angel wing, but an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure, so be sure you have feed with a low protein. You know the duckling has it when their wing is twisting outward and it stays like that all the time, there is a how to guide in the book on how to fix it

 

[ottbjumper06]

As for the coop... It's all trial and error. My first batch of chicks I got were strait run and all of my Roos free range on the yard and they all get along just fine, probably helps they were raised together. You could try sectioning off a section of the coop just for the Roos where they can't see a hen, this helps with fighting.

 

[mtadkins5]

As for the coop... It's all trial and error. My first batch of chicks I got were strait run and all of my Roos free range on the yard and they all get along just fine, probably helps they were raised together. You could try sectioning off a section of the coop just for the Roos where they can't see a hen, this helps with fighting.

Thank you for your help and great ideas!

 

[Connie Winner]

WOW, girlfriend.... you are staring out BIG!! I didn't read all the answers, but you do learn a lot on BYC. I have a chicken coupe that is fairly large, for shelter, has been built since the mid 70's... and it has a "back yard", now enclosed with wiring and on the top also. It's probably 20'x20 outside yard'..... I have had chickens on and off over the years and I used to let them be free range and at night they would all come back to roost and I shut the gate until next morning. Disadvantage, of course, is....you never find eggs.....sometimes less chickens would come home. SO.... I had one rooster left....my neighbor had a nervous nelly Bantam hen, they found each other and seemed to survive out and about just fine, their food was in the coupe and they would come and go. I found where she was "laying" in the coupe, but where chickens aren't suppose to go and where the food bins are. (door wouldn't shut tight) SO.... I added food & water in there and kept the door shut. 6 chicks later... got me to thinking, how fun to start with the babies, only this time the "backyard" of the coupe, would have wire across the top, tall enough so I could walk in and they'd be safe. I did loose one. So I ordered 5 breeds, 3 of each. The home bred ranch babies are Rhode Island Red/ Bantam. I had them in the chicken coupe with their parents. In a bird aviary under a light, I had the "ordered" chicks. I let them get big enough that I thought they would be able to defend themselves and added them to the "home grown" group. I was worried, but everyone got along. However....of the "home grown" group, I got 2 roosters!! I have been watching to see how DAD does with them. They both have learned to crow and are now "feeling their feathers" shall I say... and the DAD gets ticked and chases them all over. Not sure if he will kill them....soooo....I have let the 2 boys out to be free range. (better then in a pot) .... I have put food out for them, they have trees and or places to go "up" if they need to.... we have horses too so there are water toughs.....and maybe they will do OK. So having roosters, I was always been told is not a good thing and you only need one anyway..... "IF" you want more chickens! But in doing so, you will get more roosters.... and you have heard of cocks fights.... and being a horse person/ cattle..... you never have more then one stud or one bull in with the girls....or you separate your "boys" away from the girls....so there is no fighting. When you want more "hens" order for them so they are sexed. They are pretty accurate (not always) on just getting you hens.

 

[mtadkins5]

ANother question...The 1/2 hardware cloth is so flemsy. My neighbor down the road had a do get in their runs twice with it. The went to 2*4 wire and it STRONG and they haven't lost a one sice they put it up. The don't let babies out till they are older because they are so small though. Any thoughts? It is much cheaper too =)

 

[ottbjumper06]

We used half inch and we haven't had a problem, I thought it seemed rather strong. Maybe a difference in brands?

 

[Connie Winner]

I don't use any cloth material, since I used the chicken coupe and it's yard for a while for rasing a few goats, it has t-posts in the corners and a heavy guage wire all around. But for the baby chicks so they couldn't get out, I added close guage chicken wire all on the inside.

 

[mtadkins5]

We used half inch and we haven't had a problem, I thought it seemed rather strong. Maybe a difference in brands?

That might be true...

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I am new to chickens. I pick up my first chicks next week. So when I decided I wanted to get chickens I honestly looked at what was eye appealing to me and egg color. I came up with 8 breeds I really want. I am not going to be a breeder so to speak but down the road I would like to have a few chicks just so my girls and I have that experience. I asked on her 2 months ago when I started placing orders if it was ok to run these breeds together and got and overwelming YES. The more I read the more I worry now bc I love they way roosters look and I planed on one rooster for each breed. I planned on 32 chickens.Iplanned 8 breeds and 4 of each breed and all to be housed together. Now that I have placed almost all my orders I keep reading roosters can't be kept together. These are they breeds I have ordered from breeders or plan too LIGHT SUSSEX, SWEDISH FLOWER HENS, CORONATION SUSSEX, WELSUMMER, BIRCHEN MARANS, BLUE DOUBLE LACED BARNEVELDERS, BLACK & BLUE AMERAUCANAS & LAVENDER AMERAUCANAS. Forgot to mention the SAXONY & ANCONA ducks that will be arriving soon. For 32 birds what size does the coop and run need to be? If I have to house roosters in signal coops what size do the run and coop need to be? I need ideas on this! I am plum sick now I have all this $$$ invested and now everything seems to be falling apart before the first chick arrives. What does my setup need to be for these chickens in my backyard?

I didn't read through the responses so if this has been said please forgive me:

You can just make a rooster pen. Without girls they will be much more likely to get along. Then when you need to breed them, you can put a few hens in with one roo (in a breeding pen) then collect the eggs.

I have never had ducks so can't help you there.

 

[Triple Willow]

ANother question...The 1/2 hardware cloth is so flemsy. My neighbor down the road had a do get in their runs twice with it. The went to 2*4 wire and it STRONG and they haven't lost a one sice they put it up. The don't let babies out till they are older because they are so small though. Any thoughts? It is much cheaper too =)

Hi mtadkins5. I know how you feel. Getting started can be stressful. There is so much to consider! First, have you planned out what to do when your chicks arrive? Do you have the brooder (where they will live the first few weeks) set up? A lot of people set the brooder up inside their house and I did too the first time around. I advise against it because they are so dusty! The ones I am brooding now are out in my garage. **Be sure that you have plenty of room for them because they will grow like crazy.** I start out in a smaller Rubbermaid-type tote for about the first week or two so I can keep a close eye on them them then they go to a plastic kid's swimming pool that has a hinged 1/2 hardware cloth top on it. Read up on the heat requirements and *pasty butt* just in case you have to deal with that. I recommend feeding them *fermented feed* because it is good for their health. Also read up on adding electrolytes to their drinking water and a whole lot of people recommend adding all natural "apple cider vinegar". You can find all of that on this site.

As far as roosters, something I have learned on this website is to *NEVER try to make a rooster a pet*. It goes real well for a good while then the first thing you know they are attacking you or your kids. This is especially dangerous for kids because of their small size. Being shorter, a rooster could attack them and damage an eye. The reason they seem to turn on you is because they have no fear of you. That is fine until the hormones kick in, then look out! lol Also, *don't let a chicken within reach of your eye!* I'm sure a lot of people do but all it would take is one small peck from your favorite hen to lose an eye. They peck at anything they find interesting, eyeballs included!

Sorry if I have told you a bunch of stuff that you already knew. You will find all kinds of great info on this website. Lots of people recommend "Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens". It is a good guide book.

Take care and enjoy your chickens.

Oh, be sure to read up on predators too. The 1/2 hardware cloth will keep out snakes that will eat your small chickens and eggs. And snakes can climb very well! It will also keep racoons from reaching through the wire and attacking your chickens.