PolloGal
Songster
1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens? I GET MY FIRST 4 EVER IN 7 DAYS - LAYER CHICKENS! THEY WILL BE JUST DAYS OLD!
(2) What breeds do you have? I AM GETTING BUFF BRAHMA, WHITE ROCK, DOMINIQUE, AND A SURPRISE BREED.
(3) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens? I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO PROVIDING GOOD CARE AND NUTRITION WITH A WELCOMED RETURN OF HEALTHY EGGS!
I have been doing SO much reading about how to care for baby chicks and adult chickens for a very long time. After several years, we FINALLY sold our home in crowded Pinellas County FL and found our private, quiet, forever farm in Eastern TN. It’s been a long haul (and tough wait), but we are ready to get some animals on our farm. We have indoor cats right now (and have for years), but are anxious and excited to be adding chickens as our first ‘outdoor’ farm animals. I have my brooder set up (Heat lamp and all)...and my chicken barn, pen and large surround (gated) pen are sitting outside waiting to be assembled. All we need to get is the electric fencing. Wouldn’t have them without it. I am keeping them inside (completely away from the cats) until about 3 months old. My greatest fear is a predator getting to them when they are outside. We have everything here...living in the woods...including bear.
I am so happy to have found this site. There is so much valuable information here. And if anyone has different ideas for protecting them in the future I would greatly appreciate the advice. Also, I am considering using non-toxic rubber mats for inside the enclosed chicken barn area (and pine chips in the nests). If anyone knows of a rubber mat that is safe and would work well, please let me know! Thanks!
(2) What breeds do you have? I AM GETTING BUFF BRAHMA, WHITE ROCK, DOMINIQUE, AND A SURPRISE BREED.
(3) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens? I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO PROVIDING GOOD CARE AND NUTRITION WITH A WELCOMED RETURN OF HEALTHY EGGS!
I have been doing SO much reading about how to care for baby chicks and adult chickens for a very long time. After several years, we FINALLY sold our home in crowded Pinellas County FL and found our private, quiet, forever farm in Eastern TN. It’s been a long haul (and tough wait), but we are ready to get some animals on our farm. We have indoor cats right now (and have for years), but are anxious and excited to be adding chickens as our first ‘outdoor’ farm animals. I have my brooder set up (Heat lamp and all)...and my chicken barn, pen and large surround (gated) pen are sitting outside waiting to be assembled. All we need to get is the electric fencing. Wouldn’t have them without it. I am keeping them inside (completely away from the cats) until about 3 months old. My greatest fear is a predator getting to them when they are outside. We have everything here...living in the woods...including bear.
I am so happy to have found this site. There is so much valuable information here. And if anyone has different ideas for protecting them in the future I would greatly appreciate the advice. Also, I am considering using non-toxic rubber mats for inside the enclosed chicken barn area (and pine chips in the nests). If anyone knows of a rubber mat that is safe and would work well, please let me know! Thanks!
