Newbie

[Sparklegirl]

Hi everyone. My daughter and family have recently acquired 4 laying chickens and 2 ducks. We have all been having a lot of fun learning about chickens and ducks and what they can and can not eat and what plants we can put in the coop and most importantly how to protect them!

 

[Boppo]

Glad to meet you, and welcome to BYC. I grow mealworms and find it really easy. I bought a set of plastic boxes where I keep the worms, with a cake cooler to cover it and protect the worms (and beetles) from mice or other intruders. My mealworms live high on the hog with wheat bran, though I understand some folks feed the mealworms on styrofoam, which the worms can digest. But they switch them to oatmeal or wheat bran for the last 2 weeks before harvesting them. If they get stressed, mealworms smell vinegary, so they will let you know. I add 4-6 chunks of carrot for them to get fluids. My birds love the mealworms.

Here are my favorite beginning articles that helped me as a newbie. I hope you will find them helpful as well. All articles are short, have illustrations, and reviews, which are often worth looking at for the comments.

1. Intro to chicken keeping AND Tips about Duck care

2. Common mistakes & how to fix them

3. Ventilation (important to bird health), with helpful links to coop designs organized by climate (because what is just right for my New England hens won't work for my brother's Arizona chickens)

3(a). Farmers Almanac on Building Coops (Includes size requirements!) Allowing plenty of space for chickens is really important because, even as chicks, they will start pecking each other or plucking their own feathers, or become unhealthy if they are overcrowded. Here is a link to Colorado State Extension's publication on space and temperature requirements for chicks as they age.

4. Predator protection for new & existing coops

5. Dealing with a muddy coop and run

6. Gardening for chickens (includes links to other articles about what chickens can and cannot eat)

7. BYC Lists of Chicken Ailments and Cures

To look for articles on your own:

A. Use the SEARCH button, but use the Advanced Search choice, and select ARTICLES at the top of the box. Just enter your keyword(s) and scroll through your results!

B. I find it helpful to notice the rating and reviews. All articles are by BYC members, and all the reviews/ratings are as well. The ratings help a newbie like me sort the most useful and reliable articles.

C. You can bookmark the articles or posts you think you want to refer to again using that bookmark icon at the top of articles or posts. You can find them again by clicking on your own avatar and looking at the list of bookmarks you have built up!

Notes about where to put a coop:

1. As far as you can, put a coop and run on high ground, that drains well, so you won't have so much muddy coop problems. Chickens need to be dry, dry, dry.

2. As far as you can, put a coop with the ventilation lined up with your prevailing breezes, and away from the direction of your storms. If you are not sure of these (who is these days?), check with your local National Weather Service website.

3. As far as you can, arrange for some sort of shade over your coop and run. Preferably deciduous so the girls will enjoy winter sun, but summer shade.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

So glad you decided to join. Make yourself at home here and welcome to our community!

 

[N F C]

Hi, it's nice to have you here with us. Make yourself at home and always feel free to ask questions!

 

[Kenneth Zweerink]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens. And a Big Hello from Eastern Nebraska!

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC, and good luck with your new flock.

 

[Sparklegirl]

Hello @Sparklegirl! Welcome to BYC! Thanks for joining the community, and we’re so glad to have you here! Make yourself at home, and don’t be afraid to ask any question whatsoever!

That’s a great small flock to start with! Beware though, chicken math will get to you sooner or later… LOL!

Thanks for joining, and I hope we’ll meet in some other threads as well! Welcome to BYC!

Thank you! I never knew chickens and ducks could be so much fun! I’m reading up on how to make suet now. Even thinking about growing mealworms! To funny. Who would have thought….

 

[Sparklegirl]

Wow that’s a blessing are the ducks laying too? What breed of ducks are they? And what breed of hens? Got any pics to share? I’d love to see them welcome !!

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC! You have an adorable flock.

 

[Tookie]

Hi, welcome to BYC!