Newby from Bozeman, Mt

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Welcome to BYC!
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Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
You'll get LOTS of suggestions on the chickens! May I suggest you post several pictures of your coop here
Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance?
That way we can critique it and offer suggestions to improve it so you have a successful summer and winter with your chickens. Many times people who've never had chickens assume that the previous owners coop has been correctly designed when in fact it has many easily addressed short comings.
 
Hi and welcome to BYC :frow We're so happy you've decided to join us :ya

We have a contest going on right now just for new folks like you. In order to enter you'll need to copy the link from your first post in this thread and post it in the contest thread.

To copy your link address, right click on the link to your thread and click copy or copy link
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then click on the following URL
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...t-new-byc-members-win-a-byc-calendar.1287752/

Go down to where it says "write your reply..." tell us this is your entry and then click on the link button

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Paste your URL into the box and click "insert", then click "Post Reply".
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That's all there is to it. Once you've finished this, you're eligible to win a nice BYC Calendar.
 
Montview said:
Hi all! I just received a Murray McMurray catalog in the mail and am planning my intro into chickens this spring. We live in Bozeman, MT, where temps have ranged between -16 to 48 degrees F all in the past week, on 5 acres with a year-round creek. One of our “garden sheds” used to be a henhouse- has a ramp, doors in/out, glass windows and nest boxes along one wall and is large enough to park our riding lawn mower in it (it’s current use) and we also have a 100’ x 20’ commercial greenhouse that will be refurbished as a possible winter “run?” We have 2 daughters, a 5 yr old and a 5 month old, breed/compete with Labrador retrievers in conformation and performance venues, and I’m looking forward to learning more about chickens as pets.

Looking for the most social family pets, good egg layers, and just fun pretty hens in a variety. May even be interested in showing at some point as our 5 yr old reaches 4-H age. She has show our dogs in AKC pee wee events. Any suggestions on family-friendly, cold-hardy, pretty breeds?

Any other catalogs or places you suggest to get healthy, nice chickens? Also- what health care recommendations do you have for a backyard flock, and is there a good size to start with? 5? 10? 3?
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Welcome! Waving hello from 75 miles North of you <G>.

For small numbers of chicks without the stresses of shipping, I have had very good luck with Murdoch's. (depending on which end of Bozeman you are on, the 7th Ave store or the Belgrade store are easy access. I am happy with the Helena store). Buying from a hatchery entails the unknowns of shipping among other things but you'd likely have a wider choice of breeds and a wider window for purchasing.Murdoch's only does "chick days" the month of April. You can check with them in March to see what days which breeds come in and reserve your choices.
Advantages:
They do not allow customers to handle chicks.
You can choose as you wish.
Your odds of unwanted cockerels are greatly reduced.
You can get 3 or 5 or however many and not have unwanted "packing peanut" chicks.

I have Buff Orpingtons, Barred Rocks and Easter Eggers, also a Banty that "needed a home". They handle the cold quite well. They are docile and sweet.

FWIW, Murdoch's has reliable supplies of feeds and so forth. There is also a feed store on the West side of Bozeman that has a variety of feeds including organics. I can't think of the name of it off the top of my head but it should be easy for you...

Given our climate and weather conditions I opt for breeds that are cold hardy, have small combs and no fancy feathered feet.

Since you have a year round creek, I'd suggest you take an extreme approach to predator proofing from the beginning. Critters like raccoons and fox like those meadows close to live streams, and they love chickens!
Have fun!!!
 
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