Hello Guys, I recently purchased a home in NJ with a good size backyard; I was always interested in having my own coop with a few chickens. I have done some research in the learning center of this website but I still consider myself a complete beginner and will need lots of help and have lots of questions. How do I begin? Should I buy a Coop or build one? Should I 1st start with learning how to hatch eggs and raise chicks? Should I buy a coop and purchase full grown chickens? What kind of chickens do you recommend for the state of NJ? I did find RIR’s pretty interesting along with a few others that may do well in cold weathers? I am sorry for all these questions, I just would like to educate myself as much as possible before beginning. If there is anyone in the state of NJ that is willing to help me that would be amazing. Thank you, Johnny
Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan Check out the FAQ section for help with all your questions https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/204/backyardchickens-forum-faq
Welcome...what part of NJ? Are you handy? All chickens do well in NJ. Start off with chicks and watch them grow. If you get them as chicks, by the time they are ready, you'll have the coop done. This will also get you familuar to the entire chicken life. Oh...and , use this site....plenty of information.
HI! So any progress with your chicken project??? I have always wanted some chickens. But with several life changes it has been on hold... But the time was kind of right this year and it happened. I poked around gently for hubby's approval, but um, didn't get it... So one day I just decided to build one myself... HOW hard could it be to build a BOX i thought to myself??? Well I was on a tight budget and had 2 sheets of pressure treated wood around... I still spent about $100 on misc hardware, screws and framing materials. The only tools I had was a circ. saw, staple gun, scroll saw (not sure, like a coping saw), drill. It turned out mediocre, but i was gratified that i did it with only the help of my 5 year old Hubby grumbled for a bit....UNTIL the first eggs were laid!!!!!!!!! I got discouraged after checking for eggs from Sept. - Dec. every night-- no eggs. I figured they wouldn't lay until spring... so i stopped checking in the house. One december night while walking the dog I shined the flash light in and to my delight EGGS!!!! 5 big beautiful perfect clean brown eggs!!!! HAHA!!! I hollared up to the window where my husband was. He came out and saw them and he was hooked ever since. He said that my coop was a good effort and we have since went and bought a Amish coop. I am glad we got it and have also made improvement to the tractor/forager that i had. We got the coop in lancaster, where the gentleman told me that he gets them at auctions! I feel we got a deal on our coop, but I bet you can get a better one if you went straight to an auction yourself.. you will need a truck and trailer to bring it home... we used a flat bed dually to bring home the 5x6 quaker style. Chickens are happy and healthy, getting 2 eggs a day on avg for 3 RIRs. Silkies (2) are still young as well as a pair of auracannas.
