Norwegian wannabe-farmer

[Misshera]

Hello, I'm from Norway. A year ago I moved from Oslo to a small island on the north-western coast of Norway, where I bought a 200 year old house, completely impulsive and not thought through. I was overwhelmed with the idea of all the renovation needed, so I decided to get chickens and fix a chicken coop instead. Doesn't make sense maybe, but to me it totally did.

First I got 2 hens and a rooster. Dwarf cochin. So adorable. I just had to get 3 more.

One year later. I have got almost no further with reno, just my own bedroom so i can sleep comfortably.
I am absolutely obsessed with my cute little flock of chick's, they happily greet me every day and follow me around outside. We have so much fun together.

Then. Today I visited a lady to meet her newborn lambs. Omg. I fell in love. Now I want sheep to. But, she also had ducks and ducklings. I ended up just sitting with the ducklings, and I couldn't go home without some. She gave me 3 gorgeous little ones and I am absolutely over the moon. They're 5 days old, I have them in my living room in a box with heat lamp and all. Now I'm reading everything I can find online about disks, because I know so little about them. The plan is to have them live in the chicken coop, it is spacious enough I think, I just need to redecorate it to keep both species happy. Luckily summer is coming, they can be mostky outside and I have time to plan for the winter, and I know in my heart that these 3 will be the perfect addition to my gang

I also have a cat and 2 rabbits, I love gardening and animals. My dream is now a bigger garden, so I have more space for my animals. My boyfriend and I don't live together, but he is very supportive of my hobbies and helps a lot.
I'm so happy to have found this forum.

Best, Hege

 

[Boppo]

Glad to meet you, and welcome to BYC. What lovely hens you have! And the picture of the ducklings nestled in your scarf is just adorable.

Here are my favorite beginning articles that helped me as a newbie. All articles are short, have illustrations, and reviews, which are often worth looking at for the comments.

* Duck Care!

1. Intro to chicken keeping

2. Common mistakes & how to fix them

3. Ventilation (important to chicken 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

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.

 

[swampfox440]

Hi, welcome to BYC! it's a pleasure to meet you, thanks for joining us.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

Very nice introduction! Your photos are lovely, thanks for sharing!

Make yourself at home here and if you have any questions about anything, be sure to ask.

Welcome to our community!

 

[Dinoroar]

Hello, I'm from Norway. A year ago I moved from Oslo to a small island on the north-western coast of Norway, where I bought a 200 year old house, completely impulsive and not thought through. I was overwhelmed with the idea of all the renovation needed, so I decided to get chickens and fix a chicken coop instead. Doesn't make sense maybe, but to me it totally did.

First I got 2 hens and a rooster. Dwarf cochin. So adorable. I just had to get 3 more.

One year later. I have got almost no further with reno, just my own bedroom so i can sleep comfortably.
I am absolutely obsessed with my cute little flock of chick's, they happily greet me every day and follow me around outside. We have so much fun together.

Then. Today I visited a lady to meet her newborn lambs. Omg. I fell in love. Now I want sheep to. But, she also had ducks and ducklings. I ended up just sitting with the ducklings, and I couldn't go home without some. She gave me 3 gorgeous little ones and I am absolutely over the moon. They're 5 days old, I have them in my living room in a box with heat lamp and all. Now I'm reading everything I can find online about disks, because I know so little about them. The plan is to have them live in the chicken coop, it is spacious enough I think, I just need to redecorate it to keep both species happy. Luckily summer is coming, they can be mostky outside and I have time to plan for the winter, and I know in my heart that these 3 will be the perfect addition to my gang

I also have a cat and 2 rabbits, I love gardening and animals. My dream is now a bigger garden, so I have more space for my animals. My boyfriend and I don't live together, but he is very supportive of my hobbies and helps a lot.
I'm so happy to have found this forum.

Best, Hege

Haha! Hi Hege, we are birds of a feather. My house is only 150 or so years old though so… newer there are so many aspects that are just unfixable or beyond me. It is constantly overwhelming so I put my efforts in the chickens and garden.

Congrats on your ducklings, I am incubating my first batch of quackers as we speak

 

[Grammy60]

Hi Hege and welcome to BYC Thanks for joining us and sharing pictures.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Hello, I'm from Norway. A year ago I moved from Oslo to a small island on the north-western coast of Norway, where I bought a 200 year old house, completely impulsive and not thought through. I was overwhelmed with the idea of all the renovation needed, so I decided to get chickens and fix a chicken coop instead. Doesn't make sense maybe, but to me it totally did.

First I got 2 hens and a rooster. Dwarf cochin. So adorable. I just had to get 3 more.

One year later. I have got almost no further with reno, just my own bedroom so i can sleep comfortably.
I am absolutely obsessed with my cute little flock of chick's, they happily greet me every day and follow me around outside. We have so much fun together.

Then. Today I visited a lady to meet her newborn lambs. Omg. I fell in love. Now I want sheep to. But, she also had ducks and ducklings. I ended up just sitting with the ducklings, and I couldn't go home without some. She gave me 3 gorgeous little ones and I am absolutely over the moon. They're 5 days old, I have them in my living room in a box with heat lamp and all. Now I'm reading everything I can find online about disks, because I know so little about them. The plan is to have them live in the chicken coop, it is spacious enough I think, I just need to redecorate it to keep both species happy. Luckily summer is coming, they can be mostky outside and I have time to plan for the winter, and I know in my heart that these 3 will be the perfect addition to my gang

I also have a cat and 2 rabbits, I love gardening and animals. My dream is now a bigger garden, so I have more space for my animals. My boyfriend and I don't live together, but he is very supportive of my hobbies and helps a lot.
I'm so happy to have found this forum.

Best, Hege

A warm welcome to you from Maryland! Thanks for sharing pictures. It’s so nice to meet you!!

 

[Kenneth Zweerink]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens. Thank's for Sharing the picture's. And a Big Hello from Eastern Nebraska!

 

[chrissynemetz]

Welcome to BYC! We're happy to have you with us!

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
Just for your awareness when the ducklings grow up if you have any drakes you do not want to house them with your chicken hens. If they attempt to mate them they can kill them.