Oh man, I'm insane.... lol

[FarmGirlNE]

Well.... I shouldn't have, but I just put in an order with Welp Hatchery....... I've got 30 chicks coming to me next week!!! 10 black australorps, 10 giant blue cochins, and 10 silver laced wyandottes... 8 pullets, 2 cockerels of each.....

I've been trying soooooo hard to practice a little self-control..... I'm dying to have more critters, after having so many animals all year, and now it's just me and my dog.... I've been *almost* replying to dog ads, then having to tell myself there will be other dogs later on lol Plus my dog really wouldn't want a playmate just yet with still adjusting to the move.... Well, I hadn't thought I'd even be able to order chicks this late in the year.... but I've got a friend in Iowa that's coming down here next month, and he got me looking at Welp Hatchery's website.... I saw that I could order them now.... and well, couldn't help it lol

I don't have a coop yet, but I keep my little ones in the house for a good while, till they're ready to go out.... and I can put together something for them inside, and having them inside for a bit gives me time to get at least a small coop built.... because I've considered doing little coops for each breed.... or I can get one built and add to it.... I'm contemplating just doing some A-frame coops for each breed though, seems easiest and cheapest... possibly even doing them as chicken tractors so I can move them around, give them a fresh area....

Yeah, I'm getting the cart before the horse..... lol but I kept my chicks inside for about 2 months last spring when I got them, maybe a little longer.... and I'd planned to have my coop built within 2 months anyway before it gets cold down here... lol

I haven't told anyone, this is the only place I'm mentioning it..... cuz my friends and family would so jump on my case about it lol I figured once I've got the chicks, they can't really say much though lol .....but I had to tell *somebody* so I'm posting here

 

[arlee453]

Well, you know nobody around here can say "no' to more chickens! Enjoy your little ones!

 

[slyfoxpeeps]

I feel your pain!!! That is how I started. The chick before the coop. So we did a very large crate and yard for a mixture of breeds- All young yet and I have 2 breeder houses and runs for 2 different types of polish. I still need about 3 more breeder space for the Sumatra's and my Seabrights and Sultans. Now you have me looking at Welp's myself I need some hens for all the roosters I've been accumulating....

 

[PurpleChicken]

OK, everyone get in a circle.

Me: Hi, my name is Don and I'm a chickenaholic.

All: Hi Don.

FarmGirlNE: Hi, my name is Farmgirl and I'm a chickenaholic.

All: Hi Farmgirl.

 

[FarmGirlNE]

glad to know I'm not the only crazy one who's done this, the chicken before the coop lol

lmao Don, yep, I'm hooked lol

Had around 60 chickens up in Nebraska and I miss them soooooo much! I just couldn't help myself lol but oh man, I started really looking into the coop building and what I'll need to do, how big it needs to be, etc..... figure if I can get one coop built though it should be ok to start with, they'll be small for awhile yet... and then work on a couple more.... realized a chicken tractor isn't gonna work, having 10 of each breed....

but, thinking along the lines of one long building, divided, which I could start with one section and add to it I suppose.... or.... have another idea in mind, but will have to think on it, see if it would work.... I'm running on no sleep right now, and well, I don't trust my ideas when I haven't slept.....

My friend's coming down here next month..... haven't told him yet what I did.... and well, debating on just letting him find out when he gets here.... lol but not sure how he'll feel about chickens in the house...... he does know I raised my others in the house though when I got them....

as cool as it's been getting most nights lately, they will definitely be in the house till they're feathered.... kept my others in the house for at least 2 months, but probably longer than I really needed to.... was putting off getting that "empty nest syndrome"

 

[texaschickmama]

Hey, FarmgirlNE, congrats on little ones coming soon. You will have to get on that coop for them. How did you end up in MS? There was a great link on her yesterday showing tractors made of some very affordable stuff. I can't remember where it was I guess just do a search for tractors or arks.

 

[FarmGirlNE]

texaschickmama, I'm originally from Memphis, TN.... moved to Nebraska last January to um, live with a guy I met on the internet (now y'all can really think I'm insane) lol

Well, that didn't work out..... came back down south a couple of months ago, stayed with family in MS just outside of Memphis for a bit, then over to Little Rock, AR to stay with family while I was trying to figure out what I was gonna do.....

My dad offered me a place to live, renting a little house from him, on a bit of land.... I'd told him the one requirement was that I'm NOT in the city and that I can have chickens lol So.... here I am, in a tiny little "town" of 200 people, on 5 acres (which I can't use all of it because part of it's used for rental storage and there's another house here, and they cut hay here.... but I've got enough room for chickens) lol

Turns out I'm in a great place though, I'm 7 miles north of Ripley, MS, which is where they have a huge flea market every month, I'll be able to sell eggs and chicks there... I'm also gonna try to come up with some easy cheap crafts I could make and sell... any extra income would be good.... lol

I've been looking at chicken tractors, but just thinking they won't be big enough..... I have an idea of what I might try.... think I'm gonna go post in the coop section, see if I'm missing seeing some reason that it wouldn't work..... lol