Scots in France
Songster
I have only been looking after chickens for 2 years, every day is a school day! 
Things I have learned the hard way :-
1. Guaranteed they will do exactly what you don't want them to!
2. Be patient (very!) keep focused on what you want them to do and give them 10 minutes or so... Especially when getting them into the coop at dusk!
3. Get a long stick, think shepherd's crook style, can be very handy to help guide them where you want them to go, without you getting too close...
4. Pamper your broody hens!
If they are sitting on eggs, give them peace to do their work! Make sure that they eat every day, you can prompt a broody to eat by ruffling her breast feathers under a dish of food - when they try to peck, they end up with a beak full of food....
If they are not sitting on eggs, they probably deserve a couple of weeks off egg laying duties / getting chased daily by 1 or more roosters
5. Speak to them - LOTS! Get them used to your voice and they can be trained to come when called! Very useful!
6. You WILL end up with more chickens than you think...
I started looking after my neighbours 2 hens and now the flock of up to 50 is all mine!
We have 2 coops and 3 nurseries now and have managed to house them all by recycling old wood / building / using what we have lying around or can find on the property (like branches for roost bars etc)!
7. If you don't know - ASK!!! BYC is a wonderful resource and there will always be someone who has had to deal with whatever you are facing!
"No such thing as a stupid question!"
8. Enjoy your birds! They are funny, smart, can be trained, cuddly too!
9. Be prepared to bring sick / injured / abandoned chicks into your home! We have a large dog travel crate with mesh windows, it has been fantastic for putting roosters in after fights or attacks - mesh windows keeps the flies off them!
10. First aid kit - salt water and flour is a good start for minor fight wounds; iodine wash and blue spray antiseptic / antibiotic for livestock for attack wounds with dressings and bandages.
11. If you are going to let them free range, you are going to keep fit looking after them! Especially when you want to find where they are laying eggs!
The chickens we have bring me such a lot of pleasure, it's really good to know that they have had a good life with us!
Things I have learned the hard way :-
1. Guaranteed they will do exactly what you don't want them to!
2. Be patient (very!) keep focused on what you want them to do and give them 10 minutes or so... Especially when getting them into the coop at dusk!
3. Get a long stick, think shepherd's crook style, can be very handy to help guide them where you want them to go, without you getting too close...
4. Pamper your broody hens!
If they are sitting on eggs, give them peace to do their work! Make sure that they eat every day, you can prompt a broody to eat by ruffling her breast feathers under a dish of food - when they try to peck, they end up with a beak full of food....If they are not sitting on eggs, they probably deserve a couple of weeks off egg laying duties / getting chased daily by 1 or more roosters
5. Speak to them - LOTS! Get them used to your voice and they can be trained to come when called! Very useful!
6. You WILL end up with more chickens than you think...
I started looking after my neighbours 2 hens and now the flock of up to 50 is all mine!
We have 2 coops and 3 nurseries now and have managed to house them all by recycling old wood / building / using what we have lying around or can find on the property (like branches for roost bars etc)!
7. If you don't know - ASK!!! BYC is a wonderful resource and there will always be someone who has had to deal with whatever you are facing!
"No such thing as a stupid question!"
8. Enjoy your birds! They are funny, smart, can be trained, cuddly too!
9. Be prepared to bring sick / injured / abandoned chicks into your home! We have a large dog travel crate with mesh windows, it has been fantastic for putting roosters in after fights or attacks - mesh windows keeps the flies off them!
10. First aid kit - salt water and flour is a good start for minor fight wounds; iodine wash and blue spray antiseptic / antibiotic for livestock for attack wounds with dressings and bandages.
11. If you are going to let them free range, you are going to keep fit looking after them! Especially when you want to find where they are laying eggs!
The chickens we have bring me such a lot of pleasure, it's really good to know that they have had a good life with us!
