(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens? Yes!! I'm at the researching stage. I would like to start my chicken adventure Spring 2012. (2) How many chickens do you have right now? 0. Would like to start with 4. (3) What breeds do you have? None. Am considering Rhode Island Reds. (4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com? Googling "raising chickens". (5) What are some of your other hobbies? I like to read and dream about living on my farm in Kansas. I live in Virginia now. (6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share. My husband of 35 years-the love of my life, 2 great children, 3 wonderful grandchildren, and 2 dogs. My husband retired this Spring and I'm still plugging along as a Social Worker.
from Twentynine Palms in the California high desert. You'll find BYC folks are very friendly and always eager to help. Enjoy!
Welcome to BYC There is only one thing missing in your life - CHICKENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! here are some to keep you going!!!!!! Oesdog - ok I will thow in the big fat one too!!!!!
Welcome! You're doing the right thing- learn as much as you can BEFORE you get your chickens. I wish I had. Some lessons at the bottom of my post. (1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens? Spring 2011 (2) How many chickens do you have right now? 20 layers (lost a few) & 20 meat chicks (3) What breeds do you have? Layers: Several- hodgpodge & I LOVE the variety! Isa Browns (hybrid of Rhode Island Reds & whites) that lay lots of HUGE brown eggs; black australopes, Barred rock, campine (my trouble child- we call her 'Cinderella' & she has lots of problems with her crop but that's a story for another day), Americaunas (also great layers) (4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com? Same way you did, Google. --Check out YouTube- search everything on there from making your own feeders/waterers, building coops, roosts, hatching eggs, hatcheries, etc. You can save a lot of $ & don't have to buy a lot of fancy equipment. One of the most important things is protection from predators (I can't tell you how many people I know let their chickens free range & don't seem bothered when predators get them) and clean water. --Buy 'Raising Chickens for Dummies.' I think you can get it cheaper on Amazon --The fancy chickens are great to look at but they have more health problems & don't lay as well. Unless you want just pets, it gets expensive when they're not producing eggs. Now, I'm more excited when I go to the coop & see eggs rather than the fancy chickens that are just costing me more $$. --I highly recommend getting a variety of birds that lay well rather than mediocre layers- the fun wears off (at least it did for us) touch them a LOT as chicks so they aren't skittish- we got all of ours from others as adults & they were obviously NOT held much so they aren't like the ones you see in pics of people holding 'happy looking hens.' Ours have taken lots of work to get them more friendly. --Read BackYard Poultry magazine; you can also go to their site & review a portion of back issue articles right online. Lots of great info about things like whether to heat a coop or not (not), airflow, etc. --Learn from others on here but get several opinions about a question Good luck!! It's been fun!
and from your neighbor in Maryland! We got our first eight chicks this past spring. Wish I'd done it sooner, gotten more, and built (instead of bought readymade) a larger coop. I want to expand in the spring, but I think it will require me to twist my darling hubs' arm. Hard. Or possibly get him so thoroughly hooked on these delicious eggs that he can't bear the thought of not having them and then explain molting to him. Voila... chicken math! Timing's everything! Pick up a copy of Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens. You will find it full of valuable information in terms you will understand immediately. It's also a great reference when you get your chicks. This is a wonderful forum and there are some really brilliant folks who can provide advice and guidance. Their willingness to help, especially newbies, is refreshing. Welcome and enjoy your chicken adventure! Marcy
