Sarah's introduction

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SarahDier said:
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens? I am new to chickens. I got my first six at Atwoods in February.

(2) How many chickens do you have right now? Currently, I have 18 chickens, though that number is subject to change depending on how many roos I may have.

(3) What breeds do you have? I like variety, so I have 3 Red Sex Links, 4 Silkies, 3 White Leghorns, 3 Buff Orpingtons, 1 Barred Rock, 2 little white Frizzles, and 2 Easter eggers. Ages are ranging from 5months to 4 weeks.

(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens? I like their personalities, I like caring for them, and I like getting eggs each day. :)

(5) What are some of your other hobbies? I have a vegetable and herb garden that I tend to. When I have time and desire, I also crochet, knit, and enjoy different types of paper crafting.

(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share. I have teenage sons at home, and no other pets at this time. I am a full time college student. Also, I live in east Texas.
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Wow you're busy momma! I love my hens too . What a nice mix you have. Glad you're getting eggs.
 
Glad to meet you, Sarah, and welcome to BYC. Congratulations on your charming sounding flock. I would say that 2 teenage sons at home are more than equivalent to many large pets! Best wishes with your studies, and your chickens! There are a lot of gardeners here, and we even have a forum for that, as well as one for other hobbies that include knitting, crocheting and lots of other interests.

Here are my favorite beginning articles that helped me as a newbie. I hope you will find them helpful as well. All articles are short, have illustrations, and reviews, which are often worth looking at for the comments.

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!
 

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