So overwhelmed

[write2caroline]

I guess if you limit the time the chickens have around your garden and don't let them necessarily freerange in it they will eat bugs and some of the leaves. Mine love the new little sprouts so when I am getting planting started I do not allow them in the garden area. They are happy to purouse through the rest of the yard munching on greens and bugs. Then I shepherd them back to their run or to their coops. Their coops are moveable so I do move them around so they always have fresh ground to scratch but if I leave it too long they do denude the area under the coop. So I guess it is in how you manage your flock and the amount of "free ranging" you allow is the answer to your question.

Caroline

 

[mmtillman]

from MO.

 

[TinyBirds]

Definitely build the biggest you have space for. You'll want a lot more chickens than you're probably planning on. Especially if u read these forums much you'll want 1 of each breed and the cute mutts too!
Welcome!!

 

[Keri78]

Yup!!! It's always smart to plan for more than your thinking...b/c that is VERY HIGHLY possible!!! You're going to do GREAT!!!! You're on here already...which is going to be a tremendous source of help & advice...you have a super advantage having Hubby around to build your coop!!!(and yes...like someone mentioned already...think "SHADE" maybe a shaded or roofed run! Make sure you really spend time finding the right breed for your needs...if you have kids at home look for child friendly breeds! I just started with day old babies last June(cochins & buff orpingtons!) and we are still having soooo much fun...just got new silky babies and marans and speckled sussex!!! Next year I want to add some Easter Eggers! It's just a simple pleasure of life now having our chickens around and being able to have fresh eggs! It can be a little over whleming like anything new but remember...this is a learnng experience and your going to learn as you go just like the rest of us...that's part of the fun!

And remember...chickens are the MOST simple...low maintainence....forgiving farm animal(or pet for that matter) you could ever imagine! People is most countries keep a flock of chickens in backyard with little no thought given to it at all! So take a DEEP BREATH...and relax!!!....OK....enough relaxing.....now go find you some cute little balls of fluff!!!!

Oh yeah and

Blessings, Keri

 

[LarryPQ]

Welcome!

Come see us in the AZ thread. Lots of us have desert coops--you can check out my BYC page. I also have a garden, and the chooks will occasionally wreak havoc, but there are ways around it.

 

[CTChickenMom]

from Connecticut!

Don't worry yourself too much with the info here. We can all break things down for you and we can certainly explain something if you need help. This is a great place to learn. I've learned so much here that I now have friends and family coming to me with questions! It makes me feel knowledgable but what I know I learned here.

Deciding on what breeds you want will decide on your coop size. Usually you don't want to mix a standard sized chicken with the bantams as the bantams often end up being lowest in the pecking order and the last ones to eat. Many of the standards come in a bantam size, like Brahmas and Cochins. The bantam Cochins are sooooo cute with all their fluff! You can hardly tell they have legs! Feather footed breeds are easier on your garden too as they tend to scratch less. (I've read this, don't know from experience.) They are pretty docile too. Add a couple bantam easter eggs for some blue/green eggs and your good to go. You'll have plenty of people here egging you on!

 

[TracyinAZ]

You guys are great! Thank you again.

This may be the wrong place to ask this, but I figured it's better to be wrong while I have such a sweet audience!

We do not have grass in our yard. This is the desert and dirt/rocks/gravel usually prevail. I am from Chicago, but we left grass (and the water bills that go with it) behind and embraced all things desert when we moved here 9 years ago.

Is it ok if they never have grass to peck around in? I think I've seen where I can lay some type of bedding on the "floor" of their coop, but when the are out and about in my yard, are the gravel and rocks ok or do I need to rake them away and just have dirt or some other type of ground cover?

I am thinking about chickens every second, but I want to be prepared and do it as "right" as I can from the start.

Thank you!
Tracy

 

[LarryPQ]

The gravel will get too hot in the summer. You should work with dirt floor, perhaps with some sand, and then pine shavings on top. Do not do straw or hay here. You will be soooooo sorry if you do.

The biggest thing is to get them shade shade shade and lots of water here.

Edited: if the air temp is 117, the gravel will be 125-130 in direct sun. Baked chicken is great, but probably not what you are looking for.

 

[TracyinAZ]

Thank you, LareePQG.

Exactly the info I was looking for. I will remove the rocks/gravel from this area. We had some construction done in that area, so there's not too many left to remove anyway. Dirt/sand/pine shavings would be fine. Do pine shavings on the ground in the desert invite any sort of rodent/critters?

The area where the coop will be will have lots of shade all afternoon as it will be in the shade of my house and I can certainly make sure they have it before noon as well.

Tracy

 

[LarryPQ]

No critters in AZ, not the way you are used to.

Search out "deep litter method" here. The chickens will eat any stray mice unluckly enough to venture in. Your pine shavings only need to be tossed in, a few handfuls at a time, once a week or when it gets smelly. Using DE (diotomaceous earth -spelling?) will keep bugs out. I suspect with only a few chickens, you may use 4 bags of shavings a year.

I use more bags of shavings, but only because I am a priss.