Spring 2017 first timers post!

[Flight4761]

I'm new to this. I've always wanted a farm, and am planning for chickens this spring as a start!
I've been thinking/researching about them like crazy! Can't wait for the snow to melt so I can get started!!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Welcome! We are looking forward to sharing the adventure with you.

Gary

 

[The Golden Egg5]

I have a question. Can LF and bantams be raised together? I ended up with 2bantam chicks and 4 LF. I also have 12 LF birds coming in April. Will the bigger birds pick on the bantams?

 

[Blooie]

I have a question. Can LF and bantams be raised together? I ended up with 2bantam chicks and 4 LF. I also have 12 LF birds coming in April. Will the bigger birds pick on the bantams?

Some say "yes" some say "no." I'm in the "no" camp. I have Silkies in with my Standard sized chickens and don't do anything special for them. Oh, I was going to build them a special coop of their own, but they were doing so well in with the others that I took a "wait and see" attitude". Well, I waited, and I saw...the two you see in the middle, the dark one and the black-and-white one, are Silkies, and it was 9 degrees when this picture was taken. The other Bigs and Silkies came out shortly after I snapped this. It was too cold to stand out there and wait for them in my T-shirt and jeans!

I have 17 standards and two Silkies. I had four when this shot was taken, but have since sold two of them.

 

[The Golden Egg5]

Some say "yes" some say "no." I'm in the "no" camp. I have Silkies in with my Standard sized chickens and don't do anything special for them. Oh, I was going to build them a special coop of their own, but they were doing so well in with the others that I took a "wait and see" attitude". Well, I waited, and I saw...the two you see in the middle, the dark one and the black-and-white one, are Silkies, and it was 9 degrees when this picture was taken. The other Bigs and Silkies came out shortly after I snapped this. It was too cold to stand out there and wait for them in my T-shirt and jeans! I have 17 standards and two Silkies. I had four when this shot was taken, but have since sold two of them.

Okay thank you! Your birds are so cute! But I will have to get rid of my bantams if one is a rooster. :/

 

[Jiffyrocks]

They are all suppose to be pullets/female (excuse me if I am using the wrong term I am new to this I really hope none of them are roosters especially the smallest barred rock as that one has a ton of personality!

Should be a pullet. And I know what you mean- my barred rock is definitely a favorite! She's so people friendly; hops right up on our arm and loves to be pet! Only 2 weeks old!

 

[Jiffyrocks]

Hi all. I am new to all this. We picked up 6 tetra brown pullets last Wednesday. Then here in MI we went through a cold snap. Today we got up to 39 degrees and I felt it was warm enough to clean their bedding. I had cleaned it once before but wanted to wait as it was s chilly. The chicks seems to be doing great however some of them have "pasty butts". I have checked their vents and they are clear but I don't want to pick off the poop as their tiny feathers and skin may come with it. I was offering them cold water and read this may cause it so I stopped. Also I have fed them some hard boiled eggs to help which I also read. Any suggestions or ideas how I can keep them clean or stop the "pasty butts"? I am so excited to have them and really enjoying the process so far. Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions.

Clean their butts with warm water. And then take some oil (vegetable or other) and put it on the vent.
And be sure to make sure it's actual pasty butt and not just a messy pooper

 

[sfd6532]

The outside coop is coming together

 

[Henchanted]

Yesterday my daughter and I moved the flow of our little tiny itsy bitsy creek so our coop, which is soon to arrive, will be on dry ground. The water was sort of oozing out all over the forest floor. We dug a little trench and built up the sides. It is all of a foot wide but when it rains it can cause a lot of water to flow through it. Our coop is supposed to be ready for pickup at Sears on March 9th. Then Gene and I will be putting the frame together first and seeing where it will sit the most level in our forest before we put it all together. I still have to get the hardware cloth and pavers for the floor. I am so excited to finally be getting chickens that will give us healthy eggs. Good eggs are such a good source of health. I will be adding some pictures later.

I wanted to post some pics of what I was talking about in the post above. This is the little waterway and the area we are going to be putting our coop and run:


Area for coop and run


Little Waterway that needed taming. It was running into the area where I want the coop and run


Another angle on the Little Waterway. It is now more useful in watering our newly planted hedge plants. It was running off everywhere which is a waste of water.


Another view of the future coop and run site.




The Little Waterway and future site of coop and run


You can see where it had been flooding into the forest area where I want the run and coop. It is damp there.


Another angle on the coop and run cite.

 

[Lamaremybabies]

They are all suppose to be pullets/female (excuse me if I am using the wrong term I am new to this I really hope none of them are roosters especially the smallest barred rock as that one has a ton of personality!

Oh, okay! Then in that case hopefully they're all hens.
Oh don't worry about proper terms too much, I still have to describe what I'm trying to say sometimes because I can't remember what it's called or don't know. XD anyways I said the chick thing because I like it!