Spring Fever!!!

[Mrs. K]

It is ok to add, but remember your space is the same before and after. If you add, you should also subtract to keep a balance.

 

[yyz0yyz0]

Not sure why you are worried about your purchase.

If your coop is really 48sqft you should be fine with 9 birds in there, I have a 32sqft coop with 9 birds currently and no issues.

The "general" rule seems to be 4sqft/bird of coop space, so following that rule you have room for a total of 12 birds.


I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with spring chick fever. I was worried I was obsessed with the whole thing(I still may be), checking CL daily to see if there are any new chick ads, calling TSC every other day to see if their chicks have come in, etc etc.

even though I'm already over the 4ft/bird rule, I'm planning on getting some chicks and in NY you gotta get 6. I plan to cull in the fall but I'll have a full coop from mid-summer when the chicks get integrated till fall when I cull some older birds. I never close my pop door so as soon as the birds are awake they can leave the coop for more room, at least that's how I convince myself that it will all work out. I'll just have to keep an eye on everything to make sure they aren't too crowded and it's causing issues.

FLUFFY CHICKS RULE!!!!!

LOL

 

[BuffaloridaGirl]

I think I just feel bad only letting them out when I am around to actually monitor them in the backyard since my neighbors aren't pleased with my hobby. They used to only be in the coop for the night but now I am only letting them free range for a few hours during day.

 

[chicklover 1998]

Anyone else giving in to adding some adorable fluffy babies to their flocks this spring?? I am only on a quarter acre and did a very bad thing. I heard that Rural King had some breeds I have been admiring, so I thought "oh well I can just look right? And even if I WERE to give in, another 2 won't hurt. Six total? That's not a lot." And BAM... Just like that I somehow ended up at Rural King and bought FIVE chicks!!! So now I have 4 bigs in a 48 sq. ft. coop plus free ranging and now 5 babies in a cage in the garage waiting to join them creating a flock of 9 and make my back neighbors hate me more. Oops.

You have enough room for 12 so don't worry and if the neighbors complain give them some eggs, if they have a barking dog or other animal that is loud or annoying you can also remind them of that, however if they don't have a bad pet then hopefully the eggs will keep them from complaining.

 

[NCaliChick]

I don't think I have spring fever, I just want a more colorful egg bowl. Maybe that's worse? My boyfriend keeps letting me know how much extra space we have in our 2 coops, so it would totally be OK to get some more birds, right?
We have always had brown eggs, because that's just the birds we got. I wanted some different color layers when we renewed our flock last year, but it was late summer, and we were getting the last of the store owner's chicks.
I want blue/green, olive, and chocolate eggs. Oy, that's gonna be one heck of a flock if I get what I want!

 

[chicklover 1998]

Have you thought about pink, or white(I know it seems boring but if you only have one or two it gives it a little brightness)

 

[BuffaloridaGirl]

The colorful egg variety gets me too. That's why I got a Maran, but I don't know how dark the egg will be. If it's a Cukoo, I don't anticipate a nice dark color like I wanted. And I finally just got my very first blue/green egg yesterday!!!!

 

[BuffaloridaGirl]

What I walked in and saw last night: "Ava are you napping with the chicks??!" Lol

 

[BuffaloridaGirl]

My neighbors called the city again. I even was standing inside the coop and overheard them on the phone with someone when they were on their back porch!! No one came over to speak with me, no notes on my front door. I'm not even sure what the problem is. Our friends said they claim it causes too much dust, and they don't want them jumping over the fence. But now that they are locked up 24/7 they are just so squawking loud! I was going to give them eggs but I think it is beyond that point. In my opinion the noise now is way more of a nuisance. Until then we will just hang out on our screened in back porch and wait for 5:00... Or noon.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Spring fever

I fired up my incubator back in December and currently have 34 Silkie/Sizzle chicks of various ages on the ground. Yesterday I placed an order with Cackle for 24 more chicks: EEs, black Sexlinks, brown Leghorns, Turkens, Speckled Sussex and Welsummers. And....I also have 8 Emu eggs cooking in the incubator.

And you guys think you have it bad