Starting from fresh. Some help please guys.

[azygous]

I hope the OP isn't in a rush to leave their thread. Once begun, a thread has a life of its own, and keeps growing even without much input from its OP. Any thread starter or even poster should check back from time to time to participate in updates. And please fill out the profile info. Geographicals help everyone to give meaningful advice.

My advice to the OP is to read through the first several pages on each forum her on BYC. Participate in any relevant threads, and take it from there. By the time you begin raising your chicks, you will know enough to get started and any problems that arise, we're here to give immediate assistance.

My other recommendation is to make sure your coop is built before you get your first chicks. So that's where I would start - in the coop and run forum, deciding on how large and what type coop will meet your needs, and plan to go larger than what you think you may need.

 

[3riverschick]

I hope the OP isn't in a rush to leave their thread. Once begun, a thread has a life of its own, and keeps growing even without much input from its OP. Any thread starter or even poster should check back from time to time to participate in updates. And please fill out the profile info. Geographicals help everyone to give meaningful advice.

My advice to the OP is to read through the first several pages on each forum her on BYC. Participate in any relevant threads, and take it from there. By the time you begin raising your chicks, you will know enough to get started and any problems that arise, we're here to give immediate assistance.

My other recommendation is to make sure your coop is built before you get your first chicks. So that's where I would start - in the coop and run forum, deciding on how large and what type coop will meet your needs, and plan to go larger than what you think you may need.

Hi azygous,
Let me just say I agree about checking back as OP. It's really irritating when someone posts they need help and I take time to research and provide them help only to find they never even check back or leave and never come back while I am typing their answer. If they want help, at least check back or stick around long enough to receive it. It's not like we all have punch cards with every answer just waiting for them to ask.
What frustration. I was helping someone last night and just typed 1/2 the answer with a note saying basically " now that I have your attention please don't leave before I can type the rest". All I am saying is if someone wants help, just stick around long enough to get it ...or make sure to check back in and see if anyone helped. I don't think that is too much to ask if an OP is asking for help.
Best,
Karen

 

[lazy gardener]

I would also recommend building that coop and run where it can be accessed with electricity. That will allow brooding the chicks in the coop. It will allow supplemental light if that becomes desired. Head to the library and pick up some books. i highly recommend this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Small-Scale-Poultry-Flock-All-Natural-Approach/dp/1603582908

A picture is worth a thousand words, and when you have text and words together, it will do so much more. While this site is helpful, IMO, getting a good reference book will go a long way towards making you ready for that first flock. Also, read the many articles in the learning center.

Helpful if you put your general location in your profile. Also look at your state thread in the social section. You just might find a neighbor who can mentor you.

 

[azygous]

Karen, we couldn't agree more! And while we're at it, a simple thank you from any OP would be a nice gesture, an acknowledgement you've seen and appreciated the efforts of your neighbors to help you. Too many times, an OP will go mute after asking the initial question. One never knows what happened to them.

Rarely, I will see an OP come back after months of silence to report they were apologizing because they suddenly took sick with a horrible disease and had been hospitalized. One such situation involved a person who had contracted aspergiliosis from living across the road from a commercial poultry barn. Wow! Updates to threads can be pretty revealing. Another OP disappeared after urgently asking for help to determine what could be killing every single baby chick they ever tried to raise. Over a year later, the OP came back and said they had been forced to move because the water had been seriously contaminated. Another eye-opening revelation which explained both why the OP had disappeared and why their chicks were dying.

I remember way back when I posted my very first thread here on BYC. I got immediate feedback and answers, yet it took me a bit to realize I needed to respond to the help I'd been given. This was back when my brain cells were working pretty speedily so there was no excuse. I would expect that it doesn't occur to some posters at all to respond with updates.

 

[aart]

I like the idea of hardware cloth is this a picture of the right materials below?

Yep, that's hardware cloth......looks like 1/4"(~6mm), most here use 1/2"(~13mm).

Welcome to BYC!
LOTS to learn.... the first year is like getting a sip of water from a fire hose...second year is much easier.

 

[rebrascora]

@aart

Quote: What a wonderful analogy! Not heard it before...Is it your own original?....It does describe the first year rather appropriately and the mental image it conjures up is rather funny.

 

[aart]

@aart

Quote:

What a wonderful analogy! Not heard it before...Is it your own original?....It does describe the first year rather appropriately and the mental image it conjures up is rather funny.

I've said it for years and years...not sure if I heard somewhere or made it up.

 

[jerdna]

I live just outside of Balfast, Northern Ireland So it's pretty cold and there aren't as many predators as you would get in America for example but we still get the odd fox... I was actually about to get into the pricing of everything so i'm glad you have made the point about the chicken feed and how it comes mashed up. I will deferentially take your advice by getting the chicks and raising them to see what they like best. I also have a small organic garden that i could try growing some enjoyable food for the chickens and feed them that? Just an idea

http://home.howstuffworks.com/green-living/organic-chicken-feed-cheap.htm????

Thanks for all the messages guys it's building up really quickly

 

[Mrs. K]

5 meters x 6 meters will give you plenty of space for a fair amount of chickens. It is better to start with a few, get some experience, add a few more. For the best egg laying, one should have a multi- generational flock, with some being culled going into their 3rd year, and some being added each year.

Go to the coops tab at the top of the page, some excellent coops and directions for building them. I am in strong favor of a shed that you can walk into, verse the little "cuter" hutches. I also like a good run/coop set up. It is nice to let them out, but there will be times in which they need to be locked down, and being able to go outside at those times will keep them healthier. The coop/run will be your biggest expense. However, an old shed can often be modified to keep chickens.

Local farm stores will have chicks within the next few weeks. Pick some up and get started.

Good luck!

Mrs K

 

[3riverschick]

Karen, we couldn't agree more! And while we're at it, a simple thank you from any OP would be a nice gesture, an acknowledgement you've seen and appreciated the efforts of your neighbors to help you. Too many times, an OP will go mute after asking the initial question. One never knows what happened to them.

Rarely, I will see an OP come back after months of silence to report they were apologizing because they suddenly took sick with a horrible disease and had been hospitalized. One such situation involved a person who had contracted aspergiliosis from living across the road from a commercial poultry barn. Wow! Updates to threads can be pretty revealing. Another OP disappeared after urgently asking for help to determine what could be killing every single baby chick they ever tried to raise. Over a year later, the OP came back and said they had been forced to move because the water had been seriously contaminated. Another eye-opening revelation which explained both why the OP had disappeared and why their chicks were dying.

I remember way back when I posted my very first thread here on BYC. I got immediate feedback and answers, yet it took me a bit to realize I needed to respond to the help I'd been given. This was back when my brain cells were working pretty speedily so there was no excuse. I would expect that it doesn't occur to some posters at all to respond with updates.

Thank you azygous,
My thoughts exactly. It's nice to know I am not alone in my feelings.
Best Regards,
Karen