The Flock

[B. Kossum]

I am a new member to this board and new to chickens as well. Luckily, I live a block away from another board member, Mr.Roy. I started out by purchasing four Rhode Island Red eggs and making a homemade incubator out of a small styrofoam icechest (four is about all it will hold). It works good, but the lid is not sealed very well and my temp. fluctuates a little too much. We are currently on Day 16 of the incubation. I noticed a smell today when I was turning the eggs- after a little sniffing around I was able to locate the problem. Horror stories of eggs blowing up in the incubator already had me paranoid. Anyways, I cracked it and their was no chick forming. I candled the rest and they seem fine. A lot of dark area, which I assume would be the growing chicks. I am far from efficient at candling, but there is definitely something in them. Anyways, a few days after the eggs arrived I got impatient and bought a barred rock chick from the feed store. After designing my coop and getting to work on my run, I realized I can probably have a few more chickens. I only plan to keep one RIR hen and eat the rest. The run is 12 X 10 and the coop is 4 X 8, so I am thinking I'll have room for 6 full grown hens and raise a few other pullets or roosters for the stewpot. So, I went back to the feed store last Wednesday and bought an Easter Egger. I found it interesting that even with all of the information about gettting mutt Ameraucanas from feed stores this lady argued me down that they were true Ameraucanas (although she would admit that they probably wouldn't do well at the Poultry Show). Anyways, as long as I get colored eggs I'll be satisfied. As a matter of fact, I will be heading back over in the morning to get another Easter Egger and possibly a White Rock. Is there any way to tell the color a chick will be when it grows up? The EE I got last week is mostly brown but they had some yellow ones too. I'm assuming they will mature to become different colors, so I may get a yellow one tomorrow. Anyhow, I will still need one more chicken. I really want a Cuckoo Marans for their dark eggs, but I also like the Delawares. I recently passed on a Dominicker because I don't want three chickens that look like Barred Rocks. So, I will ask- Which is better? A Delaware or a White Rock. I'm leaning towards the Rock because I can get her tomorrow. Anyways, I will try to keep this thread active as we build our flock. I would have added pictures tonight, but my 16 month old hid our battery charger for the camera. I wish he would learn how to talk because I need to ask him where that charger is and the darn remote he lost six months ago. lol.

 

[Tala]

6 hens is a good number. Yes.

You'll soon find out how addicting chicks are though! I had 5 birds all of last year and they laid well. Now I have 10 adults + 8 babies, + 23 eggs in the bator!

 

[B. Kossum]

They are definitely addictive. Maybe not as much as this website though. lol. I did go over and get an EE and a White Rock this morning. They seem to be doing great even though my Barred Rock is two weeks older. I have been watching them closely, but haven't seen them pecking on each other. I hoping that as long as they are happy they will leave each other alone. I actually splurged on a good chick feeder and waterer today as well as a big bag of pine shavings. It should stay alot cleaner for longer than the paper towels and shallow dishes. I have been amazed at how inexpensive raising chickens is. There are so few affordable things in life these days and with chickens you actually get a little of your money back (breakfast and dinner lol). I am definitely addicted. Although I don't live in the same town as my mom, she needs a hobby and I have been trying to get her into it. Between the two of us, we could have a pretty diversified flock. She had a bad experience with them though. My Uncle gave her a gamecock and three game hens because he didn't know their sire. A long story short, that rooster was mean and caused a lot of problems. Kinda ruined her on raising chickens herself. Anyways I am still waiting on pics, but we have a 17 day old Barred Rock, a 10 day old EE, a 3 day old EE, and a 3 day old White Rock and I can't wait til they can go outside. lol.

 

[B. Kossum]

Alright, I finally got my coop built (with a whole lot of help from Mr. Roy) and got these chickens outside. I will now attempt to post some pics of their first day in the coop.

I have to say they are loving it! The chicks range from 5 weeks to 3 weeks and all got along great in the fish tank so I'm sure they'll do really good in a big space. The Barred Rock in the photo is a really good bird. She'll come up to anybody and even lets my 16 month old pick her up. Definitely got to get some more of those when I get some space.

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Cute, cute, CUTE!! Both the chicken babies and the human baby!!

I love your natural branch roost, I've been toying with that idea for our new coop and you may have persuaded me. Though, I'm worried that my fat-butt chickens would break that branch in a second!

 

[Woods_Woman]

What a gr8 coop & chicks, very handsome Son too. Sounds like you have a good Mentor to help you along in this addiction, good luck and enjoy your new feathered friend. Maybe once mom see's how well it goes for you she will be tempted to give it a try too. Oh and

to BYC

 

[lcw]

very cute chickens.
keep us updated.lol.

 

[B. Kossum]

Quote:
Thanks for all the kind words. The branch is actually just wedged in their and seems to support all of my little ones just fine, but I will have to get a bigger one that will be screwed in soon. I actually did it just to save money; the only good thing I could find at Home Depot was almost $2 a foot. But turns out I like it better this way anyhow and the points where I removed the little branches don't seem to bother them.