THEY HAVE SHIPPED!

[SMonroe1990]

The personalities are the best part. No two chickens are the same really. I don't miss the days of having shavings in the water at all. Up in the coop the water hangs and in the dog crate in the chicken coop, where the littles are, my wonderful husband constructed a shelf out of plywood that nestles against the bars and off the floor. Less food wasted and water wasted from them kicking shavings and poop into it. Do you plan on getting more than three?

 

[stasichick]

Well... being that we are just starting out as first time chicken owners we didn't know what to expect... we were going back and forth about building a coop vs buying one and finally settled on buying one because the plans i created were for the tajmahal of coops and we are leaglly only allowed to have 6 hens per house in our township... sooo.... we decide to buy a coop and it says "fits 4-6 hens" we didnt want them to be squished so we got 4 (sadly my little Ese died -- her little head was stuck under the heating pad and I think it either fried her brain or broke her neck- saddest day of my chicken owning life) but the end result is when she died we already started planning for our next group of chickens!!! we would either build or order another coop with a run and attach it to the existing so they can all play / love eachother!) hehehe I think we might wait until next year (get them around the same time we got this peep) maybe more like July though so they can play outside in the warm weather a little bit. I feel bad for my babies its 65/75ish so its a little nippy here for them to go outside. (only two weeks old) ( but waiting for a warmer day for them to play a little )

I wish we were allowed to have more than 6 babies!! I get so jealous when I hear everyone has 10, 20, 30 chickens!!!

 

[SMonroe1990]

Aww sorry to hear that that happened to your little chick. I got my first batch in June and I started taking them out probably at 3 weeks old. My second batch I got in July and I took them out at probably the same age. I know what you mean by being jealous of people. I have 11 myself, but I still want more. I have talked my DH into making our run a little bigger and taking the nesting box I already have and turning it into one thats attached to the outside of the coop. I wouldn't even have as many as I do now if it wasnt for my family being so large (there are 8 of us living in the same house). I know what you mean about them being squished, I swear people who build those premade coop kits don't factor in how big some breeds of chickens can get, and I know that they always have that disclaimer of figuring out how many chickens you can safely put in there yourself but for the amount of money you spend on them you think they would try a little harder to get it closer to the 6 chicken max. Before I fixed up the coop that was on our property I was just going to buy a little premade coop. I had figured I would get 6-8 chickens, never having owned them myself, I looked into most of those premade ones and once you figure out the sq ft inside the coop they really only fit 3 chickens if you go with the 4 sq ft per bird like I did. I know most of the time you can do 2 sq ft or 3 but I figure why not giv them more room. So needless to say I fixed up the coop I already have. It cost more money doing it that way since the roof had to be redone and so didnt a couple of the walls. The only reason I ended up with 11 was because one of my first 6 I had to put down, then I was just going to order meyer's minimum of 3 but then I was like well I need this breed and that breed and finally settled on 6.. I figure shipping in more numbers is a tad better too.. But it's okay they are all a joy to have and I wouldn't do anything differently.

 

[Xiao Casa]

We, too, only have have six chickens, though I'm unsure as to whether that is a permanent state of things... I know I want more, but I am a college-bound high school senior due to graduate in just a few months, so my opinion regarding pets doesn't matter too much. After all, as daddy keeps reminding me, I won't be home to take care of them.

My mom, however, has long wanted to keep chickens, so combined with my promise to help daddy build the coop (which I did!) we ended up getting chickens! It's awesome having them around and seeing their funny little chicken behaviors. There is no limit to how many we can have in our neighborhood, and our large (half acre) backyard could certainly support more than six. So, as I said earlier, we may someday have more...

.

Only problem is what to do with all the extra eggs??

 

[stasichick]

Yes! Where in New York do you live!? Were same-staters! I live out on long island! Are there rules to how many chickens you can have?

being that you have a big family you need 11 chickens so everyone can eat eggs together!! )

I am definitely one of those space cadets who bought a rickety coop but we already are modifying it and changing things so I think it will work out... one of the important features to me was to have the laybox on the outside of the coop.... that way the nuggets have more room inside. I would totally suggest adding onto your coop and doing it. let those babies spread their wings.

 

[SMonroe1990]

It's nice to have someone in the same state! Leah is too, not sure if she checks this anymore. I'm over in columbia county in a small town named Austerlitz. The plot of land we are on is slated for agricultural use. I don't believe there are rules to how many I can have, I could not find anything before getting them. But they are so quiet anyways that I don't even hear them unless I'm right on top of my coop. I spend most of my days outside and you would never know I have chickens unless you go up and see them for yourself. Not to mention the neighbor I have across the road has chickens and so doesn't one down the street so even if I was supposed to have a set amount I don't think anyone would tattle on me. That was one of the things I considered when getting the six more, not to mention its not guaranteed that all the chickens will lay an egg everyday either. I am definitely going to add on and I have convinced everyone in my family to do a pig next year for food also. And there is nothing wrong with a rickety coop.. I would have bought a pre made one also but none where as big as I would have liked. It would've saved me probably 300 dollars or so. Not looking for the winter we are probably going to have. Dont know about you but we already have like 40 degree nights. But then again I'm near the mass border and close to mountains.

 

[Xiao Casa]

I envy you cold-weather people... except for the one burst of 60 degree weather the other day, it hasn't been under 70 in a long, long time. Even now it's in the 80's. That said, it's also sort of convenient. I don't have to worry about the chicks getting cold during winter, it barely gets to freezing temperature. Winters here are really nice, but not all that cold.

 

[stasichick]

Yes!!! I actually spend labor day at carls rip van winkle motor lodge in Leeds every year!!! definitely colder up there than down here... the nights have been in the 50s here and days in the low 70s. (too chilly for my taste because technically its still summer haha!) and too cold for my little peeps to go outside.

We are the only people I know with chickens around here... I hope they are quite like your flock!!! right now at a few weeks old they are quite the chirpers!!! sometimes I hear them playing.. they are quite active.

My nextdoor neighbor is a vet tech so I know she doesn't mind... but I do have some cranky neighbors that I am worried about... maybe I can woo them with eggs.

 

[SMonroe1990]

I envy you cold-weather people... except for the one burst of 60 degree weather the other day, it hasn't been under 70 in a long, long time. Even now it's in the 80's. That said, it's also sort of convenient. I don't have to worry about the chicks getting cold during winter, it barely gets to freezing temperature. Winters here are really nice, but not all that cold.

Wow I think you are the only person I know that would say something like that. Or maybe it comes with living somewhere where it is always warm? I know people up year pretty much glare at you if you mention cold or winter.

Yes!!! I actually spend labor day at carls rip van winkle motor lodge in Leeds every year!!! definitely colder up there than down here... the nights have been in the 50s here and days in the low 70s. (too chilly for my taste because technically its still summer haha!) and too cold for my little peeps to go outside.

We are the only people I know with chickens around here... I hope they are quite like your flock!!! right now at a few weeks old they are quite the chirpers!!! sometimes I hear them playing.. they are quite active.

My nextdoor neighbor is a vet tech so I know she doesn't mind... but I do have some cranky neighbors that I am worried about... maybe I can woo them with eggs.

I'm sure most people would be okay with chickens if they got free eggs in return. Plus you only have 3 right now and I am sure as long as one isn't a roo you won't be able to hear them. Just make sure you can't smell them either and the neighbors will probably never know you have them. I will be honest I have no idea where that motor lodge is. I only know how to get to the places I need to go and then other than that I am horrible with directions. I honestly thought that they were going to be louder than what they are. I was really surprised when I determined it wasn't just a fluke day or something and they were still quiet. Who knows though they might all get louder once the littles come out of the dog cage. Only two more weeks I am hoping for them, might be sooner if they keep growing too much. They're probably going to run out of room before they are really ready to be integrated with the other girls without a barrier but I have nothing else to put them in. It's kind of sad how fast they grow.

 

[stasichick]

Yes that is what I am hoping... and I am assuming that because I only have three and I am anal about cleaning that I should be okay with the babies NOT being smelly. lets hope ) I am worried about rats... I have read a lot of horror stories.

Anyone have any experience with this or suggestions?