Hi-there!! We're just thinkin' about gettin' chickens for eggs. 1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens? ---> We are thinkin' about getting some hens for eggs (no roosters). We need more info so here we are Our yard is not fenced in, so I'm thinking a "tractor" would be just right. (4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com? ---> this forum was mentioned by some friends. (5) What are some of your other hobbies? ---> I'm a gardener & my husband plays card games (magic the happening [or whatever it's called]), our Boys are 7.5 & 4.5, both play games like Dad. (6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share. ---> We have 1 fish. We homeschool & are always out & about. We love to go creek hiking. We live in central Ohio & have pretty cold winters w/not a lot of snow.
I was very new to chickens just a few months ago. I am still learning! I ordered three hens from the hatchery for eggs and that was all I wanted! Well, one turned out to be an accidental roo so I had to get a few more chickens to calm him down. That gives me a flock of 6. The roo is calmer now, but I have four more chickens on order!! One copper marans roo and three copper marans hens! Hopefully, by next year, I will be breeding olive eggers!! I can't stop now!
From southern Ohio. I'm new here, but not new to chickens. Sounds like you don't plan to keep a large flock, maybe just a few for fresh eggs. Being you live in a cold, (as in we get winter), climate you should have a small coop with electric in it so you can supply them with water 24-7 with no freeze ups. Also if you want them to lay all winter or at least most of the time, you'll have to supply light at least 14 hours a day. I have my timer set to turn on a low wattage light at 3AM and then off around 8AM. It gets dark sometime around 5-5:30 here so that's about 14 hours of light. I use one of those new fangled light bulbs and it is only rated for about 25w. Not a lot of light, just enough so they can get up and eat, but sleep more if they want. A lot of mornings when I get around to check on them about half have taken advantage of those extra hours by laying their egg already. In the summer months, if you want to, you could move them to a tractor and take advantage of letting them have some of the grass growing in the yard. I used to let mine range but because of hawks I keep them in a fenced yard.
Thanks for the info! There's so much to soak-in here @ this forum! Is there anywhere to see pictures of other member's chicken tractors? I'm a frugal kind'a gal & I want to make a coop/tractor w/the least expense possible. I'll have to start searchin' CraigsList for wood & other such supplies.
from another Ohioan! To look at coops check out the Coops, Design, Construction, & Maintenance section.
