To be a chicken family or not…

[Debbiek2]

Hello. We have always wanted chickens and I have just hatched 8 in an incubator for my kindergarten classroom. This is something they have done for years and I am new to the school. It has been quite the Learning experience. I am on the fence on whether to buy a coupe or send them to someone else to raise them. They are three days old. What would I be getting myself into? Is this a huge undertaking? Any advice to push my decision one way or the other would be great. Thanks!

Debbie

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Hello. We have always wanted chickens and I have just hatched 8 in an incubator for my kindergarten classroom. This is something they have done for years and I am new to the school. It has been quite the Learning experience. I am on the fence on whether to buy a coupe or send them to someone else to raise them. They are three days old. What would I be getting myself into? Is this a huge undertaking? Any advice to push my decision one way or the other would be great. Thanks!

Debbie

To be honest I think chicken care is pretty easy in my opinion. What specific questions do you have? Where do you live I think that makes is honestly the biggest part about chicken keeping. Can you get dirty ?. Because where I am if anything goes wrong you take care of it...not a vet. But you could see if you have a local vet also before going further. Do you have any other animals at home? Do you live in a high predator area? Sorry for all the question

 

[Lemon-Drop]

What would I be getting myself into?

A lot of fun and an amazing adventure!

Is this a huge undertaking?

I don’t really think so, as long as you can get properly set up.

I would give about 10-20 minutes for weekdays to do necessities, and more time for the weekend.

Any advice to push my decision one way or the other would be great.

Here comes my advice:

First, for the chicks, you’ll want a brooder. Heat lamp, box, feeder, waterer, bedding, and chick feed. And water, of course. This article may help
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...first-60-days-of-raising-baby-chickens.47691/

In the first few weeks, you’ll mostly just need to give them food, water, and keep it the right temperature. I also highly recommend cuddling them!

This next part is HUGE. The coop.

This is one thing that most people, including myself, mess up. You see that nice looking coop and get it. However, it’ll most likely be a wasted purchase. Those pre-fabs last for very little time, do NOT hold the amount of chickens they say, and have very poor ventilation. So steer clear.

I would highly recommend a hoop coop, building your own, or something similar.

For 3 chickens, you’ll need at least:

12 square feet in the coop (4 by 3, or even better 4 by 4)
30 square feet in the run. Bigger is better, though. It also depends if they’ll be able to free range.
A lot of ventilation. I can’t say the exact amount, but this may help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop.47774/reviews

You’ll only need one nesting box. (It’s usually 4 hens a box)

Other necessities include layer pellets, supplemental oyster shell, feeder, waterer, first aid kit (not completely necessary) bedding, and probably some other things that my ‘I’m awake at midnight’ brain can’t process.

Do keep in mind that some of the chicks might or will be roosters.

You’ll want to make sure everything is predator proof and secure.


Here’s a great article of a coop that fits all the right boxes for four chickens. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-little-monitor-coop.76275/

If you have any more questions, I do another member will be happy to chime in! I’m just super tired right now.

 

[mowin]

Hardest part is the coop and run. It depends on how handy you are. It takes time to set up a proper coop and run. Pre fabed are quick and easy, but usually poor quality, and will NOT house as many chickens as they claim. In a pinch they work, but need mods to make them adequate.

Once you have the coop and run, it's really not that difficult. However, if you go on vacation, of away for a long weekend your going to need to make plans for someone to feed, collect eggs. Yes some have made feeders and waterers that will last a few days of a week, but that takes more time and effort to design and build.
Good luck.

 

[TwoShepherds]

Chickens are so much fun and it’s wonderful to have fresh eggs. For me the hardest part is finding/buying a suitable coop and run as I’m not much of a builder. You’ll also have to make sure you’re zoned for chickens, of course, and abide by any rules/regulations in your area. If you’re hatching chicks, you’ll need a plan for what you’re going to do with the males. You might want a coop a little bigger than you need because it’s possible you’ll enjoy chicken keeping so much you’ll want to add to your flock in a year or two. Once the initial set up is complete, I find chickens to be pretty low maintenance (I love my automatic chicken door, worth every penny).

 

[Percheron chick]

Odds are that 50% will be male. Are you able to deal with that part of chicken rearing? Probably the #1 emotional conflict we all have starting out with chickens.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC and, potentially, to the wonderful world of chickens.

I suggest that you let this batch go on to another home while you do your research and make your preparations to improve your chance of getting a successful first start in chickens.

Others have mentioned the issues of getting/making a proper coop and run and of the need to deal decisively with the problem of males in a straight-run hatch. As I said in an article for a local paper, "Finding him a forever pet home is rarely realistic".

First thing you need to be sure of is whether or not having chickens is legal in your area and whether there are any restrictions on numbers, roosters, etc.

Then you need to think about your reasons for having chickens and make a realistic estimate of how many are appropriate.

Then you need to get the necessary supplies together and figure out housing.

It's usually recommended that new chicken-keepers get sexed pullets to start since having a rooster can be problematic and a bad rooster can spoil the entire chicken experience.

It's not that I don't think that you *could* work these things out with sudden, unexpected chicks. It's just that it could be a steep, uphill climb. For example, it's entirely possible that all these chicks could be male -- what then?

 

[3KillerBs]

PS, I can't reprint my article here on the site, but I did photograph it when I had it published: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-article-mentions-byc.1440685/

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Its a multi-year commitment with big up front costs (the most expensive "free eggs" you will ever eat). It can be rewarding in other ways, just as it can provide huge emotional stresses on occasion.

You have great advice above. I've nothing further to add.

 

[chickmamato7]

I think chickens are the easiest of all animals to care for *if* you prepare their environment for self-sufficiency. #1 thing to do is research and create a predator-proof enclosure. A 50 lb feeder can eliminate daily feeding chores, 2-3 small waterers (which can be switched out easily) vs one big heavy waterer (more difficult to keep clean & carry), a heated water base will be helpful in winter, and an automatic door on the coop is an absolute game changer in ease of care.

I rake poop daily, so I never have to do a big clean-out and the coop does not smell. I could spend as little as 15 min a day on chicken care if I didn't enjoy being with my girls so much. I typically spend about an hour a day with them (more on weekends), but that is by choice-- not because they need my attention, but because I enjoy theirs.

If I had known how easy chickens would be to care for, I would never have deprived myself for so long. I say go for it!