Topic of the Week - Getting Started, Keeping Chickens

[Teila]

Yet another great Topic of the Week!

As others have already given so much great advice, I simply wanted to add:

Do not let the new chicken owner experience overwhelm you or dampen your initial enthusiasm.

You will most likely make some mistakes along the way, some silly and some serious. Do not be afraid to ask questions.

 

[WesleyBeal]

where are the best places to put ventilation? My family is building our first coop this spring and I'm in charge of designing it and I can't figure out where the best place it for is.

I really like the Woods House design. Search "Woods House" on this site and you'll see some threads on it.

That or any other design on here, find one that people have talked about not just building, but also using for a couple years. That way you can find out what worked well, and what they would have done differently, especially with regards to ventilation.

The type of coop that'll work best for you can depend a lot on what the climate is like where you are at. In warm areas, some people use a very open-air coop. Think about a fence with a roof. Many places can do fine with an open front, and only three solid walls.

I'm in Minnesota, and would have a hard time keeping the freezing winds off my birds without 4 walls.

 

[CuzChickens]

Another thing I highly recommend is any books by Gail Damerow. She is a well know and trusted voice who really knows her stuff.

 

[PamperedChicken]

I won't rehash all that's been said before so here are some other things to consider:
1) Do not be overwhelmed, but be smart and think through everything. Read A LOT. Ask questions and seek advice from BYC and old-school farmers. Sometimes the answer is somewhere in the middle. Read The Chicken Whisperer or 4-H material for practical info in layman's terms. Be prepared to make mistakes. Take notes. And remember, no one knows everything; we're all learning.

2) Consider your seasons of the year. How will you prepare for heat, cold, rain, draught, and what will your chickens need from you during those seasons? Those answers will guide you in shelter, water/food, and breeds.

3) Go the extra mile in predator protection. Yes, you really do need to dig that ditch and bury your fencing curving outward. In the beginning and on a regular basis, look up, look down, look under, and run your hands along the bottom half of your fencing for any weak spots. Raccoons are the devil.

4) Start small and informal. Just a few chickens for eggs. I bought six leghorns for $3.00 a piece from a family-run feed store. I learned so much about what to do (give them a swing-its entertaining for them AND for you), and what not to do (Leghorns aren't exactly cold-hardy and their combs were frost-bitten one particularly hard winter). Hatcheries and breeders are wonderful, but at the time I didn't know any breeders and there wasn't a hatchery within a 5 hour drive. I would have had to buy 15 at a time and pay nearly $50 in shipping when ordering from a hatchery. Over $100 in just chicks. That's a huge investment just starting out when you could use those dollars building a solid shelter. Now, years later, I use breeders and hatcheries for chicks.

5) Find a local, chicken-keeping friend. I have two local friends who breed and sell chickens, and they have been a God-send when I've had a question, a sick chicken, a funny chicken story to share, wanted someone to go to a poultry show with me, or to lend a sympathetic ear when I've lost a beloved chook.

Be smart, and enjoy yourself!

 

[AmieD]

I am pretty new to owning chickens myself. I just started in April. I took my son to a feed store for tick collars for the dogs and came home with 2 chicks. My two have become 40+ and I absolutely love it. I would say that it can be good to research breeds and eggs. When I bought my first chicks, I had no idea there were colored egg layers and so many beautiful, and completely different looking, birds. I also had no idea that chickens are friendly, interesting, and entertaining to watch. I did not want to spend a lot so I made my coops out of mostly recycled materials. I can say that pallets work great and that building external nesting boxes is actually pretty easy. I had no wood working experience at all and the only electric tools I have are a jigsaw and a drill. I agree with others about buying hatchery chicks to be safe. I bought a few from a backyard breeder and we had a long quarantine and two were roosters. I am still very happy since they lay the prettiest eggs and so far, the roosters are very nice. I've ordered chicks from Mypetchicken and Cackle hatchery and lost a few from both and loved the ones that made it. I will say that the shipping rates were more expensive than the chicks. I just ordered ducks and chicks from Ideal Hatchery and it is significantly cheaper since the shipping rates are not high at all. My order isn't due to arrive until January so I can't advise on the quality yet. If you do end up with roosters, you can make your own no-crow collars. I first bought 2 for $20+ each and the one I made out of a child's sock and velcro works just as well. If you want to hatch your own chicks, that's pretty easy, too. I watched some youtube videos and built my own incubator for about $35. I hatched 5 of our own eggs. I do warn that chickens can ignite a strange, addictive, passion in you. I have always loved animals, but never planned on becoming a backyard farmer. I now have chickens, just got 2 goats, and ducks will be coming soon. I got a chainsaw for Christmas and plan to clear some of my woods and fence it so the animals will have more space to graze and planning my gardens for human and animal consumption.

 

[Blooie]

Everyone has done an amazing job sharing their tips and advice, so there's no need to rehash it. BUT -

Buy rubber boots or slip on outdoor shoes. The End.

 

[lazy gardener]

Everyone has done an amazing job sharing their tips and advice, so there's no need to rehash it. BUT -

Buy rubber boots or slip on outdoor shoes. The End.

Blooie, I so love the fact that you will look at a thread brimming with information, and mention the one thing that every body else forgot!

 

[Blooie]

Blooie, I so love the fact that you will look at a thread brimming with information, and mention the one thing that every body else forgot!

Well, I think I even set a new record for me - shortest post of information I think I've ever managed!

 

[GeorgeN]

As a noob, I have little to offer except: I would stay away from the hybrid egg layers unless you are willing to replace them every year or so. We really wanted to start with a general purpose bird like Orpingtons, but we finished the coop in the Fall and there wouldn't be any pullets until Spring. Mother just had to have chickens right away though, and the brown eggers were all that were available. They overwhelmed us with eggs for the first year, but going into their second winter, they have all dried up and still eat us out of house and home. Of course, they all have names, and…

 

[lazy gardener]

George, I'm predicting that those birds will start laying by mid Feb, and you'll have a second season of awesome eggs from them. The second season eggs will be bigger.