Uh Oh... I figured my sq ft :)

[Lorije1]

I have been planning to get maybe 6 chicks / pullets. I am almost done with my coop. The house just needs the door and nestboxes / roosts, and the run just needs the bottom boards secured to the fence. Right now the feed store has straight run chicks all mixed up breeds, so I ventured to some of the hatchery sites.

UH OH. So ... if I have nearly 300sqft of run, that means I can get lots more than the originally planned 6, right?

I had planned on 2 of each - Barred Rocks, BOs and RIR. But those Australorps and Wellsummers really caught my eye. Not to mention the Blue Cochin, and Golden / Silver Laced Wynedottes (sp?). And the thought of colored eggs from EEs???

I think I am in trouble already.

 

[SilverPhoenix]

All I can say is...welcome to our world of chicken addiction! Enjoy your stay here!

And yes, with 300 square feet of run, you ought to have plenty of room.

 

[rancher hicks]

Yes you are.

Start out slowly and work your way up. "Haste makes waste". "Patience is a Virtue". If this is your first time w/ chickens take it easy and see how you like having them. I didnt' notice where you live but if it gets cold, consider how you will fare taking care of them through, rain sleet, snow and dead of night.

 

[dot n'dave]

"There's always next year"

 

[Lorije1]

We had a lot of chickens growing up. Looking through the breeds here I would say my "pet" hen was a Black Sexlink (my mom says they were all barnyard mutts

). Several years ago we picked up 4 chicks at the fair... 3 of them turned out to be roos

I live in the panhandle of Florida... hot, humid summers and generally mild winters (though this past one we had freeze warnings several days straight - a record!). My hen house is made from old privacy fence planks with a tin roof. The floor has a concrete foundation (used those 16inch patio stones) and will be covered with 2-3 inches of fill dirt. There is no "door" yet, just the opening - but the plan is for one with wire middle and a tarp "curtain" for rainy or cold weather.
Oh... and I work until "the dead of night" so that part is easy LOL

All of that said, since I dont' want 25 chicks and I am afraid of shipping fewer, I will probably stick to what the feed store has.


But I suuure do like the looks / descriptions of those Australorps and Wellsummers

 

[Lorije1]

Ok... a little help from the pros here please.


I have a run approx 10x30 with a house about 5x8 or so (haven't actually done measurements on the house - it is privacy fence planks so ready made). I am looking for big, docile, friendly ('pet') hens with a preference towards medium / large brown eggs.

My "wish list" is as follows (most were on my "breed selector" results):

Australorps (I have completely fallen for them!!!)
Barred Rocks
Buff Orpingtons
Easter Eggers (I know, no brown eggs, but they still seem cool)
Rhode Island Reds
Wellsummers
Wynedottes

I also love the blue cochins and Jersey giants.... but I am trying to rein it in... at least a little bit.

My feedstore gets their chicks from Privetts, but they (apparently) don't know ahead of time what breeds they are ordering. Last time they had BR, BO, EE, RIR. For a relative beginner (20yrs since I had chickens consistently) ..... what do you recommend?

 

[Celtic Hill]

When you calculate your square feet you include the run? i thought it was just the coop... if not im off looking for hatching eggs!!! LOL!

 

[Lorije1]

Well in another post someone told me (I am new, remember) that the "coop" was the run and the house.....

 

[Celtic Hill]

Oh man!!!! This is great news!

 

[Lorije1]

Don't take it just from me! a) I am new at this and b) I stink at math..... But my run is actually the nearly 300sq ft.... at the widest end it is about 12 ft and then almost 30ft long. The house is at one end and takes up a corner.