What’s one thing you wish you had known before starting to raise backyard poultry?

[notabitail]

I wish I would have known how much room chickens need. My first four (and good size) hens were kept all winter in one of those Producer’s Pride coops. I really don’t know how they survived.

I really hate those small coops. If I could I'd give them a nice big acre.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Ahhh. Wish I had understood the importance of proper ventilation, and the difference between ventilation and a huge wide-open window that just let all the weather straight in. I, too, have to say I don't know how my flocks surviived till BYC wised me up.

 

[Evadig]

What breed did you have?

1 Welsummer
1 Plymouth Rock
1 Delaware
1 Cream Legbar

 

[azurbanclucker]

No matter how good you are, no matter how well you care for your flock, you're going to lose girls. Sometimes you may not know why. Be ready for that emotionally, and understand that even the best-prepared of us deal with loss. It doesn't mean you're a bad poultry keeper. It just means nature needed that one more than you did. It's OK.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

How much it costs to perpetually battle predators and pests.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

And how attached I would get to these endearing little fluffballs!

 

[CoopBoots]

Be very handy or good at improvising because coop doors, etc. like to break and you're going to want to make your own stuff when you see what pre-made (and possibly poorly made) costs!!

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

I wish I knew that chickens poop every 9 minutes.
(Not that that would have changed my mind or anything!)

 

[CoopBoots]

I wish I knew that chickens poop every 9 minutes.
(Not that that would have changed my mind or anything!)

Ok I gotta ask did you sit and time this LOL

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

Ok I gotta ask did you sit and time this LOL

Haha, no!
I read a statistic somewhere!
I don’t envy the person who did!