What chicken supplies would you consider essential for a beginner?

[Sauerkraut]

Hello! I am going to get a brand new coup on Tuesday, and I’m very excited. However, I’m realizing that I don’t really know exactly what supplies to purchase for my chickens aside from the basic things ( nesting boxes, heat lamps, feed, etc). I plan to get 2 older silkies when it comes and then 5 chicks in June. I’ve done a lot of research, but I still haven’t found any great resources on this.

 

[nuthatched]

That's about it. I'd recommend buying storage totes for nest boxes.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Don't forget chicken grit, chick grit, and crushed oyster shell (if you're getting laying hens). I would also recommend a dog crate (if you don't have one or something similar already) to use as a broody breaker/isolation/hospital pen.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

A feeder and a waterer.

Also measure the coop to determine how many chickens will actually fit in it. Don't believe the manufacturer. If they say 6 chickens, it will probably really only hold two.

Each chicken needs 4 sq ft inside the coop. Do not count the nesting boxes.

You also need a secure run. Chicken wire is not secure. Dogs, raccoons and other predators can rip through that like tissue paper. Build your run with 1/2" hardware clot (hwc). Also use hwc to build an "apron" on the ground around the outside of your run so critters can't dig under and get in. Anchor it down with steel staples or put gravel over it. Your run should provide 10 to 12 sq ft per chicken. If your chickens don't have enough room they may roost on top of the coop instead of inside. They may fight or pick each other's feathers. Good luck!

 

[DobieLover]

Corid. When you introduce adult birds to new soil or chicks to soil there is always the chance of coccidiosis developing. You want to have amprolium on hand to treat immediately when signs show up.

 

[CabritaChicks]

As a splurge: Consider using something like a 'coop refresh'—a blend of aromatic herbs such as lemongrass, lavender, rosemary, etc, which can help naturally mask some of the more pungent odors and assist in keeping bugs away. Because chicken odor is an acquired taste. I sprinkled it in the brooder, the kennel 'transitional' enclosure (so my utility room smelled less like a barnyard), and in the roosting area. People always under estimate the amount of chicken schnitt.

While these herbs won’t eliminate waste-related smells entirely, and are not a replacement for good husbandry...they can offer a more pleasant olfactory environment for both birds and caretakers. This is especially helpful because the smell of cecal droppings, which are a normal and essential part of a chicken’s digestive process, can be particularly strong and off-putting to those new to chicken keeping.

The cecal excretion contains a high concentration of fermented material and beneficial bacteria, and while it’s a sign of healthy gut function (1 in 3 droppings approximately), the scent can be quite intense—definitely something that takes getting used to- and resist the urge to take a deep- up-close whiff!

 

[Cheekychook12]

I’d recommend getting mite and lice treatment, I commonly have to treat my birds, and it’s useful to have on hand

 

[RubelliteRose]

Welcome to chickens!
My advice would be to not buy too much beyond the basics at first because your needs will probably change as you go.
*Appropriately sized secure coop - we started with a 4x6 coop for 6 chickens and added a second 8x10 coop the next year
*Appropriately sized secure run - added onto the secure run 3x in 3 years and built a extra large semi-secure daytime run.
*Feeders - we started with chick feeders, bumped up to 5 gallon buckets with feeding ports (worked well until we got more chickens), switched to hanging gravity feeders and ended up placing those in rubber feed pans to keep food from being spread all over the run.
*Waterers - started with chick waterers, switched to auto filling cups (6 out of 7 failed over the next several months either by not filling or over filling and flooding the run). We now use rubber feed pans except when we have a broody with chicks then we use gravity feed drinkers for a few weeks. We don't use those all the time because my flock likes to constantly kick bedding into them
*Food - you can't go wrong with a good all flock that anyone can eat *Heat source for chicks - we have used a heat lamp - has safety issues, a brooder plate- broke after the second batch of chicks, and a heating pad brooder plate which worked well this year
*Grit - you will need chick grit at first and then adult grit
*Corid - if you have to order it, have it on hand. I live about 15 minutes from a Tractor Supply, so I just make sure they have several bottles in stock and then buy if needed.
I think, unless I have missed something, everything else can wait a little while and be bought as needed . Oyster shell is a must once they start laying - I put it in a small hanging bird feeder so they can eat it as needed. Nesting boxes will depend upon your set up.

 

[Sauerkraut]

Corid. When you introduce adult birds to new soil or chicks to soil there is always the chance of coccidiosis developing. You want to have amprolium on hand to treat immediately when signs show up.

I have a question about the corid. When I looked on the tractor supply website, it only showed something that it labeled an ‘oral calf supplement’. Would this be safe for use on chickens?

 

[StinkyAcres]

I have a question about the corid. When I looked on the tractor supply website, it only showed something that it labeled an ‘oral calf supplement’. Would this be safe for use on chickens? View attachment 4138388

Yes, that is the stuff to give to your chickens.