What do you wish you had known before you got your chickens

[newbie32]

I learned that culling your roosters is a lot harder than I thought! Killing something you raised is very difficult, so be prepared or have someone lined up to do it, because one day your hens look great, then the next they are in shambles and their feathers are ruined!

OMG my friend has hens with feathers missing permanently from their necks because of a roo. Mine better not do that!!!! or he is dinner!

 

[mgray]

That chicken fencing won't keep predators out, and a covered area in the chicken yard is a good idea.

 

[icbleu]

I have to lock her up when people come over.

L O L this is a very funny line to read.

So sorry, I dont mean to laugh at your flock, as I am sure it's a total pain for you. And believe me I know, I have been there with the Lemon Drop Kid (aka beautiful and evil roo).

 

[song of joy]

I wish I would have known:

1. Portable coops are not portable from a practical standpoint. The ones large enough for 6-8 birds tend to be too heavy to move regularly. Our "portable" coop is now relatively stationary, only moved 2-3 times/year, and surrounded by a large, fenced area.

2. An automatic chicken door is the next best thing to sliced bread!

3. Don't start with too many birds, as this substantially increases expenses and labor (e.g., larger/more coops, feeders, waterers, fenced areas, coop cleaning, garden damage, poop on lawn, etc). A flock of 6-8 hens is plenty to supply a family of 4 with eggs. Along these same lines, don't opt into "free extra bird" offers or "males added for warmth" when ordering baby chicks. Stick to the desired number of HENS that you will need to supply you with eggs.

4. The flock typically needs to be replaced every few years with new birds, as productivity from older hens drops substantially. It's difficult to do this when you've named your hens and consider them faithful, breakfast-producing pets!

 

[All Ball]

I am a newbie who has had a lot of luck so far with the health and productivity and fun of my 3 breeder-supplied pullets, but I wish I had known:
- Even heavy-breed pullets can fly over a 4-foot fence, and will even though they have PLENTY of space - so my paddocked chickens are now free-range and it's super hard to clean poop off the patio cement
- Even though you ask the breeder for quiet chickens, the Boss Chick will tend to be very VOCAL and loud enough that I'm sure the neighbors in this suburban area can hear her regular haranguing for treats. So far the technique of only providing treats at a certain time of day, and only when she is quiet, is not affecting her behavior.Thankfully I'm allowed up to 4 chickens by right in this town, but I'm still cringing about the neighbors...
- Participants of the natural chicken keeping thread say putting DE in your coop will kill beneficial organisms that help make the deep litter method work, and once you have sprinkled DE in there it is real hard to get rid of. My coop is stinkier than it should be and I'm worried about the girls' delicate respiratory systems being affected.

 

[bp11chickens]

If you are only going to get 8 don't get 11 because it is cheaper.

 

[newbie32]

If you are only going to get 8 don't get 11 because it is cheaper.

 

[dwgov]

Easier said than done, haha. I started with 8 and now have 15. My reasoning, one turned out to be a rooster.

 

[newbie32]

Easier said than done, haha. I started with 8 and now have 15. My reasoning, one turned out to be a rooster.

This is different. I agree that changing plans like deciding to hatch your own future flocks and also growing for dual purposes does change the flock size. I PROMISED hubby that we would only get 4 girls for eggs. Then I started thinking 1 might have a boy and decided I would have future broody hens hatch new flocks. I have already reserved more from my chicken lady they better be girls lol

 

[Telegrand]

We learned the hard way that our pretty gardens will perpetually have craters in them......

And that you should never let your doe- eyed son talk you into bringing home a chick to small to stay in the big girl coop.....