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

[Nutcase]

I wish I'd known about all the problems that can affect laying hens, like egg binding. I had no idea about it. We hadn't even built a coop when we bought our first day-old chicks! If I could start over I would done a lot more preparation.

 

[poodlechicks]

I tried posting as a reply, so I apologize if it appears more than once. My computer has a mind of its own

.

If I were to do one thing differently, I would buy a sturdier coop and run that I could walk into and easily clean it, hang the waterer and feeder during the day. My coop is very small and flimsy. It's been assembled for about 3 months only and already has gaps in the wood.When it rains I have to cover it with a tarp, so the ventilation is cut quite a bit. When it stops raining and I uncover the coop, there is white fungi all over the ground where the coop is. Try cleaning that up! It's a hassle. Another problem with it is the size. The website where it was purchased from claimed I could keep more than 5 chickens. I got six and had to give one away because there wasn't enough roosting space. Granted, I bought buff orpingtons, but still the fact that I had to give one away upset me.
I am not new to poultry diseases or the industry, but was completely new to backyard poultry husbandry. I am very glad I found this site, as I learned a lot from all you guys.
So, research your coop size and preferences BEFORE you buy your chickens and log in to backyard chickens often to learn from the very experienced people that post here.

 

[Nutcase]

I tried posting as a reply, so I apologize if it appears more than once. My computer has a mind of its own

.

If I were to do one thing differently, I would buy a sturdier coop and run that I could walk into and easily clean it, hang the waterer and feeder during the day. My coop is very small and flimsy. It's been assembled for about 3 months only and already has gaps in the wood.When it rains I have to cover it with a tarp, so the ventilation is cut quite a bit. When it stops raining and I uncover the coop, there is white fungi all over the ground where the coop is. Try cleaning that up! It's a hassle. Another problem with it is the size. The website where it was purchased from claimed I could keep more than 5 chickens. I got six and had to give one away because there wasn't enough roosting space. Granted, I bought buff orpingtons, but still the fact that I had to give one away upset me.
I am not new to poultry diseases or the industry, but was completely new to backyard poultry husbandry. I am very glad I found this site, as I learned a lot from all you guys.
So, research your coop size and preferences BEFORE you buy your chickens and log in to backyard chickens often to learn from the very experienced people that post here.

I also wish we'd made a movable coop. Ours is built into the ground and has a dirt floor. It's okay for a hot climate like ours but we should have thought about shelter from rain.

 

[Whittni]

I wish I'd put in the extra money to have an easily moved coop and paint, first, not later.

 

[Sandstorm495]

If I could start all over again, I would have built a more stable run, and a larger coop that could accommodate at least 8 chickens. Our current one can only fit about 5-6 - And that's not enough for me!

 

[poodlechicks]

Thanks, darwinchooks!

 

[buttercup95]

I'm actually learning a lot by just reading this thread, but if I could start over again I suppose I would have researched more diseases as I actually lost a few chickens I bought that had bad worms when I got them and I didn't have a clue chickens could even get worms! I now worm all of my chickens and I become friends with local breeders before buying their chickens.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

If I could go back to the beginning I would - have built a bigger coop in the first place because you can never have enough chickens. I would have researched more on chicken dieases - It is so nerve-racking to find your sick chicken and have to look it up, research it, and find the cure while your poor baby is suffering. I would also have started with a first aid kit on hand, I've had several frantic run to the store moments to get life-saving things for my chickens.

 

[wvWyandotte]

When the hatchery says your post office will call to let you know your chicks have arrived on said scheduled date..........
they may lie!!! Some arrive 2 days early at your place of employment!!!! Needless to say I was not ready yet!!
Other than that, get the nice rubber tires to put on your chicken tractor or it will become stationary and not portable
when your husband is a heavy duty carpenter!! (cause heavy duty is always better!!!) I also would have made the coop
a tad bit bigger.

 

[sn0wwhite]

I would have skipped the coop kit from Fleet Farm and built a human sized coop. The book I read said 2square feet per bird and it's really too small and I get scratched on wire reaching in to clean it. I also would have started with the sand sooner.