What is one thing you figured out about chickens that you wish you knew when you began?

[avkootz]

You're boring me.
It's a wise thought but if I had to do that much learning before getting chickens I'd still be working on getting some.
Isn't it easier to learn the old fashion... Birds are easily replaced so no big deal if a few of the first flocks were wiped out.
Then gradually learning ya that works but it's cheaper to keep a flock alive then to replace it once a year or so.

My thoughts on this are just that I'd rather be as informed as possible to avoid any potential suffering; if any of my animals died and it was from something I could have prevented, I would feel extremely guilty. They don't live very long; I'd like to make the time they have as pleasant as possible (sans coddling/spoiling)

 

[Brooks_]

what is chicken/fence math?

Chicken math is always wanting more chickens. Fence math is creating more space, therefore, you can have more chickens.

 

[Painted Calls]

Hands-on learning does work well.
Although I prefer not ever have to deal with diseases.

Want me to smack him?

 

[tripletfeb]

I wish I would have known how fast some of them stop laying. I only had my first group of girls for two years before they stopped and I got rid of them

 

[kurby22]

I wish I’d known that you shouldn’t buy a pullet in the middle of summer when the air is filled with smoke. Apparently this type of stress can trigger illness when you bring them home and they are somewhere new…unlike young chicks that aren’t as sensitive to change yet. What I thought was a poor reaction to horrific air quality was MG and IBV and even though they were quarantined I wasn’t careful enough with my contact and all the others got it. I had bought others from the same person with zero issues, totally healthy so I mistakenly believed that others from the same breeder would be healthy too and didn’t believe the symptoms were anything too concerning. I learned a lot about chicken diseases and still didn’t know that birds can carry nasty things without showing it until stressors trigger it…nor did I know that buying pullets (4 months old) would be quite AS stressful as it can be to their immune systems. She even had a friend…I love them all but it sucks having a closed flock.

 

[preciouschick]

A few things I wish I knew.
1. they need rocks to shave their beaks on. I put some in both pens today. The silkys have been rubbing their beaks on the wood crate I have in there.
2. how often they need fresh water. 5 gallon bucket gets filled every few days.
3. they practically eat all day, and they can be fussy.
I am learning new things all the time.

 

[Bonwell]

We are constantly learning and improving our routine with the chickens and their set-up, as well as learning about their different personalities and the needs/preferences of different breeds. What is something you have learned about keeping chickens through experience that would have been helpful to know back when you first started

We are constantly learning and improving our routine with the chickens and their set-up, as well as learning about their different personalities and the needs/preferences of different breeds. What is something you have learned about keeping chickens through experience that would have been helpful to know back when you first started?

If I had to choose 1 thing I think it would be knowing how to spot illness super early

 

[topochico225]

Have a $&@#%!? coop BEFORE you have chicks. They grow up faster than you think they will. I just now moved some 2.5 month old EE pullets out of my indoor brooder into a coop.

 

[K0k0shka]

I didn't realize just how different chickens can be from one breed to the next in terms of temperament and behavior, especially if they came from the same list of "best breeds for pet chickens" that were ranked high for families with kids... I got two from one such list - Orpingtons and Barnevelders. They were both lauded for their pet chicken qualities and tolerance of kids. While some aspects are shared between the two breeds - they are both low-pecking-order and non-confrontational, calm breeds - they vary greatly in how well they fit in a family with kids. We hatched all of them in the house and my kids were heavily involved in the process, handled all the chicks extensively and basically spent all of 2020's COVID summer playing with the chickens when school was closed. You can't get more socialized than that. And yet... The Orps are total sweethearts that don't mind the kids picking them up and carrying them around, putting hats on them, rocking them to sleep etc. The Barnevelders, on the other hand, won't let anybody touch them. The most they will do is hop up in my lap and keep me company for a while, as long as I don't lay a single finger on them. They won't do that much with anybody else. I spoke with their breeder and she said that hers won't even let her get close, and that the lap thing was a total achievement on my part... So, the lesson I learned is: don't trust internet listicles.

 

[KyCoop]

I didnt know how BIG chickens get. I had never had chickens before or been around them and you look at them in catalogs and on the internet but not until mine grew into full size hens was I thankful I built a much bigger coop then I needed. We went from aw they look so little in the this big coop to OMG we need more roost bars.