What is your "If only someone had told me!" moment?

[happybooker1]

I wish someone had told me "you'd better have a plan in place to get rid of all your boys", because I didn't & had to scramble at the last moment when they started crowing. I have "illegal" chickens in my subdivision and SURE don't want any roo's crowing and causing attention.

I ran ads on Craigslist and just GAVE them away, got a couple of phone numbers and quickly had a network of about 4 ppl that would take them off my hands when they became OBVIOUS boys! I wasn't afraid of them being eaten because they were all Bantam chickens, so I'm hoping they're still alive and well and being "daddies" and bosses of their own flocks.

 

[Murs]

I wish someone had told me that chickens are actually candy dispensers for dogs! My dog loves, loves, loves the treats they leave behind. YUCK!

 

[The Kibble Goddess]

I wish some one had told me to make my coops as inexpensively as I could. The first 2 coops should be considered 'practice' coops. As soon as you finish them, you want to make changes. My first coop for 7 hens was 4x8 & raised 18' from the ground with attached 6x12 run. Total cost, $700. It was the Fort Knox of chicken coops, but way too heavy to move & I didn't like where we located it. Second coop was 12x12 with attached 12x12 run. Total cost $1000 (Hubs had to have shiplap siding!) I now have 4 adults and 31 peeps. It's spacious, bright and airy, but in a bad storm the rain blows THROUGH the doors. And I forgot to plan in a broody pen for any girls that decide to hatch out their own babies.

 

[ellend]

We live in the city; roosters are STRICTLY forbidden, and anyone who has tried to "re-home" a rooster knows that the world is full of unwanted roosters, or roos that are thrown in with others to be bloodied... We could only have a few, so the one time we went the chick route (we did have a home lined up for potential roosters, and needed it--) we PICKED up day-old chicks from a hatchery about an hour from our home. They turned out to be the most gorgeous silkies I've ever seen, including at Nationals. Unfortunately for us, BOTH roos! However, no lice, no mites, no pasty-butt--just healthy chicks driven quickly home and installed under a broody that night. Perfect.

The feed-store chicks have gone through one mailing already before you buy them, and all that I've seen have been poorly cared for, with pasty-butt rampant, and unconcerned sellers. Glad others have had better luck, but I wouldn't buy chicks from feed stores in my area. (Yes, many feed stores, as outside the city are farm areas, here.)

 

[Lois Little]

I did not realize that cghuickens would pi

 

[Katie Hays]

I have one rooster in my flock. He has been held and hand fed since hatching. The first winter we had our chickens, he started being very aggressive towards us and our barn cats. I was ready to just eat him when I mentioned the problem to an old farmer who had noticed the massive bulls eye bruise on the back of my leg. He told me that KEEPING A ROOSTER CONFINED MAKES THEM AGGRESSIVE! The man told me that "fighting roosters fight because they can't get away. The "no accounts" that breed these birds have to keep them tied up or caged up to keep their hateful temperment. All that rooster wants is to stroll through the pasture, pecking and crowing and gathering up hens."
So we have made it a point to let them come out of their coop every day and my rooster hasn't attacked me or my cats again.

 

[Katie Hays]

Sadly, you are correct in the practices, MOST OF  THE TIME.  Hatcheries can be, and often are, the puppy mills of the poultry world. BUT Not all hatcheries are this evil.  And, even so, the large hatcheries were created as a business to supply the large commercial egg and poultry producers, not the small scale farmer or, more recently,  backyard hobbyist. They are not in the business of caring   about breeding quality past what the large scale producers care about which is short term, high volume egg production and/or rapid weight gain.  Some of them recognized the emerging market for the return of small scale hobby farms and new interest in heritage breeds and backyard flocks. 

That said, there are hatcheries out there that do NOT keep their own breeding stock, or get them from those that function, as you described.  There are hatcheries out there that truly careabout poultry and work closely with the breeders that supply their eggs and take pride in supplying quality chicks that are good representations of the breeds they represent.  (I know of at least one if you wish to pm me).  Do your research tho because there are also operations out there that are nothing more than go betweens, just taking your order and passing it on to who knows who but making you think you are buying their pretty little fluffy butts.

I ordered Crested Special Polish Tophat chicks in 2012 from IdealPoultry.com
Our chicks were extremely healthy, and the straight run I ordered was exactly that: two chicks of each color. Because they were mailed to me, there were also "warmer chicks" included. I gave the warmer chicks to a neighbor and they turned out to be production reds! I am a very satisfied customer! FYI the website is under construction this week and they are located in Cameron, Texas. They even have a real live person who answers the phone and can explain anything you might have a question about concerning your chicks!

 

[brandnewneek]

I wish someone would have told me that in a matter of one day they would decide that the brooder is just a resting place and now the whole room they are in becomes their home. We came home to chicken poop everywhere in our office one day. They had ruined books and everything. I spent two hours that night cleaning and then making sure they had a lid from then on. We thought it was cute when they were perched on the edges of the tub so we put puppy pads over the carpet, never thinking they would want to travel the whole room. Oh well you live and you learn. Also I agree with waiting to get your chicks, I got mine late Feb. and I had to keep them in the house until 7.5 weeks, i felt so bad for them having to be in such a small area. Granted this has been a very terrible winter. I know it's hard to wait!! Also that they are addicting, I am looking around for more as well!

 

[rc4u]

I cant believe that there is no common sense in somes thought about chickens and there care...and what the chickens do and how fast they grow..AND in the house....wow...dander and dust every where....but to each there own...seems some things are different in the east south and west....not like the high central....JMO....

 

[sanchabird]

To not buy a coop. Built the first, moved, gave away the chickens. Moved again, got more chickens, bought crappy coop, hated it, then built another coop that I love.