What one thing do you find indispensable?

[Sapphire Sebright]

Indispensable? Um... chicken feed.
Kidding (though not really -- that stuff is definitely required)! I'd say... quite a few things, actually. A lot of patience, but also a big box to put the little ones in -- or at least a cover so that they can't flutter out and get lost!

 

[hysop]

Jersey Giants do go broody. I want to say all of mine have gone broody at one point (not at the same time). If you will be letting them free range they may disappear on you and return with chicks or hopefully you find their nest before that happens and bring them to safety.

One thing I wish I had long ago was an incubator. I can’t count how many eggs went bad due to broody hens and me free ranging them. At least with an incubator I could have hatched some of those eggs out that the hen had started but abandoned. (For now their free range time is limited, can’t risk losing some to aerial predators during this time)

 

[Painted Calls]

I use gallon garden watering cans to carry out hot water for my critters in the winter. It spills less than a bucket, and is easier to pour. I use rubber pans in winter which I top off with the hot water until they are full, than they get bashed out and I start over.

Have to second the rubber pans. I use the small rubber feed pans for water in winter. Makes it easy to go out each morning and pop the ice out like an ice cube tray.