What should a newbie start with?

[Matilda Belle]

I did a lot of reading but with so much information out there i just seem to get more confused instead of informed. My question is: should i start with chicks, pullets or adult hens? These will be pets and egg layers. Next question is how many (I originally was thinking 8-10) My coop, being built now, will be 4'x8' and the run 8'x20'.

There is a lot of confusing, conflicting and just plain bad information out there, isn't there? I remember feeling the same way when I first started. My best advice is to get your advice solely from this forum and not Facebook groups (lots of bad info there).

As to whether to start with chicks or hens, that's totally up to you. It's cheaper to get chicks and just cull the cockerels, but some people have a hard time with that. I personally started with chicks and rehomed all but one rooster.

You'll want a minimum of 4 square feet per bird in the coop, and 10 square feet per bird in the run. If you live in a cold climate, you'll want a lot more than that. The more room you have for your birds, the happier and healthier they will be.

 

[Matilda Belle]

Personally I find the incubator/hatching route to be very intimidating. So many posts here about struggling with humidity settings and chicks that need assistance to hatch and deformed chicks and the like. Maybe some day....but not as my first go around for sure! That's just me knowing my own stress levels.

It's really not that bad if you have a nice automatic incubator that does all the work for you....or better yet, a broody hen. Don't be intimidated. Hatching is so much fun!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

You said you were in Alabama. You might chat with your neighbors n this thread. They may have local knowledge to help you get started.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/alabama.29002/page-1451

 

[Charjeanne]

If your just getting your feet wet I'd start with point of lay pullets or 1-2 year old hens. 6-8 would be the max for a 4x8 coop.

point of lay?

 

[rosemarythyme]

point of lay?

Young pullets that are close to laying age, they're at the point where they're ready to lay soon.

 

[so lucky]

Another opinion: I have a coop the same size as yours. I bought 8 day-olds this past spring and they were a bit crowded in that size coop once they were grown and laying. Mainly because one was a real bully. We found her dead in the coop about a month ago. No illness symptoms, just dropped dead, I guess. Anyway, the remaining 7 get along fine, and there is plenty of room now.
If you don't have much experience with chickens, and you want them to be pets as well as egg producers, I would suggest you get day-olds. You will be able to hold them and train them a bit, and gradually get used to them as they grow up and go through their ornery stage. You will be more comfortable picking them up, treating them if they need medicine, etc. if you have dealt with them since hatching. Hopefully. But be aware you need to play with them often while they are young. I have a dog this time around which I had to keep well away from the baby chicks. It limited my play time with them. Not ideal.

Of course, this time of year, you will need to keep them inside for a while unless you have a special set up with heat provided in the coop. I get new chicks in April, and by the time the weather warms up they are ready to go out side in an unheated coop. (Well, I did have a heat lamp for a while in the coop this spring) This will be different in the south, I think.
Which ever you choose, good luck, and have fun.

 

[Sheltiepawz]

Thanks everyone for the pros and cons-- that helped a lot. i think i will be going with pullets and probably half of what i originally planned. Next step i guess would be to see what is available in my area. btw I live in the deep south, Mobile, Alabama.

Cover your run! My girls appreciate it so much. Too much rain down here in the south lol.

 

[BDutch]

There is a lot of confusing, conflicting and just plain bad information out there, isn't there? I remember feeling the same way when I first started. My best advice is to get your advice solely from this forum and not Facebook groups (lots of bad info there).

As to whether to start with chicks or hens, that's totally up to you. It's cheaper to get chicks and just cull the cockerels, but some people have a hard time with that. I personally started with chicks and rehomed all but one rooster.

You'll want a minimum of 4 square feet per bird in the coop, and 10 square feet per bird in the run. If you live in a cold climate, you'll want a lot more than that. The more room you have for your birds, the happier and healthier they will be.

Before I started with my own chicks/chickens I have been reading a book. ‘Keeping chickens in you’re garden‘ or something with a similar title.

It was about 20 -30 pages with the basics and contained general information about keeping chickens, water, feed, coop, cleaning, space, choices in confinement and free ranging, common parasites and sicknesses,rules and regulatiins, etc.
It helped me a lot to get started.

I also helped to see setups from other chicken keepers explaining why they keep that kind of chickens in that way. ... finally you make you're own choices.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[Msfur08]

I started with five pullets that were off heat. That gave me a chance to get used to taking care of them without the trickier things like heat or possibility of egg laying issues. Once you get the hang of regular feeding and watering and cleaning after them, it’s easier to progress from there. After a few months we were able to get chicks and have that experience. It was nice having the chicks mid summer because they only needed a little heat a few nights when it dropped into the 70’s. (I kept them in my garage instead of in the house where a cat might eat them or a kid might grab them). They grow up fast.

 

[tsnuttall]

I did a lot of reading but with so much information out there i just seem to get more confused instead of informed. My question is: should i start with chicks, pullets or adult hens? These will be pets and egg layers. Next question is how many (I originally was thinking 8-10) My coop, being built now, will be 4'x8' and the run 8'x20'.

My first were already laying hens, instant gratification. When we lost some, we got pullets, took awhile waiting for that first egg now I just hatched 5 chicks, so we will see how that goes.