What were your worst mistakes when you first started?

[starrmar006]

buying those store made coops lasted us a spring/summer then it fell apart so we built a coop the can house 50 chickens but we only keep 25.

 

[Svoorhees]

I'm new to chickens as well. Biggest mistake I have made so far (there will be more) was not having the coop ready for the chickens. Make sure you have a secure spot, bigger is better if you have the choice. I am in a cold climate, so the ladies don't like to leave the warmth of the coop during the day.

 

[room onthebroom]

If I could do it all over again I would limit their free ranging space just enough to keep my front porch & driveway bird free. My birds know that if they rush the driveway they'll get a tasty bribe to keep them out of the way. Most importantly, having chickens where visitors walk & drive is a biosecurity nightmare. Keeping them off the driveway & porch would also mean no more accidentally stepping in poop in your 'real' shoes. That alone would be like a dream come true.

 

[room onthebroom]

I just remembered a major flop i had! I had let them out to free range and it started to pour down rain. They were all huddled under our porch but dry. I was worried about them and went out into the rain to get them back in the run. I stood by the run and yelled "Chick chick chick!" And they came running. It was insane how they reacted. They panicked realizing they were getting wet and couldnt figure out how to get in the run. I ended up grabbing them all like footballs and putting them back in. To my chagrin...it stopped raining 5 minutes later. In the end we were all soaked for nothing but my worried mothering

I've done that too!

 

[perchie.girl]

word of advice....

If you are going to pass out in the coop or run try to fall face first... because eyes is shiny.

deb

 

[Grits&Eggs]

Finally got some "Chicken clothes". In the beginning, I would wear out my day clothes or "good" clothes out and wear my sandals or work shoes, but I would have so much laundry and mess tracked into the house. Now, I leave a flannel/button up and a pair of slip on shoes right by the back door, and the chicken mess/poop stays outside!

 

[paintedChix]

Chicken math means
Chickenxchicken=more chickens than humanly possible
Seriously have you ever seen them reproduce? It's fast

U have broody chickens that sit their eggs? What breeds? Maybe they will teach ONE of the 6 different breeds that I have to brood some chicks!!!

O, yea, Im getting an incubator to "sit" them. Then I will have more "non-sitting" chickens - but pretty eggs, .

 

[WVduckchick]

Careful what you wish for with broodies!

Broodiness is contagious. I lost count of how many I had sitting at one time last spring, and it ripples and continued all summer.....into fall. I still have one hen sitting.

 

[paintedChix]

NOT knowing about BackyardChickens.com for the first two years of Chicken ownership. Would have saved SOOOOO much time and some heartache... :

& who knew that my beloved CPs could be used in so many ways or that chickens could do so many wondrous things for the pony pastures?? BYC peeps, of course!

Unfortunately, many of the mistakes we all make are somewhat (dare I say) necessary to learn what actually works the best in our given situation. Some mistakes are very hard lessons with heartbreaking consequences, but if we pay attention, we can keep them from happening again. I also think that no matter how much you learn or how much you prepare, it may be unrealistic to expect a mistake to never happen.

VERY WELL SAID, Kudos!!!

 

[Shadrach]

Finally got some "Chicken clothes". In the beginning, I would wear out my day clothes or "good" clothes out and wear my sandals or work shoes, but I would have so much laundry and mess tracked into the house. Now, I leave a flannel/button up and a pair of slip on shoes right by the back door, and the chicken mess/poop stays outside!

It is in fact a very good idea, not just to keep clean but the chickens will recognize you.
They don't change their feathers and people constantly changing their appearance makes them nervous.