What were your worst mistakes when you first started?

[Dancing With Chickens]

Hi peoples!

May I ask about when you began keeping chickens? What were the worst mistakes (or any mistakes worth noting, for that matter) you made? What you either wouldn't do again, wouldn't do in THAT way, or so on? Or even "I don't consider it a MISTAKE, per se - but I'd do this in a different way now that I'm more experienced."
Thanks much!

I would have to say not introducing new birds properly, and eventually my whole got sick! With LOTS of research I can finally say that I can do it correctly!

 

[No More Empty Nest]

This would make a great featured thread, I think at least. It's good information, funny, and good-natured.

 

[JedJackson]

Hi peoples!

May I ask about when you began keeping chickens? What were the worst mistakes (or any mistakes worth noting, for that matter) you made? What you either wouldn't do again, wouldn't do in THAT way, or so on? Or even "I don't consider it a MISTAKE, per se - but I'd do this in a different way now that I'm more experienced."
Thanks much!

I was just a little kid when I started with chickens, and my parents had no experience. Probably the biggest thing I did wrong was not having a secure enough space for the birds, and suffering losses as a result. I also regret losing chicks because I didn't take the temperature of the brooder, and again, losses were the result. Those are the two biggest things.

 

[SomeChickinTN]

I'm apparently well on my way to contributing to this thread from the sounds of it, lol. I've got chickens before the coop or run....Chicks, anyway. They will be ready to go outside in a couple weeks, and no outbuilding to put them in to acclimate them from 70 to 30. (Don't start a flock just as winter is hitting).

I'm pretty sure I'm feeding them too many treats (when they go outside is it ok as long as you lay off the carbs?).

I've been cleaning the brooder out every day for 4 weeks, and then hear that it's ok not to do it every day. Not necessarily a mistake, just creating more work for myself.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I've been cleaning the brooder out every day for 4 weeks, and then hear that it's ok not to do it every day. Not necessarily a mistake, just creating more work for myself.

When I was brooding indoors I was cleaning up to multiple times a day (they kept knocking the water over, throwing food everywhere, just general chaos). Not fun!

Once I tried brooding outdoors I admit... I didn't clean at all past some minor spot cleaning. Once the spot the brooder was on got soiled enough, I simply moved the brooder a little. If a big rainstorm was in the forecast, I moved the brooder to the garage (with some pine shavings on a plastic sheet) then back out. Never had to "clean" the floor once. The plastic sheet of shavings from the garage stays just got picked up and dumped in the run.

 

[aart]

They will be ready to go outside in a couple weeks, and no outbuilding to put them in to acclimate them from 70 to 30. (Don't start a flock just as winter is hitting).

I'm pretty sure I'm feeding them too many treats (when they go outside is it ok as long as you lay off the carbs?).

Can you close off the room the brooder is in from the rest of the house and open a window? Have you weaned them off the heat lamp?

They should have a good balanced diet no matter where they are housed.

 

[muddy75]

not realizing how long it would actually take to grow out chicks to food production (egg laying and/or butcher). and chicken math due to aforementioned time in addition to purchase minimums/desire for variety/and paranoia that there is a certain percentage of loss to predators, disease, etc. (won’t even add in newfound addiction to hatching)

 

[Ms Chicory]

First time around, 6 years ago, I did not do enough research about coop design. This time I am thankful to be a part of BYC and all the knowledge from experienced chicken owners! What a blessing!

 

[Mary's Farm]

Our first batch of chicks were in a cardboard brooder in the garage under a heat lamp, and I carefully monitored temperatures until they were about 2 weeks old. Then, one afternoon my dh wanted to give them some time outdoors during July when it was about 90 degrees F, so we set up a round of hardware cloth and they really seemed to like it! It was so much fun watching them jump around on the grass! Then, I left for a few hours to go shopping, and when I got back in the afternoon, they were all dead. The tree shade they had been set up under was gone by afternoon, and apparently the heat from full sun killed them. I put a thermometer on the ground there, and it read almost 110 degrees F. I hadn't realized how vulnerable they still were at 2 weeks to excessive heat. Heart breaker. We almost decided then and there not to have any more livestock, ever. But a second batch of day old chicks was ordered, and thankfully, the pullets are close to laying first eggs. But I'll never forgive myself that terrible mistake.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Our first batch of chicks were in a cardboard brooder in the garage under a heat lamp, and I carefully monitored temperatures until they were about 2 weeks old. Then, one afternoon my dh wanted to give them some time outdoors during July when it was about 90 degrees F, so we set up a round of hardware cloth and they really seemed to like it! It was so much fun watching them jump around on the grass! Then, I left for a few hours to go shopping, and when I got back in the afternoon, they were all dead. The tree shade they had been set up under was gone by afternoon, and apparently the heat from full sun killed them. I put a thermometer on the ground there, and it read almost 110 degrees F. I hadn't realized how vulnerable they still were at 2 weeks to excessive heat. Heart breaker. We almost decided then and there not to have any more livestock, ever. But a second batch of day old chicks was ordered, and thankfully, the pullets are close to laying first eggs. But I'll never forgive myself that terrible mistake.