What were your worst mistakes when you first started?

[rosemarythyme]

Like this one?
Best chip mover EVER!!

Yup, one exactly like that. I tried 2 different shovels, rakes, a bucket, my hands... all very inefficient. Bedding fork? Filled up 2 wheelbarrow loads of chips and got them into the coop in about 5 minutes, minus the walking back and forth time.

 

[CCUK]

This thread is fantastic! I'd say my biggest mistake was not buying a pickup truck when I got a new car. Now when I have to collect bales, feed, supplies etc. it all has to go IN the truck! Not so bad but what goes in must come out, so I also have to cart the muck about in old feed sacks in the back!!

 

[Noellereagan]

This thread is fantastic! I'd say my biggest mistake was not buying a pickup truck when I got a new car. Now when I have to collect bales, feed, supplies etc. it all has to go IN the truck! Not so bad but what goes in must come out, so I also have to cart the muck about in old feed sacks in the back!!

Ditto.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

My biggest *do-over* would be coop size and design. I have 5 girls, and it's plenty big enough for them and they have what they need, but I wish it was bigger.

 

[MissChick@dee]

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!

Your way better than I could ever be. Oh I started with my “chicken shoes” then chicken slippers then chicken boots then chicken flip flops...so now the bigger question is which one of my shoes “doesn’t” have poop on them.
Today I had a
Meeting at town hall. I was horrified!!!! I looked down and there was some
Pooped covered straw on the carpet. A room full of people (35) and I got called out on it. I said “some people” and grabbed a tissue and picked it up.
I said “okay people everyone check your shoes”
Played it cool as a cucumber

 

[MissChick@dee]

This is a bad one- I’m almost embarrassed-
1. I have bad smells. I’m a neat freak. Bad. I clean my coops and runs. Throughly. And daily. Sometimes twice daily. With that said, in order to counteract any temporary and terrible odors- I opted for cedar shavings. They lived through it but I hear cedar is highly toxic to poultry. I read that and scraped every last piece out immediately.
2. Not having an extra brooder bulb. The first day I came home with turkeys that have to stay VERY warm- I went out to check on them at midnight and the bulb that was brand new blew up. Aside from many potential disasters- we made it. I put a heater in the room, used a regular bulb and put them in my lap and covered them with a blanket until TSC opened. I now know Walmart has them too. Thankfully, I didn’t lose any. What a miracle.
3. Not being prepared. I ordered poults and ran out of time to pick up food and stuff. I left a job (I clean houses) and drove an hour and a half to get them before the hatchery they were shipped to closed for the day. I had to go to farm and fleet, buy everything I need and back to the clients to finish. I was still an hour from home too. Since they had been in the box for over a day, when I got to the clients house to finish, I set up a temporary brooder in her garage and fed and watered them. It’s a miracle they made i! I bet I’m the only cleaning lady that has a bring your poults to work day. Here I’m supposed to be keeping this wonderful doctors house clean and I’m bringing in livestock. Good thing she’s great! She still asks about them!
4. Trusting our German Shepard to ward off the predator attacks we were having on our chicken while gone during the day. We left her loose. Turns out it was her who killed every last one of the chickens but one roo I still have and treasure before we figured it out. She was killing and burying them. So that was fun when I was digging while gardening. Especially since they were hand raised pets that I was bonded to.

Good question. Can’t wait to read the rest. This is the best way to learn. I have a few new chicken moms and dads I’m sending here.

Winner winner
chicken dinner.

That’s gonna be hard to top. I wonder how many
“missing” chickens are really just hidden. Sorry for your loss BTW

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

4. Trusting our German Shepard to ward off the predator attacks we were having on our chicken while gone during the day. We left her loose. Turns out it was her who killed every last one of the chickens but one roo I still have and treasure before we figured it out. She was killing and burying them. So that was fun when I was digging while gardening. Especially since they were hand raised pets that I was bonded to.

Good question. Can’t wait to read the rest. This is the best way to learn. I have a few new chicken moms and dads I’m sending here.

My retired racing Greyhound is *usually* pretty good with the girls EXCEPT he was overcome with enthusiasm a few weeks back, and I caught him with one of my girls in his mouth. She was completely unharmed, a little shaken, and I coddled her 'til she settled. Now when he goes out in the backyard (the girls are usually in the yard), he gets a firm "NO CHICKENS!"

 

[blackandtan]

Every day I’m in the coop and every day I wish it was bigger - chicken math is great but don’t forget that you’ll be in there too!!

 

[OFChickens]

Getting chickens before the coop was built. Spent every spare minute for 6 weeks in the cold and rainy Pacific NW winter building a coop. And then after a few months wished it were bigger so spent another month in the hot blazing sun doubling the size.

Oh my gosh I’m laughing!!! Too funny!

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Every day I’m in the coop and every day I wish it was bigger - chicken math is great but don’t forget that you’ll be in there too!!

I know *exactly* what you mean! I have a 4x8 coop, raised off the ground, with a sloped roof. I can climb in and stand to clean off roosts and poop board (I'm short). I either have to crouch to clean the other half of the coop or go to the other access door. One of these days I'll have see how well my DH handles the chore. He does the coop-cleaning when I'm not at home.