What were your worst mistakes when you first started?

[Savager]

My experience with chickens has been pretty trouble free, but ducks are a different story. The one was of course not bringing them home without a place to stay. Ended up living in a plastic fence pen for a week, which had a roof that was too low. Second thing in that pen was burying a tub to swim in at ground level with three week old ducks. No one drowned like you might think, but it was filled with crap and mud by the end of the first day. Had to use a smaller bucket to bail all the water out till it was light enough to get out. Mistake number three, after they were moved to their bigger pen and not making sure there were no holes in it. One night something spooked them and one girl rammed her head in the hole and was a bloody mess. Number four after that was thinking she could stay outside with a less than ok bandaging job on her head and not get infected. Ended up with a full grown duck in my bathtub for three weeks.

 

[NewBoots]

My deepest regret is not putting my foot down when my dad decided how my coop should be built. Now I'm stuck with a coop that I despise and I can't get rid of it without hurting his feelings, and it's built in such a way that I really can't even modify it either.

Be a shame if something happened to that coop... You might be able to reuse some of the materials for the replacement so it would be almost like you still had the original for sentiments sake.

 

[Zillaah]

Getting chicks before building the coop. I’m still finding dust in the “chicken room” and it’s been months!

Not getting nesting boxes soon enough. Everything I read said they shouldn’t start laying until 6 months. 4 months in and I started finding eggs right out on the concrete. Luckily they figured it out quickly once I put nesting boxes in the coop. But they still refuse to use the open top boxes I got at tractor supply. They only lay in the boxes I got from the local feed store that have a top and backside.

I’m still new to this, so I’m sure there will be more, but thankfully I discovered this site!

 

[PoultryLoverandfarmer]

I didn’t have enough protection For my Hens. I lost all of my Hens to either raccoons or opossums.. Yet I did also put the chicks with the adults when I didn’t know that they would get picked on... yeah... Leason learned always do ya reaserch and be prepared. But this is my 3rd or 4th flock so I’m doing good

 

[micstrachan]

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.

That’s a tough one. Sorry.

 

[micstrachan]

Letting wild birds get into the chicken's food and water stations put outside while the chickens free ranged. Entire flock contracted MS, I nearly lost them all. I was able to save each and every one however never again will I leave food and water outside for the chickens.

This is a good one. I do wonder if this was a factor in Ruby’s crop situation a few weeks back.

 

[micstrachan]

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.

You think so? My chickens do seem especially happy to be with me when I’m wearing what I call my “chicken sweater.” It’s really more of a generic Señor Lopez and they love it!

 

[micstrachan]

One thing right off the top of my head is be sure to make doors to coops wide enough that you can get a wheelbarrow through them and make gates to pens wide enough to get a tractor through.

Hahaha! I tractor wouldn’t fit in my pen, gate or no gate! (It’s only ~250 sq. ft.)

 

[Shadrach]

You think so? My chickens do seem especially happy to be with me when I’m wearing what I call my “chicken sweater.” It’s really more of a generic Señor Lopez and they love it!

You can test this out for yourself.
I think this is part of ‘old knowledge’ that has been largely forgotten.
I was taught this as a young boy by my Uncles farm manager.
I’ve experimented with it here. I usually wear overalls, or very similar trousers and top. If I change my appearance drastically the chickens won’t approach me and tend to back away until the ‘new me’ has been imprinted, I’ve assumed.
Hoodies, hats, vivid colour changes, flappy garments, carrying unfamiliar objects, all tend to unsettle other animals.
For those who keep their chickens in runs, it probably isn’t so important because there isn’t anywhere for them to run.

 

[TwoCrows]

This is a good one. I do wonder if this was a factor in Ruby’s crop situation a few weeks back.

Oh absolutely, wild birds carry yeast infections too. I used to feed the wild birds and they came in hoards to my feeders. By summers end the grounds actually smelled yeasty. The wild birds can also carry the "super bacteria" which is not a bacteria at all but a yeast that is EXTREMELY difficult to irradicate. I sometimes wonder if this is what ran through my entire flock over the years, having had SO many yeasty crops in the past 8 years. Not only do I keep food and water out of the wild birds reach, but I don't feed the wild birds anymore, bringing them into the yard, tracking crud into the coop on my shoes, chickens picking it up free ranging.

How is Ruby doing now?