What were your worst mistakes when you first started?

[Anna Ranieri]

I have way too many roosters ... and they're sweet as the dickens. They come when called; most know their names and all of them will walk on a leash (albeit a few more reluctantly than others. Yukon, a Red Pyle OEGB and Yosemite Sam, a Nankin Bantam, ride around the yard on my shoulders - and both will come inside if I let them. Then there's Herman, the Silkie roo. He's just plain spoiled!

this post and posts like this make me smile thanks for sharing.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

My two worst mistakes with ducks not chickens (i could resist the urge to have chickens for now, but those Seabrights…)

1. Buying a much overpriced chicken-cube for my ducklings! It has an upper-level with a roost and a nest box which the ducks never ever used, because they couldn't climb up the ramp.
2. Acting too slow and too inconsequent when the smallest of our ducklings suffered from hypothermia. - In August last summer we had a cold snap with temperatures in the mid 50's. Our smallest duckling had not really grown all real feathers, but was running around with its larger siblings until it no longer could. Took it in with me, warmed it up and allowed it to go back out with the others because it was wining so much. In the evening the little one was cold again, so i took it back in but it was already too late and it died the next morning. stupid mistake!

 

[Anna Ranieri]

My two worst mistakes with ducks not chickens (i could resist the urge to have chickens for now, but those Seabrights…)

1. Buying a much overpriced chicken-cube for my ducklings! It has an upper-level with a roost and a nest box which the ducks never ever used, because they couldn't climb up the ramp.
2. Acting too slow and too inconsequent when the smallest of our ducklings suffered from hypothermia. - In August last summer we had a cold snap with temperatures in the mid 50's. Our smallest duckling had not really grown all real feathers, but was running around with its larger siblings until it no longer could. Took it in with me, warmed it up and allowed it to go back out with the others because it was wining so much. In the evening the little one was cold again, so i took it back in but it was already too late and it died the next morning. stupid mistake!

So sorry for your loss, I really feel for you and the hard decisions you had to make, you tried to do the best for your duckling whilst keeping your duckling happy and content - it is often so hard to know what to do for the best - do you keep them indoors and risk causing stress and distress at being separated from their flock - which can also lead to their demise - or do you allow them to be where they really want to be, with their flock. You had good intentions, and I'm sure most would have done the same thing, given that the little one was so distressed at being separate from the flock - I'm so sorry for you that it didn't work out.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I had them for a few years as a teen and when I got back into the 'hobby' later on in life I just went completely dumb on day when I walked into TSC. Wanted to get back into it, just should have waited a few weeks and 'undumbed' myself first.

A amusing list of some of the things and conversations I've had with myself while freezing outside, hunched over with a chicken on my back shoveling poop and collecting eggs while methodically swearing and staring at my flock as they judge me;

1) Ventilation
2) Should have built a walk in coop idiot, now my back hurts and its awkward. Some of my chickens take me hunched over as a 'new and exciting roost to check out' and poop down my jacket.
3) Do it today, not tomorrow. Learned the hard way. Chickens don't do well with procrastination, but sickness and predators do. (Sorry kids, I'm still guilt ridden years later)
4) Do the research...so much hogwash and gimmicks to be found online and in the words of people who don't have any idea. Find and get to know people that actually have experience and wisdom on the subject, even if its not what you want to read or hear. They'll be your chicken best friend and you'll sleep better at night.
5) DO NOT rear chicks in your bedroom because you think its cute! EVER. I mean its OK if you like a layer of silt, dandruff and dried poop coated nicely on everything you own even a year later I'm still finding pockets of it.
6) Learn to SAY NO to yourself and more importantly...your feather babies. (Its so hard!)
7) Do Not Join breeder groups because you think its a fun and open community. Its very one way, linear and some other things that really left me with a huge distaste for the entire idea of some breeds I really loves for a very long time. Its VERY OK if my chickens don't have pedigree toe nails, doesn't make them any less than amazing.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

On an obsessive, crazed weaselcide at the moment though it has had its tole on me being a very live and let live type these days. Found my wild pet squirrel in the trap yesterday. Great sadness for me at the moment.

So sad, sorry for your loss

 

[bald Rooster]

Me and the grand children bought 14 chicks from our local feed store in April. We tried keeping them on the porch in a cage and our dog knocked the cage over and got several chicks out. We lost 4 I think. After a couple months we had them in a nice secure coop and I let them out free ranging in all the horse poop,(chicken heaven)I think we were down to 8 pullets and a surprise cockerel.I new this wasn't going to be enough eggs for us so I went back to the feed store to get a few more chicks. The kid at the counter said I have some mixed breed I will sell you for a 1.50 and I agreed and bought 6, they were infected with fowl pocks. I was new and didn't know what it was or how to deal with it. several of my chickens and a couple turkeys I had bought had huge scabs covering there eyes all over there legs and heads. Terrible thing.I euthanized all 6 of the mixed breed and my turkeys.The older chickens faired better. After I joined BYC I figured out what I had dealt with.I then realized euthanasia wasn't necessary for most of those chicks although most would have died any way.
And of course the coops I have spent the past 3 years rebuilding and adding on. I now have a chicken condo with 4 lvl roost, poop boards are a great thing!

 

[MissChick@dee]

*let’s remember this thread is about mistakes not judgements I would hate to see this end * have fun, be understanding mistakes are hard to admit...but that’s how we all learn * thanks!

 

[Anna Ranieri]

*let’s remember this thread is about mistakes not judgements I would hate to see this end * have fun, be understanding mistakes are hard to admit...but that’s how we all learn * thanks!

Fair do's point taken, will delete my comment

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Oh man, I deeply regret not having bought HC yet. Could have saved me the loss of my most beloved birds
Dad kept insisting it wasn't necessary. He's wrong, in the end. My babes are dead now because he wanted to be cheap.

So sorry for your loss

 

[silkiemother]

my worst mistake I made with my birds was not making my pen raccoon proof and also leaving them in the garage as babies. and the reason that is a mistake is because the power went out on a cold night and well....