What's Your First Piece of Advice for Newbies?

[Ghosty]

Predator protection! That was our problem at first, being overly optimistic and misinformed.
Mary

On the flip side of the coin, I built a predator proof run that cost me over a grand, but now I free range my birds and the run hardly gets used. My coop is 15 x 16. I imagine next year the run will become my game chicken breeding pen. My best advice would always be, get some experience and knowledge, and see what works best for you in your situation over time.

 

[DIMBY]

Scratch grain is a treat! It should not be the bulk of their diet. And always go with a bigger coop than you think you need cuz chicken math. haha

AND, may I add, don't build or buy a coop with a flat roof! You have a mud mess in no time. Slanted or peaked only way to go (yes, speaking from experience).

 

[Stak]

My advice - research your chicken breeds. Do you want pets that are entertaining and have big personalities? Do you want consistent egg layers? Are you looking for something you can raise to eat? Pick the breed that will suit your needs.

 

[jspeese]

Definitely build a secure coop and pen that is predator-proof and provides enough space to house your birds comfortably 24/7. Never had any luck free-ranging, eventually hawks will come around and pick them off one by one. I may be going out on a limb saying this, but most of the pre-fab coops I've seen at places like TSC and elsewhere are toys rather than something that actually would work.

 

[Matieus27]

What I would say is to plan for more than you initially plan to have because chicken math always prevails

 

[igorsMistress]

Sanitize your coop once a year; sick birds are the weakness in your flock, don't baby them; have a plan to deal with those sick birds immediately and be prepared for a necropsy if you want to know for sure what killed them. Anything else is speculation.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

In addition to the huge ventilation I recommend for the welfare of your chickens' respiratory systems - it is also about light. In a closed up coop they get insufficient light and therefor daylength vs. length of dark period. That can cause molt much earlier in the season than birds in a coop with big openings on both East and West walls and closed up coops will engender birds that lay many fewer eggs per year than those in a building with big openings.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

... I may be going out on a limb saying this, but most of the pre-fab coops I've seen at places like TSC and elsewhere are toys rather than something that actually would work.

Not on a limb. You are securely roosting on a big solid branch with that observation.

 

[Ponte]

Know that chickens are shitting machines. They will go where ever they want to. Limit where they can go by having fencing in place.

 

[Mother of Chooks]

If you plan on getting a rooster or two, be aware that they are a LOT louder than you think they are, and they don't just crow when the sun comes up. My boys start crowing at 3 in the morning until about 8am, and then they will start crowing again at 3 in the afternoon when I usually let them out for their daily run around the garden. If you have neighbors close by then roosters may not be a great idea, not everyone is deaf like my neighbor.

If your bird is sick and needs to go to a vet then make sure you do your research first!! A lot of your everyday vets will not know much about chicken diseases (unless you live in a more rural area), and you'll be charged a huge consultation fee and get very little information and possibly a bad treatment suggestion. If you live in a suburban area then your best bet will likely be a vet clinic that specializes in exotic animals, but it may cost you a bit more. Medication for chickens is often also very expensive because they usually require high dosages, often equivalent to what a medium sized dog would need!

Regular checks of the underwing and vent area will usually tell you if your birds have mites and checks of the feet are good for picking up leg mites and bumblefoot if your birds spend time walking around a rocky yard.

If your bird is looking under the weather then apple cider vinegar and garlic in the water is often good at clearing out nasties. Feeding your birds eggs is also good for giving them back a lot of nutrients.

Avoid overdoing it with the treats, no matter how hard it is to deny your birds when they're pulling the old puppy dog eyes. Dairy and other foods they generally wouldn't have access to in the wild can cause stomach upsets!

And the most important advice I can offer - make sure to give your birds all the kisses and cuddles they could ever need, petting chickens releases the happy hormone in humans, so it's beneficial for us all to snuggle our chooks!