Chickens (newbie wants advice)

[jumpsnake]

OK, so I am planning to get some chickens this year so we can have eggs.
I've seen some good websites online and saw lots of plans for coops. We have a healthy coyote population here and need to have a good coop so all the poor birdies don't get eaten at night.
However, I am a bit overwhelmed by all the designs and was wondering if those of you who keep poultry would have a bit of advice for me.

What type of coop do you have and what do you love and hate about it?
What would you change if you could?
What type of water do you provide? (Trough- type or special chicken waterer-thingy?)
How often do you clean the coop? What bedding do you use?
I've read that most breeds are fine in the winter (I'm in KY) as long as they have shelter- is this true or do I need to plan for supplemental heat?

Anything else to warn a newbie chicken keeper of?

TIA

[Wanderluster]

I cannot offer advice for a coop, my hens have a free range and rule over the ranchette. I too have a coyote problem but I think that they are discouraged due to the large barn dog and his minions the JRs.
I have to tell you that I am fascinated with the chicken antics and the fowl personalities. I set up two nesting boxes and once we were all in agreement about where they would put their eggs they seem to follow a pattern. I have way too many eggs these days from the hens so I have perfected the lemon curd and lemon meringue pie recipes ( I also have an abundance of lemons here), my neighbors receive the benefit of my dilemma.
My hens can fly up to the top of stalls and walk around the hay loft of the barn with the confidence of high wire artists. Good luck with your chickens, I raised the chicks inside of my home so it is little wonder why they are so personable and entertaining.

[glitterless]

My parents have layers, so I'll answer with their coop in mind, although I've seen a better set-up that I'll discuss.

They have a small building, which probably isn't really a coop; I believe it was just an extra shed used to by the farm's previous owners. It's maybe 15' x 10'? I'm guessing. Part of it is a little feed room. They keep about 30 layers at a time. The birds have a connected outdoor run and go outside during the day. The run is fully enclosed with a roof on one end to give them shade/rain/snow protection. The chickens used to have the run of the farm during the day in good weather, but it became a pain to round them up and keep the dogs from chasing them, so they stay in now. They were good snake control, though!

The building has some perches and one large window in the bird area, another in the feed room. One wall has 16 nest boxes. For some reason, the ladies almost never lay in the third row of boxes. No idea why. Maybe it's haunted ;)

I'm probably the wrong one to ask about changes because when I'm at the farm, it's normally to see my horses and not the chickens. But...I think it could use one more window. You can never have too much natural light. On the other hand, windows let in more cold air during winter and birds need to stay warm.

I also think they need a bigger outdoor run. Never underestimate the space that a chicken needs! They'll eat and peck away everything. They like dust baths and probably need some dirt, but I like to see them on grass. If you fence off an area for chickens, the grass will be gone in no time. If your birds will be outside, it would be a good idea to set up some kind of temporary fence that you could move around so as not to kill off all the grass and end up with a dustbowl.

My parents use those round plastic chicken waterers sold at our local co-op. I think they're about $30 each depending on the size. In the winter, they hang a heat lamp above the waterer to keep it from freezing. The building is insulated, so it stays warm enough...and we're in Ontario, Canada, so I'm guessing your birds will be fine in Kentucky.

The coop is probably cleaned weekly. The nest boxes are picked out and rebedded more often to keep the eggs clean. They use shavings.

Now I'll get onto that other set-up. I knew a woman who had maybe 50 to 100 layers. She had the greatest nest boxes. The floor of the boxes was built on somewhat of an angle so that the egg would roll towards the back of the box and drop into a little cubby sort of thing that was underneath each row of boxes. This way the chickens couldn't peck the eggs and the eggs would stay much cleaner. I'm not sure if you can picture this; I wish I could draw it for you. But if you only have a few hens for your own purposes, it might be overkill to get into making fancy boxes.

We have lots of wolves in coyotes in the area as well, but weasels seem to be more of a problem than the larger predators. We've never had a coyote or wolf come in close enough to check out the chickens, but weasels and raccoons have grabbed quite a few. Raccoons actually pull the wire off the frame to gain access to the chickens, so they hens are locked in the building (no run access) every night. Weasels can get in any where, so make sure the coop is secure. Also, make sure that the roof of your outdoor run is enclosed. Even though the birds may not fly out, hawks could fly in.

Best of luck to you. I really enjoy chickens and would definitely keep a couple when I have my own farm one day. They do have interesting personalities and will become pets.

[tradewind]

As far as design goes, whatever is appealing to you is fine. The things that you must have are good ventilation, particularly in summer, as chickens are very heat sensitive, so consider your climate when picking your design. You must have a good flooring system that is easy to clean and will keep out predators. Rats, foxes, racoons, and coyotes are very persistent in trying to access chickens and their food. You want it to be easy easy to clean in all respects as you need to clean it completely once a week. I love my chickens and they free range during the day, but are secure at night which is when they are most at risk. Have fun and enjoy your chickens. Not only are they great for eggs, they are terrific eaters of bugs.

[BeckyB]

My Coop is in the barn,Its a horse stall with chicken wire stapled to the top and door
They have an outdoor run,but mostly free range while im home,They go in on there own when it gets dark.
They have a light in there coop that i turn off at around 8 pm, months when it gets dark early.
They have roosts and rubbermaid containers with holes cut in them for nest boxes. I use a chicken
waterer in the summer and a 8 quart flat back bucket in winter, I just break the ice in it just like
for the horses. I use cedar shavings in the nest boxes and pine shavings in the stall. I do a full cleaning
once a year in late spring. Durning the year i stir up the bedding daily with a pitchfork to not let
it get matted or packed down. I also throw down BOSS and let the chickens help stir it up. Sprinkle in a little
lime once a month. I also sprinkle lice dust on the spot they like to dust bath, to keep mites away and
so far ive never had lice or mites. My coop does not smell at all. I have buff orpingtons,brahmas,australorps and americana, I dont provide
any extra heat durning winter and live in central NY, they are all very cold hardy.
If you dont free range,make your coop and yard bigger.If its to small they will get board and pick
at each other. Good luck,Chicken are a lot of fun and make your coop much bigger than you think
because they are addicting.

[poltroon]

I found this today and I'm still laughing:

I have chickens, I have eggs (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/1/28/9341/95193)

Hey, this was going pretty good! He was dismissing worries I didn't even know existed. I figured the same must hold true for a turkey, after all they taste similar.

Then Wilco did something truly evil.

Those bastards sent a couple of kids, presumably slave labor, around the room passing out paper bags that contained "One Free Chick, Compliments of Wilco."

I didn't see it coming and I'm sure that was the plan. Oh, yeah. Here's your free chicken and by the way it needs food and water and heat or it will die, killer. Heat? Where the hell do I get heat? How much heat?

Turns out they sell lamps that heat up baby chickens. Cost: $10.00.

[jumpsnake]

Wow,
thanks so much for all the good advice! Especially about reminding me of the smaller predators too. We do have rats that live in the fields around the house- and I know I've seen weasels too. I'm thinking perhaps metal sheeting will be in order either on the outside or inside to prevent those pests.
So shavings are ok, then. For some reason I was thinking straw might be better, but pine is much easier to come by for me.
Now I'd better get this coop building show on the road!

[deltawave]

If you get baby chicks it will be MANY weeks until they're ready to live in the coop. Mine are going in a 15 gallon fish tank for their first week or two. :)

[2DogsFarm]

jumpsnake : :lol::lol::lol:
OMG - I'm another ChickenNewbieWannaBe and even this story couldn't quench my fever.
Although it did have me snorking out loud at work...

Maybe I need to rent that old movie The Egg & I.....

[jumpsnake]

Oh, yes, I do know that baby chicks must be kept differently- lots of heat, etc. Thanks though for the warning. I just know the way we are is that we're much better off being totally ready first. If I get the chicks thinking I have weeks to get a coop together, some crap will come up and then I'll have full grown chickens living in a stock tank or something.

Another question: Will the egg flavor differ at all depending on what they eat? Does the egg flavor differ breed to breed?

And, a shocker- has anyone eaten duck eggs? What are they like?

[poltroon]

Oh, yes, I do know that baby chicks must be kept differently- lots of heat, etc. Thanks though for the warning. I just know the way we are is that we're much better off being totally ready first. If I get the chicks thinking I have weeks to get a coop together, some crap will come up and then I'll have full grown chickens living in a stock tank or something.

Another question: Will the egg flavor differ at all depending on what they eat? Does the egg flavor differ breed to breed?

And, a shocker- has anyone eaten duck eggs? What are they like?

Egg flavor definitely matters depending upon what they eat. I'm not sure it matters by breed. Here is a survey that shows nutritional differences as well:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/eggs.aspx

We have ducks and duck eggs. They have thicker whites than chicken eggs, and they seem to have a slightly whiter white as well. My daughter prefers them for eating, but to me sometimes they have a bit of a dirt aftertaste if I'm eating them plain... no doubt because our ducks love to root in the mud. No one else seems to notice. They're wonderful for baking, etc, and indeed some bakers deliberately seek them out.

Again, what they eat probably matters.

Eating eggs is poultry birth control. Particularly in summer, if you forget to collect them, you'll have cute baby ducklings... which is nice, but soon they turn into a flock of adult ducks... who lay even MORE eggs! ;)

[jumpsnake]

Thanks, poltroon.
I love ducks. I find just about anything they do funny and endearing, so I'd love to have a few around. I'm thinking of runners, since we don't have a pond that holds water all year long.

Well, I guess I need to get this coop thing going!

[chaltagor]

The easiest way to make a coop is to buy a large chain link dog pen and roof it. I keep all my outside animals in chain link with pavers around the bottom and nothing that can kill them can get in. My hens would make short work of a weasel! You'll soon learn that some hens will attack any moving thing that is smaller than them that gets in their pen. Don't walk around them barefoot! :lol:

Do NOT use chicken wire, as this is made to keep chickens in only. If you're building it yourself and want it to last a long time, use galvanized after welded wire. You'll have to special order it and it costs more. Galvanized before welding is lower quality and will quickly rust and/or pull apart. This is what they sell in TSC and it's not good wire.

I use a large plastic dog kennel as the roost and a smaller one for the nest box, both on concrete blocks with carpeted ramps. I made a wooden perch that sits inside the roost. When it gets cold I totally surround the roost with straw and then wood to hold the straw against the house (or else the hens would scratch it all out). I also put up barricades so the wind doesn't hit them.

If you keep your eggs at room temperature they'll taste way better than store-bought eggs. You'll be amazed. They can stay good for up to three weeks on the counter. Right before they're laid something called bloom is put on the egg that keeps bacteria out and keeps the eggs fresh. Don't wash them until you eat them or you'll wash off the bloom. If they crack (and they shouldn't, as fresh unrefrigerated eggs have shells that are very thick) then I cook them up right away and feed them back to the hens.

[poltroon]

Thanks, poltroon.
I love ducks. I find just about anything they do funny and endearing, so I'd love to have a few around. I'm thinking of runners, since we don't have a pond that holds water all year long.

Well, I guess I need to get this coop thing going!

We just have a little rubbermaid tub for our ducks and that keeps them content.

[glitterless]

Our token ducky is so excited that the snow is melting and he has a creek to swim in again. He goes crazy dunking his head in the water bucket all winter long. Poor little guy. If it were up to me, I'd move him in and give him the bathtub for the winter.

My parents have used straw in a pinch, but it gets matted down and with chickens you really want the fresh smell that shavings give you. Chickens can be very smelly!

[Hayfields]

Saw this and had to post as poultry are a hobby of mine.
Coops- rough estimate is 1 sq foot per chicken, but I think thats too small and always do at least 2 ft per bird. I like to be able to walk into my coop rather than the hutch type. Mine is set up so that I can easily block off one part to brood chicks in and one part for the adult birds and then open it up to mingle the birds at the proper time. We use shavings, and a deep bedding system in the winter. A friend has really good luck with peat moss.
Choose your birds wisely, they can live a long time. I have an 8 year old hen. If you live somewhere with below freezing temps in winter, you might want to choose birds that have small or rose combs. Its pretty gross when they get frost bite on their combs and wattles. I heat my pen throughout the winter and my big combed rooster still got frost bite. Chanteclers are a nice bird for a beginner. Not flashy, but quiet and easy to care for. Try to be sure not to leave food in the pen overnight. It will attract mice.
Predators- coyotes and neighbor dogs will strike during the day on free range hens as well as at night. Keep a farm dog to prevent this. Just make sure said dog gets along with chickens. Weasels and raccoons are night predators primarily. Also don't forget hawks and eagles and owls. The chickens are vulnerable at night as they do not get off their roosts. A weasel, rat or raccoon can kill the entire flock right down to your big tough rooster without getting so much as a peck on the head, so make sure whatever coop you use you can lock down at night and lock down every night.

Do put a roof over your outdoor run. Chickens are remarkable flyers and will be able to get out of just about anything. I've not had much luck clipping wings. I second the idea of a chainlink dog kennel, but then fit it with a small mesh wire top. Better safe than sorry.

[jumpsnake]

Hayfields, thanks, I think your predator descriptions are just about what I'd expect here. Unfortunately getting a dog is not an option for us- so I've got to make sure things are predator-proof. The birds will be contained at all times, and people will be around them during the day, so I'm not worried about daytime predators, but I'm sure at night we will have attempts to get in. I like the idea of having a dividable pen.
Will good quality hardware cloth around the roost area work, do you think? I know rats in particular will chew through wood- so I'm guessing I need to line the entire thing.
For the floor inside the roost area- what do you all do to clean it? Wood will absorb all sorts of nastiness. FarmTek sells a white, plastic type stuff in 4x8 sheets I was thinking of using as it can be washed. How much nighttime ventilation do the birds need? Are they like horses in being better off with more ventilation even on cool/ cold nights? Or during cold weather should they be 'cooped up' with only a little ventilation?
Sorry so many questions, but I'd rather take the time now to plan it out and then love my coop!

[RiverBendPol]

Remember, too, that raccoons can reach in through very small mesh. They will grab a bird by the ankle and try to pull it out thru the fencing. This is NOT a happy thing for chicken nor farmer. I would never keep chickens in chain link if there were weasels, rats or 'coons around.
Our 'coop' is part of our woodshed. The chicken section is about 8' square and probably 12 feet high. The whole 'room' is lined with rat wire, also known as hardware cloth http://www.twpinc.com/twpinc/control/product/~category_id=TWPCAT_4/~product_id=004X004D0250W48T
The stuff is amazingly strong and small paws cannot reach in. The wire is also sunken down about 6" below ground level so no diggers can enter. Chickens sleep very soundly and unless you have a rooster to protect them, the girls can sleep through an attack until it is too late. The top of their room is also wired. They have a small door that leads out to a pen which is about 12' square, with wire top at about 14'. There are 2 human doors, one into the shed part, one into the pen part. I have a big feeder for them, which holds enough food for about a week, and 2 different waterers. One for summer, an electrified one for winter so the water never freezes. Each holds enough water for a week. I hang waterer and feeder from the roof, suspending them about 18" from the ground, so the stuff stays clean. The girls have 2 nesting boxes inside the chicken room, inside dimension about 18" square, stuffed with horse hay. The floor has about 3" of shavings. Their roost is an old pitchfork handle jammed across the corner, about 2 1/2 ' off the ground. Under the roost is a big plastic tray for easy cleaning. For the winter, I have 2 heat lamps attached to the rafters and aimed down thru the wire at the roost. The girls go out every morning and are free all day. Usually, they tuck themselves into their house at dusk but I shut them in before dark.
There is nothing more fun than chickens. You will have a blast. One of ours likes to ride on a shoulder-anyone's shoulder. They come running when we drive in the driveway. They help with barn chores, they think the horses are amusing-our horses don't mind them one bit. They eggs are beyond delicious.

[ponygirl]

We have ours lined on the bottom with hard cloth b/c raccoons dig. Based on our evidence they dig deeper than 6 inches and in multiple spots looking for a way in. We then dumped playground sand to cover the cloth and provide good drainage. Easy to clean, the girls love dirt baths in the stuff and no raccoons have penetrated the coop. :) I made my coop so they have access to quite a lot of ground space while their roosting/nesting space is up a level. Love the design for our weather.

[deltawave]

Question--do you all lock your chickens in the coops at night, or leave them in their pen with access to a coop? I'm thinking my coop (just picked it up today!) is pretty dang predator proof--it's built like a house!! I'd assume most predators do their deeds at night, yes?

Just found out that my chicks won't be here for another 3 weeks, due to tremendous demand for baby chicks this year! :(

[LAZ]

Question--do you all lock your chickens in the coops at night, or leave them in their pen with access to a coop? I'm thinking my coop (just picked it up today!) is pretty dang predator proof--it's built like a house!! I'd assume most predators do their deeds at night, yes?

Just found out that my chicks won't be here for another 3 weeks, due to tremendous demand for baby chicks this year! :(

Mine are due in June! I may go ahead and buy from Tractor Supply this week & cancel that order--it'll be winter before they're old enough to lay and then I'll have to figure it all out when conditions are way less than optimal!

[ponygirl]

If you even remotely think you'll only get a certain number, you're fooling yourself. I wanted 4, I got 7 because there are over 100 breeds of chickens and I couldn't decide on just 4. I gave my evil mille fleur roo to a breeder but *had to have* a golden polish and a blue cochin so I'm up to 8. To acquire just 2 chicks takes scheming with other chicken addicts. Me and fellow CAs found out that my pet chicken does orders of as little as 3. We ended up getting 9. I was good and only took my 2. But wait! There's more..cuz it's chick season.
I currently have (12) 5 day old chicks in my garage b/c I'm "keeping them for my neighbor" while she builds a coop. Of course my neighbor has no idea how many baby chicks she has as I got them from my sister's school. The 1st graders hatch chicks every year. So, my other neighbor/cohort in crime chicken buddy knows about the babies in my garage. She is coming over to *see* the chicks I'm currently housing. I think my neighbor who is supposed to get the chicks will end up with 8 of the 12. Good friend and I need to go to chickens anonymous. We should be founding members. If someone told me a year ago I'd be smitten by chickens I'd think they were nuts. Well... :) Enjoy your chickens. They are very entertaining.

[jumpsnake]

Thanks again! Ponygirl, do you have any pics of your coop?

[ponygirl]

I can email you photos if you'd like. PM me with your addy and I'll send you some.

[deltawave]

My beautiful new coop, just picked it up yesterday--it's still sitting in my horse trailer. :lol:

[ponygirl]

Wow is that a nice coop!

[TuxWink]

Has anyone kept their chicks in a cardboard box to start? If so, how did you line it for easy cleaning? I have an extra large box (approx. 52" x 36" x 30"h) that I was planning on using so I could just throw out the whole mess when the chicks moved to their coop.

Also, my husband is afraid it is going to catch fire from the heat lamp. However, I have paper shades on some of my regular house lamps and haven't had a problem. Is this something I should be concerned about?

[glitterless]

Heat lamps get much hotter than a regular lightbulb; definitely don't have anything touching the bulbs. I'd keep the lamps a few inches above the box. Your heat lamp may even have directions for this purpose. You wouldn't want the chickens overheating either. We've had chicks (though usually turkeys and not chickens) huddle together and smother overnight. The term "bird brain" is used for a reason ;)

I'd line the bottom of the chicks' box with newspaper and change the paper often. Some kind of bedding may make the box cosier and warmer for them if heat is a problem. When my parents order chicks, they usually come in cardboard boxes with shredded paper as bedding.

deltawave, they always come in. We've had a few stragglers get lost, and they almost never make it back home once they've been out overnight. I swear we must have predators standing in the bushes just waiting for a little chicken to wander too far.

[TuxWink]

I have the kind of lamp with a clamp, so I was planning on clamping it to the edge of the box. Then I can adjust how near/close it is to the chicks. I was planning on using shavings in the box for the chicks, so I'll just add those on top of the newspaper.

[deltawave]

Do you lock them IN the coop overnight, or just in a pen attached to the coop, with the coop open?

[Catersun]

chickens are additictive... I have 2 hens, and 3 pullets laying right now.. and brought home 9 more a week ago.... I will need to remodel my coop now. *sigh*

[ponygirl]

chickens are additictive... I have 2 hens, and 3 pullets laying right now.. and brought home 9 more a week ago.... I will need to remodel my coop now. *sigh*

Yup, I see another has got the sickness :) I'm telling you, there needs to be a Chickens Anonymous . I need to go!

[jumpsnake]

dletawave, I don't know about others, but I plan on locking the coop door every night- more to keep predators out than the chickens in.

tuxwink- I have a lot of experience with clamp lamps (with reptiles.) DO NOT CLAMP IT TO A CARDBOARD BOX!!! Your dh is right; there will be a fire. If you want to use a carboard box, you could potentially use a stand of some sort to clamp to, but the clamps tend to be kind of crappy and get weak after a while. When we use them, we use only a metal set up of some kind- we have these stainless steel baskets that we use- but they are not commercially available. Make sure the lamp will not come in contact with anything flammable if it falls or slips loose.

[glitterless]

deltawave, IN the coop. Definitely no access to the pen at night. I've seen raccoons pry doors open with their little paws. The hens will usually squawk if anything bothers them, but it may be too late by the time you hear anything.

Then again, I suppose it depends on where you live. If you're in a big, open area without any little critters around, and dogs on the property, you may be okay. But my parents' property has bush all around it and wildlife will creep up out of no where. The raccoons who had been picking off chickens for awhile (we had some pet bantams at the barn, not in a coop) had actually been nesting in nearby trees and would come down after we finished late night chores. I'm sure they were watching us, knew the routine and when it was best to get dinner.

[TuxWink]

for the warning re: the cardboard box.

Any other suggestions on temp housing for three chicks?

It seems like the plastic storage bins I own are going to be too small for them, as they say to allow 2 square feet per chick. I have one of those metal dog pens that consists of removable panels that I could shape into a cage over cardboard. Would that be better? Help! :)

[deltawave]

Thanks for the clarification on penning vs. enclosing in the coop at night. I'm really still dithering about a fenced enclosure around the coop: roof, no roof, how tall, etc.

I'm going to keep my chicks in a 15 gallon reptile tank with a mesh cover, and clamp the heat lamp to the railings on the stairwell down to the basement, where the tank will be kept for the first couple of weeks. By then they'll be outgrowing the tank, so they'll move on to a large rubbermaid container.

[LAZ]

My 10 little chicks are peeping away in my barn office, in a water tank with a red heat lamp. They seem quite happy and have made it through the first 24 hours here. My bird dogs haven't caught on that there are birds in that room yet, I'm hoping to keep it that way a while longer!

When it's time for them to go out they'll go in a courtyard area I have that is enclosed and only accessible through a stall--the indoor borders the north edge, the longeing arena wall borders the east wall, both of these are 14'+ feet tall, the west & south edges are 12' walls of stalls on one side & an enclosed walkway on the other. The area is roughly 50' x 30' and I'm trying to figure out if I need to put some sort of netting over part of the top to keep it safe from hawks (I have a Coopers hawk that nests in the cottonwood tree in my jump field). They'll be in a coop at night but have freedom to hang out at all other times. This area is a very over grown old mix of some flowers & grass & has some small volunteer trees for cover. I'm going to hope they won't fly out to escape--anyone have any thoughts on that?

[poltroon]

I'm going to hope they won't fly out to escape--anyone have any thoughts on that?

What breed are they? Some breeds like to fly, some just don't, some can't.

[MintHillFarm]

My chicken lives with 2 ducks and a goose. I have a box stall for all of them with a small door with a slider insert cut into the exterior wall. A fenced in area leads off that wall. It has plenty to scratch around for keep them busy. They come in at night about the same time, and I close them in. I use shavings for their stall, with mats underneath, and clean it out weekly when it is not frozen! The ducks and goose require more water than the chickens so I have 4 black feed tubs of water that I change 2x a day. The ducks like to sit in the water...I have lost chickens to predators so I want them all in at night if possible. I have 2 roosts in the corners and a wooden box as well placed in a corner, for privacy. I use Layer Crumbles (non medicated) feed, free choice and I also feed them a few slices of bread broken up, AM and PM. Doing this makes them more tame and they will come right over to you...I love having them around, the noises they make and their presence makes the horses much less spookey and the eggs are unlike any you can buy...

What kind did you get? I like Rhode Island Reds and the Buff Worthingtons.

[Catersun]

chicks can go outside once fully feathered... about 4 weeks. Mine go from in the house in a critter cage, to a 4x4 chicken tractor outside that I move daily. Don't forget to put some kind of roost in your chick hut so they start practising roosting.I like to keep them no more than four inches off the ground. as fo right now, one of my red sexlink chicks is sleeping on the top of the feeder.

and yes... I have chicken craziness as well as multiple fish tank syndrome...

[dsedler]

for the warning re: the cardboard box.

Any other suggestions on temp housing for three chicks?

It seems like the plastic storage bins I own are going to be too small for them, as they say to allow 2 square feet per chick. I have one of those metal dog pens that consists of removable panels that I could shape into a cage over cardboard. Would that be better? Help! :)


You really don't need 2 sq. ft. per chick when they are still small chicks. I've heard that you only need .5 sq. ft. per chick until they are a little older. You actually don't want too large of a container. You want them to easily be able to find their food and water. For 3 chicks, a rubbermaid tote or that dog crate should work fine. If your dog crate is the kind with metal sides, make sure to line cardboard around the botton 4-6 inches to help keep the bedding in.

I also have the heat lamp with the clamp and I plan on setting a fold up table next to the box and clamping to it and then somehow figuring a backup way to make sure it doesn't fall. I haven't figured that one out yet, but my chicks are supposed to get here until the end of May, so I have some time.

Check out backyardchickens.com for some great info. Their message board is wonderful and should answer just about any question you have.

[JSwan]

and yes... I have chicken craziness as well as multiple fish tank syndrome...

Until this forum was started I had absolutely no idea so many of us were crazy chicken ladies.:lol:

[okggo]

We had 4 cute little peeps that now look like crazy moth-eaten chickens. In sheer laziness I haven't read through every single post.

Was there an answer about winter? Do they need a heat source?

Our coup is cement/cinderblock with an outdoor run. I know the people here before us had chickens and there is no electricity run to their coops so I can only assume they never heated them.

Also, when CAN they go outside? It's been 60 here at best in Maryland, and while I keep hoping at some point winter will GO AWAY...argh. Our chicks are a month or more now, still in the house in a rabbit cage with a 100 watt lightbulb. They are completely messy so I will be very happy when we can get them OUT of the house!!

I found my new form of entertainment though. Worms!! They crack me up!! I dig up fishing worms and feed them and they go bonkers when they see me coming now. They run around like mad women after they grab the worms, I definitely know what makes chickens happy!

Incidentally, when do the stop peeping and start clucking?

[LAZ]

What kind did you get? I like Rhode Island Reds and the Buff Worthingtons.

Right now I have 10 gold sex links, but I have Rhode Island Reds and Buff Orphingtons (sp?) on order. I'm splitting the batch of them with a friend who also wants chickens.

I'm building their coop tomorrow & Monday but I am worried about the hawk seeing them as free meals! He periodically comes in my indoor and for a few days I have no sparrows/etc in the barn!

[JSwan]

Incidentally, when do the stop peeping and start clucking?

They'll start trying after about a month and a half I think.

What's REALLY funny is when the roosters try and crow. Many a morning I jumped out of bed convinced they were being murdered.

Nope.... just warming up!

[RiverBendPol]

Right now I have 10 gold sex links, but I have Rhode Island Reds and Buff Orphingtons (sp?) on order. I'm splitting the batch of them with a friend who also wants chickens.

I'm building their coop tomorrow & Monday but I am worried about the hawk seeing them as free meals! He periodically comes in my indoor and for a few days I have no sparrows/etc in the barn!

Our hawk definitely wants a chicken dinner. Make sure you put a strong roof over your run and always make sure your dogs are out with the chickens when they're free! Once the chickens are big (ours are Buff Orps and are now, a year old almost, HUGE) the hawk will be less determined.

okggo, you should be able to start hardening off your chicks when it is 60+ degrees....take them out on the grass at lunch time and let them scrabble around for a couple of hours a day. Once their big feathers are coming in you should have suitable temps.

[deltawave]

Scrabbling around in our storage shelter this morning I found an old dog pen--4 feet high, very move-able and easy to set up. I'm going to put that up around the coop for daytime "turnout" until they are big enough to fly, then see if I need/want to upgrade. I'm hoping to have them running around the barnyard eating insects a lot of the time, at least when I'm around and the dog is loose to deter the numerous hawks and feral cats that prowl around.

Buff Orpingtons get that big, huh? That's what I'm getting--hope they don't get too big to fit through the hen-house door! :lol:

[Catersun]

chickens are like potato chips.... ya can't have just one ;)

[LAZ]

always make sure your dogs are out with the chickens when they're free! .


Ha ha ha ha--I have German Shorthaired Pointers and if I am lucky they will NEVER be out with the chickens, I can't even imagine the chaos....

As it is I'm afraid Gilda will never leave the door into the chicken yard, but stand on point for days on end.....my male is less determined.

[MintHillFarm]

Ha ha ha ha--I have German Shorthaired Pointers and if I am lucky they will NEVER be out with the chickens, I can't even imagine the chaos....

As it is I'm afraid Gilda will never leave the door into the chicken yard, but stand on point for days on end.....my male is less determined.

My neighbor has a Pointer and also has many chickens of all varieties...She would have a lot more but her German Short Hair has killed quite few over the years. I would have thought that with time, the dog would have stopped harming them and lost interest, but instinctively I suppose that's hard.

[ToiRider]

I grew up on a farm, and we raised chickens. As my parents got older, they got rid of the roosters, and we just had a few hens. Two of the hens got broody different years but couldn't hatch eggs because the eggs were not fertilized. When it became clear that the hens were never going to get off of those eggs (and they had probably turned into little sulfur bombs), we got them freshly hatched chicks to raise. We would pick up the chicks from the hatchery and keep them covered on the way home (chicks and ducklings fixate on the first thing they see for very long as "mommy", so we made sure not to peek in the bag at them). We would then gently lay a burlap bag over the hen, hold her down gently with one hand and reach underneath her with the other to carefully take out her eggs. We would then tuck the chicks in underneath her. The hen would start motherly clucking to the chicks while they were still in the bag. As soon as we took the burlap bag off the hen, she would take on the role of mother hen. It worked perfectly both times we did it, and we did not have to raise the chicks inside. We also made those hens very happy.

[jumpsnake]

Toi that is very sweet.

I never knew so many people loved chickens! Do we need a CA (chickens anonymous) club?

lol

[equineartworks]

I will be the first to join CA. I loves me a chicken :lol:

[TuxWink]

for the suggestions. I have all sorts of different things to work with - I think I'll start them in a rubbermaid container and then transition them to the dog cage with cardboard as dselder suggested. They are supposed to be coming this week in the mail, any day between Tuesday - Thursday! I'm very egg-cited! (ha ha...there are so many bad puns involving chickens.) It's very fun to read everyone's chicken stories!

[Wanderluster]

I got a chick for Easter ! She is a golden frizzle and I named her Marilyn. My first reaction was to wring my daughter's neck for buying me yet another then I fell in love. She will grow up inside until she is old enough to go out with the others, yup time for me to get to a CA meeting for sure ! :lol:

[equineartworks]

I just had 4 new silkie babies born yesterday. LOVE THEM!!!!

Welcome to the world little ones :)

[RiverBendPol]

Hey, does anyone here know why one of my chickens has a dirty bottom? When she was a tiny chick, she was called Pooh-y. As she grew up, the problem seemed to go away. Now she's coming up on her 1st birthday and the problem seems to be back. She has no other symptoms, lays an egg every day, is every bit as cheery and busy as her gal-pals, she's just not all that good to look at from behind!:confused:

[TuxWink]

yesterday! They are so cute and seem to be doing well. Eating, drinking, pooping. :)

Quick question about taming them. I have been handling them several times a day and they have gotten better about me picking them up and holding them. However, they are still pretty skittish and run from my hand when I go to pick them up. Any tips or tricks? I've tried putting their starter feed in my hand, but they're not interested. Also, I've heard you can feed them plain yogurt as a treat - when should I start this and are there other treats I can give them when they are still so young?

[dsedler]

Tux, check out http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/index.php They have an answer to every possible questions you could have.

They say not to give many treats while they are young because they can't properly digest stuff yet.

[TuxWink]

found that this morning and it is very helpful!

[ML]

Wait till you tell your beloved horse not to step on the silkies.

:)

ML

[Simkie]

I just had 4 new silkie babies born yesterday. LOVE THEM!!!!

Welcome to the world little ones :)

OMG HOW CUTE.

My manta through this thread: I live in suburbia and cannot have chickens. I live in suburbia and cannot have chickens. I live in suburbia and cannot have chickens...

[deltawave]

Suburbia is surprisingly tolerant of small flocks of chickens. Just not roosters, but who needs those? ;) Check your township/city's local ordinances, covenants and restrictions and you might just be in the chicken business! :D

[Simkie]

Suburbia is surprisingly tolerant of small flocks of chickens. Just not roosters, but who needs those? ;) Check your township/city's local ordinances, covenants and restrictions and you might just be in the chicken business! :D

Oh, I have covenants...that only allow me *two* housepets, period. (Ha ha, yeah right!) And only a 4' fence. And I got a nasty letter when I had some grass in a rock border in the front. I would be in SO much trouble if I tried chickens!!

[Alagirl]

Oh, I have covenants...that only allow me *two* housepets, period. (Ha ha, yeah right!) And only a 4' fence. And I got a nasty letter when I had some grass in a rock border in the front. I would be in SO much trouble if I tried chickens!!


LOL, gawd, I hade those nastygrams, got one last year or so, for weeds...turned out, it was my neighbor's strip of wilderness she keeps for bird watching purposes...I'd love to get some guinea hens...but that won't fly at all I bet....(But hubby stuck it to the guy who called the city on us, BIG time! :lol::lol::lol::lol: Gotta love it, when you can drop hints, being pretty sure you are on the money!)

I wonder if I can get away with a couple Bantams? :confused: