Backyard Chickens?

[GennyB]

Well it's the end of May and I finally have my vanilla extract ready. I make my own because it can be pricey to buy. You can however buy the beans pretty reasonable. By making my own I have the pods to dry and grind to a powder to add to their dust bath. Vanilla is a scent that gnats do not like. Keeping gnats away from chickens is important because they can be fatal.
So dust bath loaded with dried vanilla bean pods, chickens and coop all sprayed down, we're ready for summer.

 

[GennyB]

We are going to build our own coop

Good idea, you'll end up with a much better result. Those premade ones are way over priced and generally not as well made. Some that I have seen were designed by someone that never owned hens. Not real functional.
At any rate to the crazy chicken lady club!

 

[MischasMomma]

We also got a rooster or 2. Plan to free range them during the day on the pasture. 2 roosters just in case something happens to one. 10 hens and one bonus chicken the hatchery offered. They have a one free chick per order thing going on with the goal of you raising it then offering the eggs or meat to a local family or charity. I love that idea so we are gonna do it!

That's so cool they do that! Agree with Genny- welcome to the crazy chicken lady club! Chickens are addicting haha... exciting journey coming along!!

Be careful with 2 roos to 10 hens... that may be too much on your girls. They typically recommend 10 hens per rooster. You might be ok, I've seen some success stories with less but I would just keep an eye on them; the rooster may fight if they dont think theres enough girls.

 

[Rits]

That's so cool they do that! Agree with Genny- welcome to the crazy chicken lady club! Chickens are addicting haha... exciting journey coming along!!

Be careful with 2 roos to 10 hens... that may be too much on your girls. They typically recommend 10 hens per rooster. You might be ok, I've seen some success stories with less but I would just keep an eye on them; the rooster may fight if they dont think theres enough girls.

Yep... I have read anywhere from 8-12 per roo. So our ideal was 9 hens to 1 roo. The extra rooster is in case one inevitably doesn't make it which Ive read is a possibility when raising young chicks. We do want atleast a rooster for flock protection since they are free ranging and we plan to eventually hatch our own. Fingers crossed all are healthy. Worst case scenario if two roos make it and cause problems...well the more desirable one won't be food.

 

[MyBuddy]

the rooster may fight if they dont think theres enough girls.

Men! They're so territorial.

 

[GOD'S GRACE]

Men! They're so territorial.

Indeed... ;-)

 

[Rits]

The babies are here and all are alive and well! Gosh they are sooo stinkin cute! We've already introduced all of them to the water. Lamp is set to 95 on one side for the first week. Mystery chick is yellow while the black and yellows are the Black Australorps. I think we're gonna let the yellow one remain a mystery until its full grown. It should be fun to watch it grow and see what it is!

Such funny little things! Asleep one moment to running around full speed the next. Also, if you listen closely you can hear the neighbor's roosters crowing across the street. I think they are Brahmas...very loud things!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155776107792326

 

[GennyB]

Such funny little things!

They are! You are going to have lots of fun watching them. I think my favorite is watching then scratch. It funny the things they find. They just give a few swipes across the ground next thing you know they jump back and look. What do you know they found a whole buffet. You can train pretty easily too. I just have mine trained to come when called because that kinda important when you have 2 Dobermans.

Asleep one moment to running around full speed the next.

Just like a puppy.

this is going to be fun for you.

 

[MyBuddy]

Cool!! Look at how they skirt across the box! Fast Little things! And talkative! You'll have fun!

 

[Rits]

I keep trying to talk my mother into having some chickens because of how easy they are to care for. I would but we obviously don't have the space for it and I think probably would be kicked out of the complex if we did. My dad and I finally won her over in having a garden this year, so it's a start in homesteading.

I'll be lurking this thread enjoying your chickens and chicken talk with you!

I went back re-reading everyone's stories in this thread and found this. It only took 4 years! But I won, hehe! Now she's bought me a book and she's telling me facts about chickens cause she's reading it too. LOL

We have a 2nd fridge out in the garage and almost every time I go out there to get a drink or something for dinner, I find my husband sitting next to the chicks with one fast asleep in his hands. I think he's more addicted than me. It melts my heart.

 

[GennyB]

I find my husband sitting next to the chicks with one fast asleep in his hands.

They are addicting. But it's a good thing to handle them. So much easier to care for them when they are used to human touch.

 

[LifeofRubie]

We also got a rooster or 2. Plan to free range them during the day on the pasture. 2 roosters just in case something happens to one. 10 hens and one bonus chicken the hatchery offered. They have a one free chick per order thing going on with the goal of you raising it then offering the eggs or meat to a local family or charity. I love that idea so we are gonna do it!

What an amazing practice they're suggesting!

 

[GennyB]

I have been dealing with a broody hen. I've tried all the tips to stop it. Some even said to ignore it because she will snap out of it. Well she didn't. I was worried because it's been so hot and she wasn't leaving her nesting box to eat or drink. I picked her up the other day to move her outside. Man did she loose some weight.
I resorted to the dog crate method. Just hoping it would work. Had some doubts because we have no cool air.

It's been a couple of days since she has been out of the crate and the good news is I think it worked!

 

[MyBuddy]

I watched the video but still don't understand what a Broody hen is LOL, what exactly does that mean? Is she just sitting a nest and not producing eggs? And what does putting her in that cage with cool underneath do to change that?

 

[GennyB]

I watched the video but still don't understand what a Broody hen is LOL, what exactly does that mean? Is she just sitting a nest and not producing eggs? And what does putting her in that cage with cool underneath do to change that?

A broody hen wants to sit on eggs. There doesn't even have to be any eggs, she'll just go sit in the nesting box. That can be a problem because hens lay in the same box for the most part. Hens produce heat when brooding to incubate the eggs. The cool is supposed to help stop that.

 

[MyBuddy]

A broody hen wants to sit on eggs. There doesn't even have to be any eggs, she'll just go sit in the nesting box.

Sooooo.... you mean she's just sitting and not getting up at all? And she's taking up spots for the other ones? Why do they do that? I mean how does it start? Is it like a false pregnancy in a dog?

 

[GennyB]

Sooooo.... you mean she's just sitting and not getting up at all?

And she's taking up spots for the other ones?

Yep.

Why do they do that? I mean how does it start? Is it like a false pregnancy in a dog?

From what I've read, I don't think anybody really knows. It's just an accepted fact. A PITA fact. It's just what hens do, lay eggs and sit till chicks are big enough to function on their own.

 

[Rits]

Figured I should probably update how the chicks are doing. This Wed they will be 4 weeks old!!

We just upgraded their brooder box because they were quickly outgrowing the biggest plastic tote the hardware stores have. Our next batch of chicks (which won't be for a while) will be raised in a brooder box we will build in the coop with space to last until they can be in the coop fully on their own.

Both of us never imagined how fun raising chicks could be. My husband is probably the most surprised with how much he enjoys watching them and taking care of them. We have some happy chicks that run to greet us!

Mystery chick - hoping for a leghorn and not a cornish cross or something we'll have to butcher young because they literally outgrow their bodies He's turning out to be super fluffy and pretty. We've dubbed him as "Cornbread"

Cute little tail feather sprouts. It reminded me of a variation of ornamental grass.

Just over 1 week old. Learning that being held is cool!
Also those dusty marks on the side of the box are...how high they could flap already! Wire cloth went over the top that night to prevent any escapees

More roosts. Happy sleepy chicks. Almost 2 weeks old here.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155832748722326

Dog kennels are the best for temporary holding areas This is their bigger space taken just tonight! They look tiny again with all the room they have.

We think these 2 are our roos. Which is awesome because they are the first 2 to run up to us. Green band (dubbed Biggie) will always run up to us over and over and over again just so he can be held even if he was just put down, lol. We will see if they remain to be relatively friendly.

Chicken Jesus!

And, if you've never witnessed food running in chickens...its hilarious. If they find something new or too big to eat, they'll make the biggest fuss and run all around stirring the others up to chase them and help break up whatever it is.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155832749167326

 

[Rits]

I wont spam this thread with coop pics but here is our chicken coop so far. Lots of work! In the heat, in the humidity, and delays from TONS of rain, augh! Between jobs, our weekends and evenings have been filled with working on the coop, but its been a good experience.

 

[GennyB]

Both of us never imagined how fun raising chicks could be.

This thread wasn't a clue?

Dog kennels are the best for temporary holding areas

I used mine enough that I bought a couple just for the girls at an auction. They were the perfect thing when I was acclimating the chicks to outside.

We have some happy chicks that run to greet us!

When you walk up I would add a word, 'here chicky', 'come', whatever you choose and of course have a treat. Teaching them to come can be a handy thing for them to know

Chicken Jesus!

Supposedly the one on the top roost is top of the pecking order. Do you find that true?

here is our chicken coop so far

It looks nice. Can't wait to see it finished.
How far is it from the house? Just wondering about access to water and power. Water will be important for drinking (they drink a lot!) and for cleaning the coop. Power for keeping the water from freezing in the winter and some like to put lights on timers to keep they during the short days.