Backyard Chickens?

[Kswoodssue]

Questions:

Is it better to have diagonal ascending roost like this? with one big poop tray in there?
View attachment 134315

Or straight horizontal perches with poop trays underneath?

I am thinking the horizontal perches with poop trays underneath will be easier to clean?

How should the perches be shaped? I’ve read to use a flat perch whereas some folks say that a rounded perch is better- tree limb?

Forget poop trays and just use a scoop shovel. Trays will just be a headache. They will perch on pretty much anything. Space your perches so they don’t poop on each other.

 

[Ddski5]

I am pretty excited too. I believe I have narrowed down the coop I want to build- 8x8 coop with a 10x20 run.

How are the breed decisions coming along? Is your wife on board now? and hopefully getting excited about it too?

I think I am pretty set on these as my starting players:
2- Blue Lace Wyandotte’s
2- Americauna’s
2- Welsummer’s
2- Australorp’s

Possibe bench players:
Barred Ply Rocks
Buff Orps
Sussex

My wife is very indifferent to the subject as are two of my daughters. My middle daughter is on board and backing me fiercely. But I know them all well. When I build the coop and all is well…I will let them chickens free range in the back yard and they all will be delighted with the chicken antics portrayed. I’ll bet they get on board a lot sooner the first week when the chicks arrive. Who can really resist baby chicks?? Cmon…..

 

[Ddski5]

I learned something very interesting/intriguing today.

If one does not have a rooster….and has a really broody hen….and wants new chicks…one can order fertilized eggs online and put them under the broody hen. There is a high percentage chance the hen will hatch the eggs and raise the chicks as her own!

But I wonder if you can order the different breeds you want? and then I am sure it is a 50/50 chance of hen vs rooster too- no guarantees there.

But still, how cool would that be to experience and see that evolve? Life from an egg before your eyes and watch them cared for and grow up with the hen? Pretty cool if you ask me.

 

[MyBuddy]

I think I am pretty set on these as my starting players:

Possibe bench players:

Sounds like a soccer dad!

Who can really resist baby chicks?? Cmon…

No One! Especially a woman!

But still, how cool would that be to experience and see that evolve? Life from an egg before your eyes and watch them cared for and grow up with the hen? Pretty cool if you ask me.

I'm so enjoying your excitement! I'm excited for you and look forward to hearing all about your experience!

 

[Ravenbird]

If one does not have a rooster….and has a really broody hen….and wants new chicks…one can order fertilized eggs online and put them under the broody hen. There is a high percentage chance the hen will hatch the eggs and raise the chicks as her own!

That photo top of page 54 here of "my variety pack and surrogate mother" - that's exactly what we did but with day old live chicks instead of eggs. The long story is on that BYC forum you belong to, but it was 5 years ago. It was an adventure that's for sure!!!

Eggs are a bigger crap-shoot. The problem with eggs is that the broody has to show signs of being really serious for several days, then you order your eggs (not easy to get a variety pack that you want with eggs, plus a shipping risk), then your eggs need 21 days of incubation and the hen has been setting already for 3 - 5 days... Then, if she decides to not set eggs after all, your expensive eggs get exposed and die.

A broody hen is something to behold. She gets off the nest only once a day to poop (one or two HUGE ones!), drink and eat - maybe 10 minutes at the most - then goes back to keep the eggs warm. By the end of their 21 days they are tired & weak and broody hens that stick to the eggs much over 21 days risk health problems. Just one reason most people don't want broody breeds. They don't lay during that time and they get so stuck on their nest they can starve themselves to ill health.

 

[Ddski5]

So the more reading I do the more it seems that if you order chicks from a hatchery, it’s not 100% that one gets the breed they wanted…some order one kind but get something else.

Is this common?

 

[Kswoodssue]

No I have always gotten the correct breed. If you get sexed chicks, it isn’t easy, and you may accidentally get a rooster. I got 3 a couple years ago. We called them the bachelors, as they had to be separated from the hens due to gang bang issues.

 

[Rits]

So the more reading I do the more it seems that if you order chicks from a hatchery, it’s not 100% that one gets the breed they wanted…some order one kind but get something else.

Is this common?

I don't think thats true. Go with a good hatchery and it shouldn't be. I've ordered from Meyer hatchery and always got the right breed. Now at a farm store? I totally can see that happening. The workers don't necessarily know anymore than you do about chickens, sometimes less lol.

 

[Ravenbird]

Same, I've ordered from McMurrey and Meyers, got exactly what I ordered. Read about chicks arriving sick, dead, wrong sex etc. but it never happened to me.

 

[Gelcoater]

THAT same piece of meat can go off in a chub bucket and will produce piles of maggots (chicken treats) for several days. (chub bucket - a bucket with

That’s a damn good idea

 

[Ddski5]

So I have to say….

In all my reading and research, I have changed my ideal breeds at least four times. My priorities are skewed because I am trying to have a very colorful flock, different colored eggs, heat tolerant, and very docile/friendly.

I tell you what..that Ayan Cemani is a freaky looking bird!

My list keeps changing.

 

[JanS]

One of the guys who lives a couple miles from here posted about Sex Links and I guess you can tell the gender by their color. I didn't know that.

 

[Ddski5]

@JanS

I am very surprised you don’t have chickens….

 

[JanS]

I would love to but between my allergies, the bitter cold winters and the predators we have it wouldn't be a great choice. Many/most people around here butcher them in the late fall and I wouldn't want to do that.

 

[EricA]

I would love to but between my allergies, the bitter cold winters and the predators we have it wouldn't be a great choice. Many/most people around here butcher them in the late fall and I wouldn't want to do that.

Don't think about it as 'butchering'.

You are simply 'processing' the chicken!

 

[Gelcoater]

Don't think about it as 'butchering'.

You are simply 'processing' the chicken!

Look back to post number 10
In 10’years my outlook hasn’t changed.

 

[EricA]

Look back to post number 10
In 10’years my outlook hasn’t changed.

All of my birds had names.

McNugget, DogFood, EggCrapper, MeatyTreat, etc.

Never were intended to be 'pets'.

 

[Ravenbird]

I tell you what..that Ayan Cemani is a freaky looking bird!

My list keeps changing.

LOL - I love your pile of lists...

The Cemeni is an insanely intriguing bird, I wanted one for a while, but really they are pretty useless, so I went with my better senses. The other one I wanted, l can't recall the name right this second... Black with a horns - La Flèche! A French name. What better thing to go with black devil dogs than a black devil chicken? Again, not practical, so I passed. It's kinda like someone who's never had any dog ever looking at an AKC book!

 

[Kswoodssue]

I am just enjoying the discussion! Your lists are so fun to see. Will look forward to hearing about the whole experience.

 

[Ravenbird]

Will look forward to hearing about the whole experience.

Watching this unfold with @Ddski5 is going to be like binge-watching a series. A new adventure at every turn!