Raising Chickens... So many Questions. Updated with pics...

[Chvymn99]

So I took the dive, with both feet in.  Now I've been reading and watching youtube.  But still have questions.  I've got 8 pullets, that are about 4 weeks old (boy do they grow fast).  I'm trying to figure out a design for my coop or a tractor that I want to go with. I know they say like 3 to 5 square feet per bird, but how many birds per nest?  How often do they go lay a egg vs. roost at night?  I assume this will all come naturally to them or do I have to help teach them it?  Any good website or well written books on Urban Chicken raising that is recommended?  Thank you.  I'm sure I'll find more questions as I go.  

[pootsnicker]

when I first started with chicks I had 5 gals and 1 roo... my coop was about 4 foot x 4 foot with two nesting box's inside a 10 foot by 10 foot dog kennel. all 5 would use the same nesting box most of the time. I think you could get away with two nesting box's. make sure the nesting boxes are lower than your roost perches or they will roost in the nesting box's. as far as teaching them ..... get some fake eggs and place in your nesting box's this will show them its a safe place to lay there eggs. oh and my chicks never roosted in that coop they always roosted on top of it....it was one that you can buy online way over priced and poorly constructed. It was too small I think so make sure to give your gals plenty of space to make them happy.

[tbird]

 This is a good place to start.  Go there and browse around.  It will have the answer to almost any question you could ask.   


http://www.backyardchickens.com/

[Chvymn99]

Thanks, for the information.  Yea, I was thinking about the chainlink  pen too to start with, we'll see I guess.  Thanks.

[MikeCHS]

I ordered the plans from this site - http://www.ubuilderplans.com/node/61

You could probably do something similar without plans but I am the type that does better if I have something to start from. 

[Misplaced Texan]

That is a very cute and usable coop!  I love the lime green.

Gail

[TN_GARDENER]

So I took the dive, with both feet in.  Now I've been reading and watching youtube.  But still have questions.  I've got 8 pullets, that are about 4 weeks old (boy do they grow fast).  I'm trying to figure out a design for my coop or a tractor that I want to go with. I know they say like 3 to 5 square feet per bird, but how many birds per nest?  How often do they go lay a egg vs. roost at night?  I assume this will all come naturally to them or do I have to help teach them it?  Any good website or well written books on Urban Chicken raising that is recommended?  Thank you.  I'm sure I'll find more questions as I go. 

I think a handful of birds can & will use the same nest (sometimes you might even find a couple in the same one at the same time). 

The productive egg laying breeds can lay half a dozen eggs every week during the long days of Summer (seems light can play a role) and give you >250 in a year. 

The first few days, you might need to shoo them in and out of the coop, but it doesn't take much to get them trained.

That backyard chicken website is great.  I also think those Idiot's Guide to..... books are helpful.  I'm sure there's something at the library, too.

I like this youtube guy's videos. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1jBVWl2v7KA

What kind of birds did you get?

[Chvymn99]

I'll try to post some pics later on.  They are a variety(not really for sure), I got from my Dog feed store down the street.

Its just been amazing how fast these girls are growing, and developing there own personalities.  Thanks for all the information, and keep more pointers coming.  I'm building a bigger brooder this weekend, they've out grown this one.  But I dont think they will be ready for a coop just yet. From what I read they need to be 2-3 months before they do that, is that correct?  Thanks again.

[pootsnicker]

once  they are fully feathered you can put em out in the coop, usually 6 to 8 weeks. 

[Chvymn99]

Here are my babies:

These are about 2 weeks ago -





These are about a week ago -

[TN_GARDENER]

I'll try to post some pics later on.  They are a variety(not really for sure), I got from my Dog feed store down the street.

Its just been amazing how fast these girls are growing, and developing there own personalities.  Thanks for all the information, and keep more pointers coming.  I'm building a bigger brooder this weekend, they've out grown this one.  But I dont think they will be ready for a coop just yet. From what I read they need to be 2-3 months before they do that, is that correct?  Thanks again.

You better get to building that coop.  As you can see, they grow fast and will be ready before you know it. 

I think I see a Rhode Island Red (the orange/red one) and a Speckled Sussex (the yellow/black brindled ones).  The black ones with gray/white could be Plymouth Barred Rocks. Just a guess.

[Carolina Homesteader]

The one book to own for all things country living is The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emory.  It is by far the most comprensive and easy to understand book on living the self sufficient life style. The book was written early on it Mrs. Emory's life and edited and updated over the years.  The best overall book I have in my library on rural living.  It was my main source when starting out in raising chickens and gardening again after many years.  Best of luck. 

[1tongarden]

Gosh i need a place in the country so baaad..LOL

[tbird]

  Al?  You want a place in the country.  Those girls NEED a place in the country!   

[TN_GARDENER]

Gosh i need a place in the country so baaad..LOL

I hear ya

Interestingly enough, I live in the suburbs and still mange to keep 4 chickens and have a small, backyard garden. 

We are what some folks call, outlaw chicken keepers.  We have great neighbors and bribe them with eggs. 

[Chvymn99]

Ok, got the coop & run built. They taking everything great so far.  But at what point do you take the feed & water away from them all the time?  And move the food & water into the run?

[TN_GARDENER]

Ok, got the coop & run built. They taking everything great so far.  But at what point do you take the feed & water away from them all the time?  And move the food & water into the run?

Some folks never do.  It's especially common to make sure they have access to fresh water 24/7.  Me, I don't do that, but lots of folks do.

[pootsnicker]

My chickens have access to food and water at all times. I have feeders in the run and in the coop as and plumbed a watering system in the coop and run as well. if chickens dont have access to food to peck at they tend to gorge and eat too fast. it can lead to a blocked or sour crop.

[Ga/La/Gardener]

It's a shame you can't have them anywhere. Whats the world comming to lol

Gosh i need a place in the country so baaad..LOL

I hear ya

Interestingly enough, I live in the suburbs and still mange to keep 4 chickens and have a small, backyard garden. 

We are what some folks call, outlaw chicken keepers.  We have great neighbors and bribe them with eggs. 

[kbaby]

They especially need water at all times, I don't have any fake eggs so I use golf balls they work great.

[Chvymn99]

Updated Pics...

Group Pic


Does anyone know what variaty this could be?


Little Red...


The Coop...


The Chicken Tractor... ( I guess, I was a little confused what they ment by it... So heres my version).

[TN_GARDENER]

Nice job on the tractor. 

You might have some Wyandottes. Those black n gold ones look like Golden laced Wyandottes. They are beautiful and supposed to be real friendly birds.

from this:


to this in just a few months

[Misplaced Texan]

Look just like ours!

Gail

[CarpenterGrl]

Well, the most important thing I have found when raising chickens, and I have over 100 of them, is predator protection. Any coop you build needs to be secure.

Our main coop is "L" shaped with a 8x12 area in the front and a 25x11 structure on the back. We dug a trench around the entire perimeter and put 18" pieces of heavy gauge roofing metal in the ground. We then poured some bags of ruined tile mortar we got from a flooring store (had gotten wet and was useless to them) in the trench on outside of the metal. This prevents anything like a raccoon, skunk, weasel, coyote from digging under the coop to get in. We had one racoon tunnel under the building attached to the chicken coop, which houses our goats: His bad...that thing was lucky to get out alive (my goats apparently didn't like the invasion from the sounds of the ruckus that woke us). 

For all the eaves and other openings, we used 1/2 x 1/2 hardware cloth. Chicken wire WILL NOT stop a predator. Also, you cannot use anything that a raccoon can fit their paws through. They will reach in and grab what they can and are infamous for beheading chickens in the process.

As for nesting boxes, I have four different areas: One under our "goat beds", which are hollow raised benches; one set of 10 boxes, one set of 8 boxes, and one 4'x16" deep box. The hens have favorites and those change day to day. It is very common to find all your eggs in only a handful of boxes. Right now I have two Black Copper Maran hens that have gone broody and are sitting on the same nest in one box. The thing that I have found is most important to the hens is a sense of privacy. They like the boxes that are darker inside and not so open.

Also, if you keep clean shavings or straw in the nesting boxes your eggs will be really clean. If you don't have to wash them they last longer and bacteria has a harder time entering the egg through the "bloom" the chicken coats the egg with when its laid.

The square footage requirement isn't necessarily the gospel if they spend their day free ranging. If they are only in there at night, feel free to use the smaller number.

Also, put yourself together a vet box: It is very rare to find an avian vet. Common things you will need will include Tylan (antibiotic), some syringes, neosporin, Sulmet (for cocci), Duragard (for MG), hemorrhoid cream in case of prolapse, and blue kote if you have any feather plucking going on. I have too many things to even list in my box. I have saved a ton of my birds by having what I need on hand.

Backyard chickens is good website, with a few knowledgeable and lots of helpful people.

If you want to make sure your chickens return to their coop every night like good little feathered children, make sure they know it is home. You will need to keep them inside for a couple weeks before letting them out. I also put a low voltage nightlight just inside their door that is turned on late afternoon. Since chickens are mostly night-blind, they will hunker down wherever they are when twilight hits unless they have a beacon of light to follow. So, unless you want to chase them every night, you will need to make sure they know where home is, so they go in on their own.

Oh, if you have hawks, you'll need to make provisions for your hens safety during the day. We have tons of huge hawks around here. My birds have two pastures that are mostly tree covered, plus I run guineas and geese with them. I have never lost anything to a hawk in 4 years of raising poultry. My neighbor guy loses his birds to hawks pretty frequently: His are in a large chain link area with nothing over the top and they don't have a house large enough for anything other than nesting.

[Samcro]

I have 3-Cochin hens and a roo and 8-White leggrens we built them a condo coop bach wheen we only had
Mr. Peepers now we have a house full. I'll post some photos of them all soon .

Sam