Please, someone stop me now before I go any further if my expectations are too Disney-esque! I've wanted chickens again since I grew up on the farm with them. Years later now we have a place to have them. I have a coop picked out, safe & secure fencing, know the kind of chickens we want - but, don't know if our plan is realistic. I had planned to buy 75 chicks split half with a friend. I know the chicks will need to live in the garage for a while and have that all planned. The coop will be on the ouside of our chainlink fenced yard (have 2 dogs). Chickens will have their own yard but be invited into the main yard to hang out with us & the (well trained behaved) dogs and eat whatever from the flower beds.
The coop size will be either 8 x 12 or 10 x 12. Will that be a comfortable size for a total of 12 hens? No roosters. We want healthy, friendly, calm chickens that lay colorful eggs (the kids want that part!). Reading all the info about innoculations and wormers has me a bit worried. As I don't plan to continue adding to the flock - they'll be pets before they start laying and then pets who make life long lawn ornaments afterward. If it has a Name we keep it for life LOL. Do I need to do all the innoculations other than the one they get before being shipped? The worming part I understand is needed. It's also a concern for me that the kids will be holding them and want them as a 4-H project.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!
Annie
Disney Life with chickens? Long.
I started out 2 years ago with my first babies and know only what I had read,then I found this site and has been so helpful.My chicks had no shots I put them on medicated chick feed as soon as I got them.and they have never been wormed and I see no signs of worms.I give the raw apple cider vineger(ACV)1 Tab. per gallon.I now have 14 golden comets(best egg layers there is)5 black sexlinks,10 EE`S(EASTER EGGERS) 1 barred rock,7 silkies.I have looking through the poultry catalogs and making out my list for baby chicks,want to get buff orpingtons,wyandottes,turkens,faverolles,and some black and white silkies,now don`t know if this is going to happen because I had my list made out last year and never got any of the ones I wanted,just a wish list I guress.What breeds are you thinking about?As far as you kids handling the chicks just make sure when they are done to wash there hands with soap and water every time.And welcome to DG.You will find all the help you need here just ask.
This message was edited Feb 6, 2010 4:35 PM
AnnieBBB welcome back to the world of chickens! It sounds to me as if you have thought everything out better than most. Like Green, I have never wormed or immunized my hens and they seem fine. Either house should be ample for 12 hens; it sounds like they will have a spoiled existence - lucky girls!
Whhew! Thanks for the replies! I checked out an ag feed store last week and they carry medicated chick feed. Will they also need medicated feed as adults?
Can you explain a little more about the raw apple cider vinegar - it comes in tablet form? Are there different strength tablets, and which do you recommend and starting at what age?
Do you have a trusted place to order chicks? We want the Easter Eggers and either a couple RIR or Silkies. We're counting days until we can get the coop delivered! There is so much prepwork to do first so it will be a few months.
Again, thank you!!
Annie
No they do not need the medicated feed as adults.If I remember right when they are 3 or 4 months old you can change them over to crumbles or pellets whichever you perfer.ACV comes in a bottle like a vinegar bottle and its liquid,I use 1 tab. per gallon of water.I didn`t use it on the little chicks,I waited untill they were a few weeks old.I get my chicks at my feed store have never ordered from a catalog but I think I am going to try it this year
Just want to make sure I have this right - the ACV (1 tablespoon per gallon) is done daily, just part of their water supply? I know I sound dense, LOL, sorry!
I read some where, and can't find it again, but it said that the day old chicks that you buy that are given a shot predelivery should not be given medicated food. So I'm confused as to what the shot is for - think it was called merrak (spelling) shot? Not sure what it's for.
I have a long way to go before I'll feel comfortable having the new babies arrive!
Thanks so much for answering my terribly newbie questions!
It sounds like they are referring to chicks that have been vaccinated for Marek's disease, a viral disease that causes paralysis and death in young chicks and chickens.
I don't know why you would not give chicks medicated feed because of the vaccine. The medication is usually an antibiotic intended to control coccidiosis (cocci) which causes diarrhea in young chicks under crowded and wet conditions.
If you only have a few chicks and keep their bedding dry and clean, you probably don't need medicated feed. There is an argument that it can keep them from building up natural immunity to cocci, which is ubiquitous in any natural environment.
However if they are overcrowded or their water becomes contaminated or their bedding is wet, the cocci protozoa can proliferate and overcome the chicks' immune systems before they have built up resistance. It is usually more of a problem in commercial chicken raising.
You sound very conscientious; many of us have successfully stumbled into chicken keeping without nearly so much forethought. I'm sure you'll do fine. My chickens have either been bought at the feed store or ordered from Ideal Poultry. I have been pleased with both sources. I have lost a couple of hens to Marek's disease so if they come vaccinated so much the better.
There's a vaccination for coccidia now; so if they get the coccidia vacc is when they say not to use medicated feed. The Marek's vaccine is a good idea to do; coccidia - either vaccinate, or use medicated feed, or keep everything as clean as possible until they build up a natural immunity.
I don't know of any other innoculations they would need and I've never wormed chickens so I can't comment on that. Chickens are remarkably hardy animals.
An 8x12 or 10x12 coop is plenty big enough for 12 hens - no worries there.
Thank you all so much for your great advice! I'm counting the days until everything is ready and the chicks can come!
Growing up we had chickens that were both pets and 4-H projects and kept us in eggs, and also a pair of geese. The geese were very attached to my mom and would follow her every where and even stand guard over her when she worked in the garden. They didn't allow any of us kids (5 of us!) to come near my mom ouside, we got many bruises from them for trying! I think she used to spend a lot of time in the garden with her geese just for the peace and quite LOL
Annie
Oh, wish I'd had a pair of geese a few years ago!
I`m sure you will do fine,what gallsfarm said is what I heard to about the medicated,so if you get them vaccinated for both then you don`t need the medicated.Its hard here to find non-medicated.You can buy Braggs ACV on amazon,I seen it on another site it was a gallon for 17.00 and he said only .99 shipping.
This message was edited Feb 7, 2010 2:03 PM
This message was edited Feb 7, 2010 2:06 PM
Id never heard about the ACV so I went looking to see what it was for. I found a neat article and thought I would share....
Many years ago I came upon a book at a garage sale written by Paul and Patricia Bragg called THE APPLE CIDER VINEGAR HEALTH SYSTEM. I found it very interesting and as a result of reading it I began a regimen of drinking an ACV tonic daily in the hopes that it would help keep me healthy in a natural way.
Soon after that a friend gave me a book written by Emily Thacker, simply called THE VINEGAR BOOK. I found the information even more intriguing. I found that ACV is an antiseptic, (it kills germs on contact) and it is an antibiotic as well, (it contains bacteria which is unfriendly to infectious micro-organisms0.
Raw, not filtered or pasteurized ACV, is found in health food stores., ACV has been around and used in medicine as early as 400 BC by Hippocrates himself who is know as "the Father of Medicine". ACV was well known in those days as a natural occurring germ killer. ACV was used as a dressing on wounds and sores in Biblical times. It is able to attack and kill harmful bacteria and other blood born infections.
ACV contains more then 30 nutrients, dozens of minerals and over half a dozen vitamins and essential acids as well as several enzymes. It has a large dose of pectin which aids in keeping the heart healthy. Most of us, I am sure, grew up in households where our mothers had many uses for ACV, mostly pasteurized and distilled for cleaning. It still remains to be effective for many uses and is an inexpensive, safe, and non toxic way to clean and safely disinfect your home as well as your aviary.
Recently I was reading an article on 60 ways to use ACV when I happened on one which stood out foremost in my mind. It was the addition of it to the water of chickens to increase egg production. It was then that I decided to start adding it, (raw unfiltered), to the drinking water of the birds in my aviary mainly for the health benefits as well as it being a safe antibacterial agent to help keep their water free from harmful bacteria and aid in their digestive system.
The following is a short list of the ways that I devised for use of Raw ACV for internal use found in Health Food Stores and regular pasteurized ACV for external use found in all supermarkets for cleaning around my aviary.
For daily use in the drinking water I add 1/4 cup of "raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized ACV found in health food stores to a gallon of water. It helps maintain the proper PH balance for the digestive tract.
To eliminate mildew, dust and odors, wipe down the walls with vinegar, and mist over carpet.
To help keep the dust down and disinfect cages spray with ACV and water solution, same 1/4 to a gallon of water ratio. Even if the birds are in the cage they don't mind being misted and this solution doesn't hurt them. Vinegar closely resembles the PH in rain water and so this may explain why the birds like to dive into their fresh water dishes every day.
My drains can get a bad odor from dumping the bird's drinking water down them but you can disinfect by pouring a cup of ACV down the drain followed by a 1/2 cup of baking soda. It will fizz up. After at least 15 minutes follow by pouring boiling water down the drain.
As a good all purpose cleanser, ACV mixed with salt cleans copper, brass, dishes, pots and pans, skillets, glasses, windows, brooders, and cages. Rinse well when using this salt ACV mixture though.
ACV and water can be used to soak and disinfect hand feeding syringes, spoons etc..
I use ACV in the final rinse water of my sprouted seed to make sure there are no bacteria.
To deter ants, wipe down area where they are seen and they will stay away from that area.
These are but a few of the hundreds of uses for ACV. It was with much enthusiasm that I began to use it around my aviary as I was looking for some safe way to effectively clean and disinfect cages while the birds were on the nest. Apple Cider Vinegar was the answer for me for many more ways then one.
That is interesting, Heavinscent.
I think Bragg's ACV is easy to find at most health food stores....at least that is where I always find it.
What a great read thanks so much for that inf heavinscent!There was someone on byc that was asking about acv I`ll send them over here.I only put 1 tab. in a gallon of water and its working great for me but its nice to know that I can add more if need be.
Hi AnnieBBB, and welcome to the Wonderful World of Chickens *G*
I admit I'm a little curious as to how half of a 75 chick order becomes 12 hens?. But size wise, your coop is more than adequate. I have 40+ chickens in an 8'x10' coop, but they free-range during the day.
The biggest caution I can give you is to make sure the coop is Predator Proof. If (as it sounds) it's a manufactured building, you're probably in good shape to start. Make sure any windows are kept closed, or screened with hardware cloth. Chicken wire (poultry netting) won't keep out anything but other chickens :(. That's my biggest problem. I had my chicks vaccinated for Mareks, but no coccidia. I fed medicated food for a while, but went to unmedicated as it's more available to me, and my Home-hatched chicks have been on un-medicated since hatching, so I'll watch them for problems.
I would recommend the EEs, I still get a kick outof the green and blue eggs. So much that I seldom crack them, those I use get blown and the shells saved. I do use them in the dozens I give away, as I like to see people smile at them:). My very favorites are my Turkens, tho. If you have children with a slightly skewed view of beauty (which apparently I have), you might try a couple. They lay big brown eggs, and have the most personality (in a good way) of any of mine.
Annie you really sound like you thought it all out..great..now you live in ohio and you have (as far as I'm concerned) one of the best hatcheries there..Mt Healthy..ive gotten all my chicks from them in the last 13 yrs..never had one die or come to me dead..they are a great company..
i dont feed any medicated to the full grown chickens..mine get all they need from their crumbles and whatever they dig in the yard..
by the way if you are planning on selling eggs, as green said the golden comets are one of the best layers, and in our colder climate they do very well i the winter..havent had a froze chicken yet..especially this year..brrrrr
good luck
cindy
First the raw ACV, I checked our area health food store this morning and they carry it, yay! Great article, Amazing all the things it's good for and think I'll give it a try for myself.
As to how 75 (the order has now grown to 100) chicks (all will be sexed, no roos) made it down to 12... I'm giving most to two friends who have more room than I do. I'll have to do it asap when I get them because if not, I'll want to keep them all!
Predators are a big concern here. We have coyotes, hawks, and a lot of other wild critters, as well as a couple ill mannered dogs who wander this way sometimes. I wanted to use a chain link fence but the gaps between the gate would be a problem. I've seen other live stock fence that has, I think 2x2 squares and is heavy, then cover it with chicken wire, sides and top, using a wood frame for all. I'll make sure all inside vents have wire over them as well as the windows. I will close up the coop every night.
Thanks for the vac & food info. I'm taking notes and printing it out too!
Any suggestions as to what the outside fenced area should be for 12 (and I'm sticking to that number OR MAYBE 14) hens to be comfy? I was thinking 10 x 12... but want to make sure that's enough for them all to feel comfortable and not stressed. Free range is not an option here.
When I picked up bird seed this morning there was a flyer at the Ag Store for Chick Day. Chicks come from Meyers (any experience with them?) and individual orders can be placed and picked up there. Meyers is only an hour and a 1/2 from me so I'd rather order and pick them up than have them go through all that extra stress of going to the Ag store first. I will also check out Mt Healthy.
Yes, I do think I'm going with mostly EE's and a couple of RIR but am going to check out the turkens and comets! My sense of what is beautiful is VERY scewed!
Thanks so much for all your help! I'm really excited about this!
Annie
Looked them up - Nope, can't have Turkens! My friend used to have some and I knew of the breed by the name "naked neck". While I love the weirdness, it would drive me nuts thinking they had some injury or were pulling out their feathers!
I think their necks look cold; I hate having a cold neck!
But they do have wonderful personalities, lay loads of eggs and are apparently resistant to some viral disease....all with a fantastic food to egg ratio.
I think they are cute.....but the roos can really do a number on the pullets' necks.
Catscan, they would have to do a lot more than lay lots of eggs - they'd have to mow the lawn and clean the house too! I'm drawn to weirdness, but, they look like they got mauled! LOL
I can hardl wait until the snow is gone, even though another storm is coming in tomorrow - so I can get busy with this project!
Annie
Sooo, I guess I shouldn't offer any of my Turken mix babies? One has fluffy feet *G*. It's okay, I just feel sorry for you, missing out on all that Turken-ness.
Oh,and they are very GOOD at mowing the lawn, and raking leaves, as well.....
Any suggestions as to what the outside fenced area should be for 12 (and I'm sticking to that number OR MAYBE 14) hens to be comfy? I was thinking 10 x 12... but want to make sure that's enough for them all to feel comfortable and not stressed.
Annie, I don't really know what the area should be, but my thoughts are to make it as large as you possibly can, and then add more space *G*. There will be NO grass or other vegetation left in the area in short order.
One thing i came to terms with when beginning with the feathered critters here, was that if I want them to have any kind of life (yes, I'm weird) they won't be absolutely safe. Most of them free range. The majority stay behind the cow fences (field fencing), and back away from the road. When some neighborhood dogs attacked, I'm convinced that the only thing that saved them was their freedom. They went in all directions, and only one got cornered, the rest went over or through the fences, and into a different area. The one roo survived, but I have lost others. Two disappeared during the day. Not a sound from the resident dogs, who clamor when a leaf falls. One was small enough for a hawk to take (a BIG hawk) but one not. Two others are gone, but they insisted on spending the nights in trees. This spring there will be new construction, and the Banty Shanty will rise. This will be where all the littlies live. They don't leave the protection of the yard, and often simply stay in the coop, so I don't mind confining them. I'll use 1"x2" wire for the run, and salvaged wood for the coop (thus the "Shanty" designation), and not have to worry about them and the babies they hatch. I may even be able to incorporate a "brooder wing", at least I hope so.
I'm looking into a Jenny to help keep the coyotes out of the closest to the coop pasture, because no fence I can manage will deter them. So far (knocking madly on wood) they haven't been an issue, but they're there, and we hear them.....
Mowing the lawn and raking leaves is fine, but what about cleaning my house? How about if you send pictures of yours and I'll just enjoy them that way, ha! Seriously, I'd love to see pics!
We have a very large fenced yard, hmm, maybe 200 x 120, chain link, for the dogs. They aren't outside dogs but the fence is there to keep other animals away and one of the dogs has selective hearing. I want to let chickens in the fenced area too when I'm there so they can have more room. I guess I'll have to keep an eye on them since the yard has a lot of landscaping, daylilies, shrubs, perennials, $ plants I don't want them to eat. There are also a LOT of hawks in the area, daily they grab a bird, usually a dove, from the feeder.
I was also thinking of growing things in containers for the chickens, rotate the plants in the coop so they have something to eat and scratch.
Even more snow coming today, we haven't finished shoveling out of the last mess. I am so ready for spring!
We ordered from Meyer Hatchery in Polk, Ohio. www.meyerhatchery.com We were very happy with them!
I would caution you to rethink giving the chickens free roam of your main gardens (especially knowing how much you are putting into them!). They really did a number on my shade garden. LOL
We lock ours in the coups every night after they go in for the night. We've been very lucky where predators are concerned.
Annie, where are you getting your coop? We need a bigger one and I've been looking around for one to purchase.
Badseed, Ha, I got the daylily bug big time and have almost 150 coming for spring delivery as well as about 80 perennials & shrubs. I'll have to rethink them roaming the yard! Will have to do even more container planting so they have stuff in their coop yard.
I'm about 1 1/2 hrs or so from Meyer's so will probably buy there so I can pick them up.
Gwendalou, I'm not far from "amish everything" land so I'll shop there. There are shed and coop places on every corner it seems. Where ever I can get the best shed/coop plus delivery is where I'll buy. I can hardly wait!!!
I think your idea of container - planted grazing for you chickens is clever. Sort of like the rent-a-plant in office buildings!
LOL Porkpal you're so funny! There isn't much that I won't do to entertain my animals!
I'd like to place my chick order by next week for late April delivery, we are still going round with price on the coop with a couple places. Then I need to have a concrete pad poured and electricity run to it, then the fencing! Can't really do any of that until late April, early May. It's so hard to wait!
But my question is.. where do I find a place that will sell me a couple Silkies?? I think I HAVE to have a few girls!! Meyers doesn't list them. I did find a place but they don't sex them. Any suggestions as to where I can get 5 of them? I know that is a tiny order!
Ugh, I've been avoiding looking out the window all morning. We're supposed to get 6 to 9 inches of snow within the next 24 hours - on top of the almost 3 feet of snow we already have now!! I will NOT look out the window!
Annie
My Pet Chicken offers bantam Silkies and will ship as few as three (special order).
http://www.mypetchicken.com/default.aspx
No one will sex Silkies or bantams....I think vent sexing is difficult even with standard sized chickens.
Wow, I didn't know that, thanks! So is it even possible to buy young ( up to 6 months of age) pullet Silkies any where?
I am sure it is. And Silkies are not that hard to sex after two or three months.