Poultry Lovers Club

[Bluebird22]

I'm new at the chicken thing, and won't be getting my chicks until late spring, but I thought I would join and learn as much as I can

I am going to be getting several meat birds to show in 4h. Most likely a Cornish X Rock Cross and we will get them as day old chick from a hatchery close to me. Are these birds louder compared to other meat breeds? I have lots of friends who do chickens (almost all of them lol) so I already know how to handle the birds and a basic idea of care, but I need to get more in depth.

For the chicken run I am thinking about doing a rabbit hutch with a ramp going down to a fenced area on grass. How much room should each chicken have? Which brings me to my next question. For a first timer, how many birds do you suggest? I know that you should get one or two more than you plan on showing because they can die easily.

I did some looking into different feeds and I have narrowed it down to these two http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/p ... mble-50-lb and http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/d ... feed-50-lb along with this supplement (suggested for the breed) http://www.mthealthy.com/store/948458/product/VSP Do y'all suggest a medicated feed as well? Or is it unnecessary? I worked in the 4h hatchery for a week at fair, and because of all the human contact and being exposed to /everything/ we put those chicks on medicated feed.

How can I prevent illness and how detect is something is wrong? Since it will be my first flock, should I quarantine? How should I prevent ammonia?

I know this is a lot of questions, thank you in advance for any help you can give me

[Gà.]

Meat birds will NOT like rabbit hutches, just so you know. Any exercise they despise, lol.

A bird needs min. 4sq.ft, but that's if you want still pretty cramped birds that probably won't be happy. I suggest 6-7 sq.ft.
Meat birds make loud sounds, but not very often. Quiet compared to a crowing rooster, or a hen singing the egg song.
For a first timer, depends on what you want. Do you want a big operation, or want to start slow and steady and get a feel? I like to dive head in, so we got 50 chicks for our first chickens. Ended up with 10 for winter (sold some). I know some people wanted to start off with a small parrot, I know some who got 3 large macaws off craigslist for the first time. Some start off small, others start with a bang ^^.
If you want to start out slow, then 5 birds is pretty easy. 5-10 is typically the rage first timers get I've found. What breeds are you getting besides meat birds, or just meat birds? If you give them adequate space, and a predator proof run, losses to disease are pretty low.
And to tell if they're sick, it's easy. They stop eating, drinking, puff up, lose weight, nasal drainage, eye drainage, raspy breathing, fast breathing, mouth breathing, slower... They act off, essentially. Chickens are prey animals so they hide their illnesses, but they're not very good at it if you spend time with them. Lol.
Any feed is fine, but I don't give medicated. If you take them to a fair, you might want to give medicated a week or so before heading to the show. Our coops can get pretty stingy, wet and dirty and we've never had ammonia issues. Clean regularly and you'll be fine.

[MaineiacJay]

@'Possum: Yeah i understand. Not to mention the minimum order, so if you get credit for 3 chicks, you would still need to purchase like, 10 more to make the minimum shipment

Out of curiosity, are you on backyard chickens? I thought i saw you (crossbeak Peedles rather) but maybe im crazy

I had my polish rooster die (he was really small when he arrived) at about 2 weeks and i know mcmurray would give credit, but i never bothered. I've got the tolbunt polish roo coming Tuesday! Im very excited! I hope to find some pullets and breed them in the future

[Bluebird22]

Meat birds will NOT like rabbit hutches, just so you know. Any exercise they despise, lol.

A bird needs min. 4sq.ft, but that's if you want still pretty cramped birds that probably won't be happy. I suggest 6-7 sq.ft.
Meat birds make loud sounds, but not very often. Quiet compared to a crowing rooster, or a hen singing the egg song.
For a first timer, depends on what you want. Do you want a big operation, or want to start slow and steady and get a feel? I like to dive head in, so we got 50 chicks for our first chickens. Ended up with 10 for winter (sold some). I know some people wanted to start off with a small parrot, I know some who got 3 large macaws off craigslist for the first time. Some start off small, others start with a bang ^^.
If you want to start out slow, then 5 birds is pretty easy. 5-10 is typically the rage first timers get I've found. What breeds are you getting besides meat birds, or just meat birds? If you give them adequate space, and a predator proof run, losses to disease are pretty low.
And to tell if they're sick, it's easy. They stop eating, drinking, puff up, lose weight, nasal drainage, eye drainage, raspy breathing, fast breathing, mouth breathing, slower... They act off, essentially. Chickens are prey animals so they hide their illnesses, but they're not very good at it if you spend time with them. Lol.
Any feed is fine, but I don't give medicated. If you take them to a fair, you might want to give medicated a week or so before heading to the show. Our coops can get pretty stingy, wet and dirty and we've never had ammonia issues. Clean regularly and you'll be fine.

Thank you!
I am just going to start with meat birds, but I might get into fancy the year after. 5-10 sounds perfect. The guy that bugged me for over 2 years to do chickens has about that many, but he only takes 4 or 5 to fair.
Haha, good to know. I might to a triangle run than with a sheltered part. For the chicks I will need to keep them in the garage with a heat lamp until I'm sure it won't frost.
I'm used to rabbits who will hide any illness as far as best as they can, so it sounds like catching it early shouldn't be a problem!

Do chicks just get unlimited feed?
We do have wood in the back with hawks, owls, I've seen a couple coyotes, and feral cats, so would a above ground coop be better or as long as they have wiring on the roof and a place to hide will they be fine?
If the coop is above ground what bedding works best? I found that the most common is straw, but I don't have any place to get that easily. Do wood shavings work?

[Gà.]

You feed the chicks all the time, until their ~8 weeks old (I think) in which case you have a scheduled feeding. Cornish cross, after 8 weeks, can seriously eat themselves to death. Also, put water & feed far apart.
Your chose on type of coop, personally I like wire flooring on grass/dirt. Make sure the ground is even, and try to block the corners - wether its with wood, or Aluminum, but keep their brooder round. And try to spread out the heat - if the heat is just in one spot, if it gets too cold then they'll crowd underneath and trample eachother, and same goes for corners. So just take a 2x4 and block the corners, or put some alumnim so it's now a round edge. I don't know why, but chickens feel the need to crowd in corners and kill eachother. Lol. Though if its a bit hot out, you might find your chicks spread out panting. Unless its 90 or over, then if they have water they'll be fine.

Wood shavings is super easy and just fine for them.

[Fjäll Räven]

I wanted to hatch some eggs, so I left eggs out three days in a row to make a hen go broody.
Now, all of my hens are broody... no more eggs for a week. -_-'

Great job Midnight, just leave a few dozen out, that's sure to make some chick brood, naw they won't ALL do it.

[MaineiacJay]

I want some to go broody. I tried leaving eggs out it didn't work, but my chickens are still young...

['Possum]

@'Possum: Yeah i understand. Not to mention the minimum order, so if you get credit for 3 chicks, you would still need to purchase like, 10 more to make the minimum shipment

Out of curiosity, are you on backyard chickens? I thought i saw you (crossbeak Peedles rather) but maybe im crazy

I had my polish rooster die (he was really small when he arrived) at about 2 weeks and i know mcmurray would give credit, but i never bothered. I've got the tolbunt polish roo coming Tuesday! Im very excited! I hope to find some pullets and breed them in the future

lol! Yep, that's me. I'm Katt66 over there because that's what I've been everywhere since I first started surfing the internet back in the late 90's. XD I'm only 'Possum over here because of an amusing quote and an adorable picture I found somewhere a while back. Changed my name and it stuck.

It's funny how we recognize each other by our pets. ^_^

[MaineiacJay]

ah i thought so. i was reading on the cross beak diary thread and saw "Peedles" the crossbeak rooster (he is pretty and looks like my roo, Stumpy =P ) and thought "hmmm..." im not on there too often, but its really handy sometimes! thats where i found the polish roo i want. i posted on the chicken swap for my state saying i missed the polish roo that was at the swap closest to me last month and got a message from someone who had like, 5 for sale, including the tolbunt =) yay! going to pick him up today, ill post pictures =)

im always MaineiacJay (including BYC). if not that, then Maineiac92. i grew up a Mainah, and still consider myself one =)

['Possum]

Someday I will have a Polish rooster. That's actually what I've always wanted. And would have probably convinced 'da Hubby to let me get one by next summer, except for Peedles. All the other EE roosters we rasied (all four of them ) went back to my Aunt Kathy's since I'd only gotten my better half to agree to hens. I didn't want to push the issue of roosters till after the coop was built and we had some hens laying and he was enjoying the benefits of having chickens. Then along came Peedles. He couldn't go back to my Aunt's because he needs his beak trimmed and special care. His staying with us was not open to discussion. Nor was simply putting him down in some way. We waited and cheered him on for nearly a full day after he first popped his little beak through that egg shell. He took so long to finally make it out of there. Then he was so big and gangly. He reminded me of the story of the Ugly Duckling. He was so white and so much bigger than his hatchmates. I think he's actually pretty lucky to have hatched out to us because he's a rooster. And my husband has brought up a couple of times the fact that he's never going to lay eggs and shouldn't be bred so why are we keeping him. Every time he does I just walk out, open the door the run, reach down and he jumps up into my arms and snuggles his head against my shoulder. I then walk over to the house and simply state "that's why" He's the most cuddly loveable sweet chicken I've ever known. And he's not going anywhere. So my Polish roo will have to wait I guess until either I get another coop and run built or something (God forbid) happens to Peedles.