I am still a new chicken owner but I am obsessed and my husband asked me to pass along some chicken knowledge. As a newbie chicken owner I am constantly looking for coop upgrades and idea and information. Here are some things I have learned in no particular order.
1. Get your coop set up before you bring the chicks home or order the eggs. You will have much trial and error getting things just right.
2. Chicken Nipples... Those red things ^^^ are cheap 1.25 each. They are on a rabbit waterer for my 3 chickens. If you have large numbers just attach several to a big 5 gallon bucket. You can get them free from bakeries.
3. My feed store told me to get pellets for the coop ground cover but my bird prefer pine shavings they like to scratch and dust bathe in them. They are cheaper and smell better and you can use a kitty litter scoop to shake out poop and stir them. They smell better than the pellets to.
4. Size matters. The birds are much bigger than I thought they were going to be. I have had to build an additional chicken tractor to give them some more roaming room. So go with a bigger coop, also because of chicken math. I was unaware of chicken math before I had the. Once you have them you want to multiply the flock not just add to it. They are wonderful pets and food providers, very entertaining and easy to keep.
5. Get one of those cheap thermometers to check the temp and humidity. The humidity should not really go over the 50's unless the outside humidity is more, then it can match but you dont want it to be more in cold weather because of frostbite.
6. Join Backyard Chickens and use their forum. They have lots and lots of information.
7. You will start out wanting things nice and neat but eventually you realize what works for you is something you will have to alter or make and this means utilizing mix match stuff and improvising. This will happen to everyone, dont let it discourage you. Chickens dont care about fashion just function.
My Chickens
1. Get your coop set up before you bring the chicks home or order the eggs. You will have much trial and error getting things just right.
2. Chicken Nipples... Those red things ^^^ are cheap 1.25 each. They are on a rabbit waterer for my 3 chickens. If you have large numbers just attach several to a big 5 gallon bucket. You can get them free from bakeries.
3. My feed store told me to get pellets for the coop ground cover but my bird prefer pine shavings they like to scratch and dust bathe in them. They are cheaper and smell better and you can use a kitty litter scoop to shake out poop and stir them. They smell better than the pellets to.
4. Size matters. The birds are much bigger than I thought they were going to be. I have had to build an additional chicken tractor to give them some more roaming room. So go with a bigger coop, also because of chicken math. I was unaware of chicken math before I had the. Once you have them you want to multiply the flock not just add to it. They are wonderful pets and food providers, very entertaining and easy to keep.
5. Get one of those cheap thermometers to check the temp and humidity. The humidity should not really go over the 50's unless the outside humidity is more, then it can match but you dont want it to be more in cold weather because of frostbite.
6. Join Backyard Chickens and use their forum. They have lots and lots of information.
7. You will start out wanting things nice and neat but eventually you realize what works for you is something you will have to alter or make and this means utilizing mix match stuff and improvising. This will happen to everyone, dont let it discourage you. Chickens dont care about fashion just function.
My Chickens
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