INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Mother2Hens]

Originally Posted by pbirdhaven



Went to RK for feed and 15 little isa's followed me home.

They will make you feel better!

Sorry you missed your poultry show.

Thanks for the heads up! [from @Leahs Mom ] I have some neighbors that got full grown hens, I will see where they got them from. Do you think it is worth the effort to get chicks instead?

Reply by Chick Crazed: Chicks are fun, are safer from a disease standpoint, usually end up friendlier and really aren't hard to raise if you educate yourself in advance. Give them enough space, proper temps and fill their feeders and waterers along with keeping an eye out for a couple common maladies and you are good to go.

@wotkuni If you don't get them as chicks, you'll miss what is known as "Chicken TV" (sitting there staring at their antics). They grow really fast; every day you can see changes. Like @ChickCrazed said, if you handle them from the beginning, they'll be friendlier and it will be easier to give them check-ups if they're used to you. As far as starting with chicks or pullets, feel free to ask as many questions as you can think of and do a lot of research. Chickens are fun!
@Indyshent Oh my gosh, you have so much going on, and of course your health is the most important issue.

 

[kittydoc]

Whine time--first area show at Lima OH this weekend. Had paid my entry fees and hotel (non refundable); then was down with a bug all week. Did well to feed and water, no chance of getting any birds ready.

That totally sucks. I used to show cats and dragged my sick butt to almost all of them. I had the advantage of local friends who also showed, and a couple of times I asked one of them to show my cats for me. More trouble than poultry because cats go from benching cages to judging rings then back again, and if you make it to finals they go back to the judging rings...3 to 6 times a day, times usually 2 or 3 cats. It's a big favor to ask even a good friend to agent your kitties, because they're showing too!

 

[tmarsh83]

Hey Gang,
Getting really close to starting my coop.  Sat down to draw up my plans and in researching some details, I came across a 4x4 coop plan by Purina (tried link below but couldn't make it work) that seems pretty slick.  Very similar to what I was trying to draw up, but mine was a little different.  Mainly nest box placement which I would put on the sides as my run will be on the front.  I plan to build a run and have no more than 6 hens when the dust settles.  Any thoughts on size, ventilation of this design and how overwintering the birds might go?  I thought I might lengthen it by a foot or two front to back if it didn't add too much cost, but would that make it any better?  Thanks in advance for any comments.

Not the picture at the top.  Scroll down for the plans.

http://www.mansfieldfeed.com/news-updates/build-your-own-chicken-coop-2014-02-3056

I'm by no means an expert but I've completed my second coop in six months and have put a
Lot of time into research and bothered these poor people with numerous questions. Here are my thoughts.

1) it's never big enough. Ever. In your case, 6 birds is what you think you want. Plan for no less than ten IMO. There aren't many hard and fast rules for size but you'll see the 4/10 rule often and a 4x4 coop Isnt going to get you there even for six birds. 4 sq ft in coop, 10 in the run. Not sure what your run/range plans are but 16sq ft for 6 birds is a little lean. I'd be looking at 6x6 options.

2) my first coop was a small raised coop. My second is a walk in. For many reasons I wish I'd just built a bigger one from the get go. You'll underestimate how often you'll wish you could get in the coop.

3) I don't like how high they have the nest boxes. Two roosts lower than the boxes is a recipe for birds sleeping in them. But because it's a raised box, space is tight. For a raised coop I'd go with boxes at floor level.

4) overwintering birds is easy if cold hardy. Cold isn't the problem. Humidity is. Enter ventilation. For a small coop I wish I would have left the top three inches open to wire with a larger overhang to prevent weather from getting in. Airflow airflow airflow. When you think it's enough. Double it.

A lot of what you plan to do has to hinge on what birds you plan to have and what your run/range plans are.

But I'd suggest at least doubling your planned size to accommodate six birds.

 

[Greenthumb83]

Hi y'all. I just joined BYC a few days ago and was directed here. I have been reading for a bit and thought I should come out of my corner and introduce myself lol. This seems like such a nice group! We just ordered our first chicks a couple weeks ago, but they won't be here until the beginning of May. We will be working on the coop until then. We live in fountain county and have three kiddos, ages 10,7, and 1.....and soon to be 15 chicks. I can't wait!

 

[Greenthumb83]

I'm not sure how to copy and paste a quote, because I'm on my husbands tablet lol...but I have to agree with tmarsh. We originally started out wanting 6 hens. It was all we would need. But as soon as we started learning about chickens, watch videos and planning our order, things changed. We already seem to have caught this "chicken math" Our order ended up being for 15 chicks and we are building our coop and run to work for twice that. I already plan to hatch next spring. Even then, I wonder if we are doing enough lol! Good luck with your coop!

 

[Leahs Mom]

@weezerfish

Good to have you! I agree with the others - and the larger the better like a small shed you can walk into.

One of the things you need to consider is: WINTER.

Your birds will not want to be out on the snow much and in the little coops, that doesn't leave them anywhere to walk around or have a healthy environment. Chickens, like other farm animals, have a pecking order and there will always be some on the lower end. Those birds often get pushed outside in extreme weather by others that are more aggressive.


So for me, all other issues aside, the first thing I think when I look at a possible housing situation is WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE TO BE STUCK IN THAT SPACE WITH (WHATEVER NUMBER OF BIRDS) FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AT A TIME DURING THE WINTER?


You can kind-or imagine it like this.
What if your whole family (then add a couple more) had to live in your bathroom all winter long and could only go out of it maybe one time a week. You don't have anything to do. No internet, no cell phones, no pencil and paper to write. Just absolutely nothing to do to occupy your time except to just exist. You eat in there, you drink in there, you just have your whole life in the bathroom whenever there is snow on the ground.

If you can imagine that...now apply that to your birds.

Then decide how you want your housing to be.





ETA: My husband and I were able to get a garden shed from Habitat for Humanity for $250. He then did some interior work so that I had a walk-in area, etc. We had to get someone to move it for us, but I've never regretted it. You can sometimes find sheds where roads are being widened and properties purchased, etc. (And you don't have to be "fancy pants" about the interior...we just wanted the divisions so we had somewhere to walk in and store some things and a part we could partition for new chicks, etc. The partitions inside are made predator-safe so that the front doors can be clipped open all summer for fresh air and ventilation.)

 

[Leahs Mom]

Asking for good thoughts as 25 eggs go into lock down. They were incubated at a wacky range of temps and I'm surprised how many made it this far. Hoping for at least 20 to hatch healthy. About a dozen more are due by the end of the month, but they missed the temp roller-coaster. My auto turner also died and I've been doing that by hand...hopefully often enough!

Also looking for recommendations for cabinet incubators, which I know can be very expensive. I like my Brinsea products BUT they aren't holding up to even moderate use.

@kittydoc
Could you comment on your experience with the Brinseas? I am still in process of deciding on an incubator and, of course, considering Brinsea as a possible choice.

 

[ChickCrazed]

Asking for good thoughts as 25 eggs go into lock down. They were incubated at a wacky range of temps and I'm surprised how many made it this far. Hoping for at least 20 to hatch healthy. About a dozen more are due by the end of the month, but they missed the temp roller-coaster. My auto turner also died and I've been doing that by hand...hopefully often enough!

Also looking for recommendations for cabinet incubators, which I know can be very expensive. I like my Brinsea products BUT they aren't holding up to even moderate use.

Man, as expensive as those Brinsea are you would expect them to hold up a lot better! That is disappointing!

 

[ChickCrazed]

@weezerfish

Good to have you! I agree with the others - and the larger the better like a small shed you can walk into.

One of the things you need to consider is: WINTER.

Your birds will not want to be out on the snow much and in the little coops, that doesn't leave them anywhere to walk around or have a healthy environment. Chickens, like other farm animals, have a pecking order and there will always be some on the lower end. Those birds often get pushed outside in extreme weather by others that are more aggressive.


So for me, all other issues aside, the first thing I think when I look at a possible housing situation is WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE TO BE STUCK IN THAT SPACE WITH (WHATEVER NUMBER OF BIRDS) FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AT A TIME DURING THE WINTER?


You can kind-or imagine it like this.
What if your whole family (then add a couple more) had to live in your bathroom all winter long and could only go out of it maybe one time a week. You don't have anything to do. No internet, no cell phones, no pencil and paper to write. Just absolutely nothing to do to occupy your time except to just exist. You eat in there, you drink in there, you just have your whole life in the bathroom whenever there is snow on the ground.

If you can imagine that...now apply that to your birds.

Then decide how you want your housing to be.





ETA: My husband and I were able to get a garden shed from Habitat for Humanity for $250. He then did some interior work so that I had a walk-in area, etc. We had to get someone to move it for us, but I've never regretted it. You can sometimes find sheds where roads are being widened and properties purchased, etc. (And you don't have to be "fancy pants" about the interior...we just wanted the divisions so we had somewhere to walk in and store some things and a part we could partition for new chicks, etc. The partitions inside are made predator-safe so that the front doors can be clipped open all summer for fresh air and ventilation.)

Welcome to all the new folks!! X2 on what Leahs Mom and others said. Plan for a lot more birds than you think you need! The general rule is 4 square feet per bird in the coop and 10 square feet per bird in a run (for those that have a run). The pre-made coops you buy are all way to tight spacewise for the number of birds they say you can have in them. While you might not have issues initially, like Leahs Mom said, in winter you will have birds being bullied and bloodied and it is not safe healthwise to have them that cramped. As far as getting chicks/pullets/hens, I started with 4 free 3 year old hens. I still waited months for eggs because I got them late summer and they stop laying during times of change (like a move), then they molted, then winter hit and they took their seasonal break. I was too intimidated to start with chicks, but after getting chicks later I wish I had started with them. They were not at all as difficult to raise as I had feared. They were a LOT of fun, I was able to get a number of different breeds that would have been impossible to find as grown hens, they ended up being so friendly and fun compared to the old and crusties I originally got, and they laid SO WELL during the winter since they were young! I say go for chicks, you won't regret the wait for eggs! You will wait for eggs either way in some way! And decide now what you want in a flock. I recommend a mixed flock (meaning many different breeds) as opposed to buying all one type. It is fun to see different feather patterns, personalities and EGG COLORS!!! I have the most fun selling egg cartons that have white, green, blue and a couple shades of brown eggs. Colors people don't even know exist! Feel free to ask people here about the breeds they keep, most of us love to share our breeds and make recommendations!




I personally recommend anyone in Indiana building a predator safe run for their birds, even if they plan to free range. At some point it will become necessary to contain your birds due to a predator moving into the area or other maintenance reasons (for example I just put down fertilizer and grass seed and don't want the birds eating either, so they will be contained for a few weeks).

I also second using a shed as a coop. They are super easy to modify, all you really need to do is add ventilation, cut in a pop door and add roosts. I built out the inside of mine very similarly to Leahs Mom. Here are some pics of mine (the interior of mine certainly isn't as pretty as hers but it is functional! I have added more windows to add more light since these pics were taken.









It is good to see so many new people joining the thread! Feel free to ask lots of questions!

 

[ellymayRans]

I'm not sure how to copy and paste a quote, because I'm on my husbands tablet lol...but I have to agree with tmarsh. We originally started out wanting 6 hens. It was all we would need. But as soon as we started learning about chickens, watch videos and planning our order, things changed. We already seem to have caught this "chicken math" Our order ended up being for 15 chicks and we are building our coop and run to work for twice that. I already plan to hatch next spring. Even then, I wonder if we are doing enough lol! Good luck with your coop!

See it is a "Thing"!! Lol!

Congrats and Welcome!