New to the flock - Please dont peck!

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tlcmurphy said:
Welcome to BYC!

That lovely area in your back yard that is just perfect to plant something beautiful in the Spring? THAT is where the chickens will take their dust bath. Don’t worry about making one
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LOL, so my current garden is in danger. Well, I guess I cant blame them. They have great taste!
 
rosemarythyme said:
Which S&P feed? Mash (whole/crushed grains) or pellets? Mash is best served wet or fermented to force them to eat everything in the mix, especially the fines that make it a complete feed.

The Silkie may or may not be an issue. Sometimes extremely docile birds or birds of a different feather (literally) get bullied by others. Having a lot of available space, feeders and hiding places helps, but also have a plan of what you're willing to do if it turns out she can't be with the others. If you have the space and budget, she may need a separate enclosure with a few others of her kind.
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When they begin laying, we chose layer mash. Do you think the pellet style would be best if we do not intend to ferment the feed? Also, those are great ideas. Ideally, we would love for them to all get along, but understand that is not always the case. My kiddo is the owner of the silkie and she intends to show her this year for 4H, so we are really hoping for good results
 
What kind of fence will you have around your yard? How high will it be? Can raccoons climb over it or reach through it? If only 4' high, chickens can easily fly or jump over it. Be advised that chicken wire is only intended to keep chickens in or out, and will not keep predators out. Raccoons can and will reach through any gaps big enough for their paws to go through. Some predators will dig under fences, so an "apron" of fencing that lies on or under the ground at the perimeter and extends outward about 18" can be a good idea.
 
Hi there and welcome! Not to sound the alarm, but do you ever see hawks or other birds of prey in your area? Even in a backyard in town people lose birds that "free range" outside their protected pen. 😕 Neighbors cats and dogs can also pose a problem if you haven't planned ahead. Again, sorry to bring up a sad thought. You do prepare for predator control measures.
 
Welcome! I have only had hens for 2 years now so wont have as much knowledge as others on here but thought i would share my opinions!

1. Our hens just choose a spot. We tried a designated dust bathing spot with specially mixed materials that were recommended (dirt/sand/ash/DE ect) but they never used it and just prefer the floor!

2. I have never personally done this but all I know is that hens can be very nasty! When integrating my younger girls, I always make sure that I have spots high up for them to get away from bullies if need be (perches, swings, platforms)

3. I wish I had gotten a shed at the start. The coops that are sold are usually far too small and bad quality in my experience unless you pay thousands. I also wish that I had covered the run completely from the beginning. Living in the uk, it rains a lot and a soggy run comes with all sorts of issues.

5. Everything wants to eat chickens and it’s very common to loose a hen to a predator when free ranging. I only let my hens out when I am around and can watch them. This means they can’t come out as long as i would like but i made sure to have a large run with lots of entertainment so they aren’t bored while they can’t free range. My hens don’t actually destroy the garden much really. They prefer to dig in the dirt and rarely go for the grass or dig up the plants but mine may just be well behaved lol!
 
BigBlueHen53 said:
What kind of fence will you have around your yard? How high will it be? Can raccoons climb over it or reach through it? If only 4' high, chickens can easily fly or jump over it. Be advised that chicken wire is only intended to keep chickens in or out, and will not keep predators out. Raccoons can and will reach through any gaps big enough for their paws to go through. Some predators will dig under fences, so an "apron" of fencing that lies on or under the ground at the perimeter and extends outward about 18" can be a good idea.
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I do know that there are predators in our area. I have never seen raccoon's, but I know we have some in the city limits. As far as hawks, I don’t believe I’ve seen them, but will watch over the next few weeks as well. I’d hate to be the neighborhood predator hang out spot 😭
 
Eggsplorer said:
Lots of great advice to unpack here, thank you so much! I had not heard of Coccidiosis before, or where it comes from, so I will be looking into that very carefully before choosing the right material for the coop. Thank you for that tidbit of knowledge.

My kids intend to show their chickens in 4H this year, and so I am hoping that the Silkie is able to get along, because that is my daughters intended show chicken. We will watch carefully and ensure that she stays safe.

We have a large enough back yard to comfortably let the 8 chickens roam freely, but I believe that you might be right and it will turn into a desert LOL. We live in Idaho if that makes a difference. So lots of green, but very diverse weather and inconsistent rainfall in the summer
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I have also heard sand can harbor mites that attack birds and make them sickly. I had sand for a while and didn't like it. I like knowing I can easily remove/replace straw or shavings. I put the roosts over poop boards so poop can be scraped daily and not fall to the floor of the coop (or less so) keeping a cleaner overall coop.
 

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