Newbie with questions

[BarbK]

Hey everyone.

Ok I will be moving in about 1-11/2 yrs and I am starting to put together what I want when I move. One of my qestions is who should I get my chickens from when I get them? I plan on getting the salmon faverolles.

The next is How would I turn a coner 10x10 or 12x12 stall into a coop? I can easily give outside access but how would I set it up and how many chickens can I keep? Or am I totally out in left field with my thinking.

Thanks for any help that can be given. Oh ya almost forgot. My daughter might show the chickens when she gets old enough. I don't know if that would make a difference in where I would purchase them from or not.

(edited to add: sorry mods I didn't realize I was in the wrong section for this question)

 

[Bubba]

The stall would work fine and with outdoor access you could have at least 10 birds or more in that space. The stall should be closed in with something. I use hardware cloth (not even mice can get through it). It gets expensive thou. So you could wrap the bottom 2-3 feet with that then run chicken wire for the higher spots. They do NEED shade, so by stall I assume its a horse stall... Depending on where you live, matters on how much weather protection they need. Where I am, we feel lucky if its rains haha
Other places it POURS and POURS or totally freezes in the winter. Talk to people that live in your area or your climate.

You need to decide if (outdoors) means a closed in pen, regardless of how big it is or if it means let them run wild.

Most people use a closed in pen, some lucky people have an acre penned in argg ok back on subject...

You might want to join a group dedicated to chickens and buy a quality animal from a member. You could just get a flock from Mc Murray, Ideal or any of the other big mass quantity chicken sellers. The smaller fly by night operations can get you REALLY GOOD or really BAD animals its just luck of the draw at that point. Listen to people on the forum on where they got their birds and their experiences. You might end up buying some eggs/chicks from a backyardchickens member. (Ask for photos of the parents)

I get chickens from local people and from McMurray (Very happy with the birds that lived). Remember to read everything everyone says then DECIDE for yourself. This is a forum and it is for advice only. Good luck!!

Bubba

PS Welcome to BTW!!

 

[Alleyoops25]

I have heard good things about Mc murray hatchery. But you would have to order a min. of 20 chcks. I know it sounds like a lot, but we ended up getting more than that from our local feed store. (as well as spent more). I think your coop size would depend on how big your birds are going to be. The stall area sounds to be a good size, (agian depending on how many you are going to have) and since you are going to have a yard for them to go outside i dont see that you would have any problems with it. It wouls be even better if you planned on free ranging them, then they would only us the coop at night, and to lay eggs in. They will all huddle up at night but duhe day they like more space away from each other. I say the bigger you can go the better. But agian its hard to say with out knowing how many birds you plan on keeping. Anyway welcome to the forum. I hope you you like it here.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

If your ordering your birds for looks or even laying quality i would go with Meyer Hatchery. I have ordered from McMurray before and if they didnt screw up my order, i got the most horrible quality birds.