DemeterAD9
Chirping
- Mar 21, 2024
- 85
- 112
- 83
Hello, new to chickens so I'm excited to learn more about them! I've always wanted chickens since I was a child and now that I'm an adult and got the $$/space I currently have 15 eggs in an incubator due to hatch in 7 days 
They were purchased on ebay from two separate sellers as I wanted a bit of variety. In one batch it's a barnyard mix of this and that so not too likely to have any pure breed. The other seller gave my marans (I told them to surprise me on color) and Ameraucana/Easter eggers. Started with 29 eggs total, gave 5 to a friend's broody hen (incubator only holds 24) took out 9 duds and fingers crossed I get at least 10/15 to hatch from the incubator and perhaps another 2 from the broody hen. I also made a somewhat hasty decision to pre-order another 20ish chicks from Meyer Hatchery (I really want Black Jersey Giants and some other birds to raise for the table).
I'm really big on being able to provide food for myself and while I've hunted/fished/trapped and only eaten wild game for the last ~12 years I figured it's high time to go into a bit of farming. We already garden and I have taken to foraging some wild edibles (mushrooms and berries mostly). Hoping the chickens leave the garden alone for the most part but we'll see!
I'm here to learn some tips and tricks to:
1. keep the chicks happy and healthy as they grow
2. provide good housing through the stages of growth (I already have a tentative game plan)
3. get my 2 cats and 2 dogs to live in harmony with the future flock
4. prevent and cure any issues that crop up
5. possibly most importantly, keep the critters out of the coop!
I'll be lurking around and doing more researching but eventually I'm sure I'll ask some questions later down the road or at least post some bragging threads to show off my chicks!
They were purchased on ebay from two separate sellers as I wanted a bit of variety. In one batch it's a barnyard mix of this and that so not too likely to have any pure breed. The other seller gave my marans (I told them to surprise me on color) and Ameraucana/Easter eggers. Started with 29 eggs total, gave 5 to a friend's broody hen (incubator only holds 24) took out 9 duds and fingers crossed I get at least 10/15 to hatch from the incubator and perhaps another 2 from the broody hen. I also made a somewhat hasty decision to pre-order another 20ish chicks from Meyer Hatchery (I really want Black Jersey Giants and some other birds to raise for the table). I'm really big on being able to provide food for myself and while I've hunted/fished/trapped and only eaten wild game for the last ~12 years I figured it's high time to go into a bit of farming. We already garden and I have taken to foraging some wild edibles (mushrooms and berries mostly). Hoping the chickens leave the garden alone for the most part but we'll see!
I'm here to learn some tips and tricks to:
1. keep the chicks happy and healthy as they grow
2. provide good housing through the stages of growth (I already have a tentative game plan)
3. get my 2 cats and 2 dogs to live in harmony with the future flock
4. prevent and cure any issues that crop up
5. possibly most importantly, keep the critters out of the coop!
I'll be lurking around and doing more researching but eventually I'm sure I'll ask some questions later down the road or at least post some bragging threads to show off my chicks!
Glad you joined.
Welcome to BYC! You have come to the right place! There are tons of people on here ready to help with whatever they can! Just ask!We all share the crazy addition to chickens and other animals! 
