Seed to Satisfy

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Introducing Chickens to our Garden

Making the Decision

We got chickens!! It’s really crazy how social marketing works. You spend a few too many seconds watching some random video that shows up on your feed, and the next minute every other video and post is related to that topic. Essentially that is how we ended up with chickens. I had never thought I would be a chicken mom. We have cats as pets and as a child I had a dog and various goldfish. Animals are huge responsibility and not something you should make an overnight decision on. My obsession with chickens lasted about two years, before my family and I finally decided it would be something we do.

We knew we wanted hens to have eggs and we weren’t considering selling eggs, having meat birds, or constantly raising chicks. This allowed us to focus on a small number of birds, ideally 4-6. We took a trip to our local Tractor Supply store and they had three types available: New Hampshire, Americana, and Rhode Island Red. Of course we wanted some of each, and despite another customer strongly suggesting we stick with just the pullets, we decided to gamble on one Americana and one Rhone Island Red straight run, hoping they would be hens.

Starting Supplies

We came home with a box of 6 chicks, the basic chick starter kit, and starter food. We had set up a a large storage tote, cutting out the middle of the lid and securing the opening with hardware cloth using zip ties. This would allow us to keep the lid on but allowing full airflow. Initially we kept the lid off because it wouldn’t allow us to have the heat lamp on. We didn’t like the heat lamp for several reasons and ended up replacing it with a brooder plate.

Weeks 3 – 6

It doesn’t take long for the chicks to grow! After three weeks we quickly found them to outgrow their original storage tote and swapped it out with a dog playpen.

Week 7

We started preparing their coop and run area early, so as soon as they were old enough we slowly introduced them to the outside. Deciding on what permanent coop/run setup we wanted took a while. We didn’t have the time or skills to build something from scratch, and most of the options we either extremely expensive or required a separate run area to be built. We ended up choosing the Producer’s Pride Guardian Coop and had it delivered. It was a monster but we managed to get it built within a day.

During our research on this particular coop, we discovered that despite it’s name, it is not truly predator proof, so made sure to reinforce all of the side panels with 1/4″ hardware cloth and set the coop on concrete pavers. We also removed the manual slide run door and replaced it with an automatic door set to dawn and dusk. Inside the coop, we installed some extra 2×2 wood panels in front of the main entry door and placed a wooden shelf above the nesting boxes to prevent droppings from the above roosting bar.

Once the coop and run were secure and fully appointed, we let the chickens in. Here is a list of some of the main items we used.

It is absolutely amazing how smart animals are. Literally the first night we had them in the run, we got them into the coop and closed the door manually before dusk fell. The very next day, without any help from us, the made their own way into the coop and put themselves to bed.

Maintenance

Surprisingly, we found that once the chickens were situated in their permanent home, there was little to do. We used the following items for bedding and food.

We used the horse stall pellets for the run. One bag goes a long way and they absorb a ton of moisture. They also smell like pine which keeps the run smelling fresh. In the coop we used hemp. We plan on doing the deep litter method, meaning instead of scooping the old litter out, you add fresh bedding on top. This allows the poop to decompose naturally and while doing so provides insulation and heat. In both the run and coop we sprinkled barn lime which acts as a natural deodorizer and prevents pests.

Not all of the pullets were pullets

We mentioned we were taking a gamble with the straight-runs, and from pretty early on there were signs suggesting that the Rhode Island Red and Americana chicks were going to be males. They were the sweetest of the chicks with the most personality. The Americana would tilt his head when looking at you. Then the crowing started. Faint and kind of pathetic sounding at the beginning but after a few weeks there was absolutely no doubt these two were going to be roosters. Knowing we couldn’t keep them, we were able to find a local rooster farm where they could live out their lives.

Follow for more updates on the 4 remaining hens.