Congratulations Lisa on becoming a new chicken owner. Beware...they're VERY addictive. I started off with 6, and now have 850! Like you, I also started as a shepherdess, and still maintain my mixed flock who do great with the chickens. Anyway, stuff I wish I'd known when I first started..... Make sure your nest boxes are on your DARKEST wall, and put some kind of screening/curtains in front of the nest boxes (make sure they can still get in and have air). I just went through my drawer of old dark t-shirts, and cut those up, and stapled them to the front of my home-made nest boxes - worked a treat! Make sure your roosts are HIGHER than your nest boxes, and try and construct your nest boxes so that they can be closed up at night AND so that the chickens cannot roost on top of them at night. I did NOT do this, and my chickens roost on top of my first "efforts", AND inside them, leading to constant cleaning of nest boxes, to avoid filthy conditions. In another area, the nest boxes ARE slanted, but there is a ledge of 2 x 4's behind the nest boxes which they roost on, and somehow, poop lands in the nest boxes from the back - NASTY! Don't buy the expensive "Little Giant" water fountains - the "o" ring goes out rather quickly, so they leak out, leaving the chickens without water, until you figure it out! I've had better success with the one you flip over to fill, and screw on. Easy to fill, and no "O" rings to break. Put your waterers on blocks to keep them above the litter. Hang your feeders but make sure you buy ones that the chicks won't outgrow. Plus, make sure that your chickens have GOOD ventilation/air-flow to prevent ammonia build-up, disease, etc. Free-range when safe - but be sure to lock them up at night. It's so much fun watching them catch their first bug, etc. Good luck

Velvet: Oh My Gosh, I'm so glad you responded. Mabel is a White Giant. I just did not want to give my son a stick and say it was OK! after reading your website I have started following the advice. Should I also involve my son in this process alongside me? You see--- my son is adopted, also my daughter. We got her at birth and my son at the age of three, he was severly abused with a baseball bat--enough said? I forgot to say that everytime Mabel chases my son he always runs and is yelling (of course I would too, if something was chasing me!)and yes, my son is doing extremely well,& is a very happy well adjusted little boy! Thanks again, Nelda

I used to have them come to my feeders at nite but haven't seen any in the last while. Had a sick one once that was out in daylight. It jumped into my hand and tried to eat but it's teeth were so overgrown it had a problem. I took it to wildlife rescue and they said they had to file it's teeth , it was flea infested and had pneumonia.I never heard how it made out.The dogs showed up with a tail of one this week so they are still around ( or were ). I live along The Old Man Creek.They used to have a nest in an old tree, I wish one wud move into the Owl box since the owls aren't.

thanks and they are back this morning, first time i have seen them at the nest box since the babies fledged. they are both in and out, in and out. i look for her to starting building again very soon! **happy dance**