Being Grateful for Lessons Learned
I started writing up about our lessons learned and there were so many that I am going to break this into 2 parts. Here are the first set of lessons learned...
1. Get a written contract for any work that you need from a contractor! If you didn't know, we hired a contractor in the spring of 2019 to build a duck coop and a "double" chicken coop (2 chicken coops connected together with a storage area in the middle...so, technically, it is one big building with 2 chicken coops). Each coop will also have it's own run. I got the estimate and we verbally agreed that he would start working on them in the fall. In early August 2019, he said he was finishing up a job and ours would be next and he asked for money to buy the materials. I gave him the money and then there were many excuses about how his other job was delayed and then it was winter. I was hopeful that he would get going on it in the spring and some things did start to happen (got concrete pad down for the foundation) but then he just did not show up. A letter from Mark's lawyer got him moving again in September 2020 and both coops were supposed to be completed by October 31. The duck coop is finished but the run is not. The chicken coop has just been started...I don't think it is going to be completed any time soon...
2. Buy more poultry than you need. Those first 3-4 days are hard on newly hatched chicks. We wanted to have 25 ducks and 75 chicks. We received 26 ducklings but 5 died in the first 3 days. We received 78 chicks but 8 died in the first 4 days. It was pretty discouraging to see them dropping like flies but after those first few days, things went much better. Next time, I think I will order 30 ducklings and 80 chicks. Grateful that we only lost one hen during our first year (until the raccoon came last week and now we are down another 3 chickens)!
The worst part of all this scenario is that we should be caring for our second batch of chicks and ducklings right now. BUT, since the coops are delayed, we will not be able to expand Mark's business as we had wanted. Grateful for the barn that the girls are staying in for now!
2. Buy more poultry than you need. Those first 3-4 days are hard on newly hatched chicks. We wanted to have 25 ducks and 75 chicks. We received 26 ducklings but 5 died in the first 3 days. We received 78 chicks but 8 died in the first 4 days. It was pretty discouraging to see them dropping like flies but after those first few days, things went much better. Next time, I think I will order 30 ducklings and 80 chicks. Grateful that we only lost one hen during our first year (until the raccoon came last week and now we are down another 3 chickens)!
3. Ducks are messy! I had read this many times in preparing for our new venture. BUT nothing can quite prepare you for exactly how messy they can be. Mostly it is the water...they get everything soaking wet. It is helpful that they can go out into the run area now during the day and make a mess out there. They do not seem to be bothered by the snow at all. Grateful for their spunky personalities that make it worth the work!
4. Unexpected expenses - we used a LOT of pine shavings and that got expensive! (because of the messy ducks!) We bought some straw this fall to help get us through the winter and that was also expensive. I knew we would need bedding but just didn't realize that this would be a major expense. Now we know and can plan for the future. Luckily, the coops will be smaller than the barn so we (hopefully) will not need as much hay/shavings. Grateful that we sell lots of eggs to cover the expenses!
Of course, many things we learn are posted in these blog posts every other week! Stay tuned...
Have an eggcellent day!
~Denise
Thanks for sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteYour welcome! Always learning...
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