Soon to be a Newbee! (What was I thinkin???)

Hello Everyone!

Thanks for taking me into the "flock" =) What a great forum!

This weekend I ordered 25 chicks from McMurray's (on the advice of a friend.) I'm so excited... I've always wanted chickens for eggs and pets. NOW I'm crazy worried about predators! I know, I know... should have worried about that before clicking that Paypal button. Well, I'm in it now and want to make the best home for them that I can, balancing safety, health and happiness for them. I have a barn that has a 20x10' exterior stall that I can enclose for a coop. The stall is open to the pasture and is also inside of a fence that is 4.5' high... it's a 3 rail with 4x4 wire on the inside. The fenced area is 1/4 - 1/2 acre. The stall and pasture housed a couple of male goats up until about a year ago. (Is there anything I need to worry about putting chickens in after goats?) I wanted to let the chickens, once old enough, free range in this fenced in area. After reading this forums predator section I'm crazy worried the chickens will get eaten! If I build a permanent run will the chickens be happy in there for their whole life? Do you have to rotate chickens on the land that they live? Could I let them free range during the day if I provide them little structures to run under? I won't be getting a rooster. My friends with chickens free range and accept some loss as a fact of nature... not sure I can do that.

Thanks again for such a great forum!

Congrats on your new chickies, I hope someone else can help you with your questions

If chickens are raised in a spacious, fenced in and hopefully covered run, they can be content. Just like cats can be kept indoors. but, most people don't seem to mind letting them run around free outside- where predators, cars etc., irate neighbors etc. can end their life. I

Hi and welcome to BYC. As long as your coop and run is very, very secure i would imagine your flock will be happy. They will also enjoy a bit of free range time, so if you are around at some point during the day, letting them have a scratch and dig around under supervision will be good also.

All the best
CT

Welcome to BYC!!!!!

Some members never put their chickens out to free range and some members chickens free range all day. Free ranging does increase the risk of losing some to predators so whether you confine your birds or not, is a personal decision. I'm a middle of the road kind of person...my girls have a large covered run but I do let them out a couple times a day when I am around to supervise.

Enjoy your new little chicks!

Thank you all for the warm welcome! After a lot of thought I'm not going to be comfortable with them in the fenced in area with out a run. I'll be middle of the road kind of person for sure. I'm thankful that cars and irate neighbors won't be an issue!

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

Hello!

Welcome to BYC and the coop! There's a lot of great peeps here! Feel free to ask lots of questions. But most of all, make yourself at home. I'm so glad you decided to join the BYC family. I look forward to seeing you around BYC.