Hi all
my husband and I live in Southwestern Maine about 1 hour from both Portland and North Conway NH. We certainly can have hot summers and cold winters and I checked out this site for coop designs and they are all wonderful.
I am new to chickens have been keeping them for about 2 years (co-keeping) as I don't currently have a coop but my next door neighbor has a barn. Last year we started with about 8 layers mostly RI red, a few bantom and a couple of roosters. We then got 12 chicks and raised them a mottly crew barred rock, etc they did great until we lost most of the new hens, and 6 older ones to coyotes-live and learn so although our hens are still free range, we have a donkey in the barnyard that does seem to help.
We are building a coop soon with free rough cut lumber and I am looking at all the great designs on the site! Inspiring. Our hens will continue to be free range but they are going to get shut in tight at night!
We just got 3 young birds almost ready to lay, and rescued 2 other year old hens. They are all doing just fine and the harem of girls is again growing. No rooster currently and that is fine.
I can't believe how people friendly hens are- and the eggs are supper. I will add some photos and once we do the coop will be posting for now thanks for a great and welcoming site. Thanks again! country red hen
& 
from Alabama. Glad you joined us. 
