Hi There,
Since I have never had a chicken, nor a coup, I appear to have "gone to the right place." The deep litter method is what I intend to do, after building a coup designed for such. The chickens can wait until next spring! This will be the learning time...
When I was about 10, I did get to spend some time with chickens, feeding, shoveling out the coup, etc. There was a guy I helped aroung the house sometimes to get to see his raibbits and chickens. We had some fun, and learned a bit about work, commitment, and, of course, death. I never did get to eat one of those chickens, but I had the task of killing one one time, so I would understand it. My flock will be for eggs, unless times get real tough.
Hopefully, I will have my 1st coup built in 2 weeks, then I start on a shed! The coup will make good practice, and will be easier to fix or replace if I don't like it.
We finally got a little more rain today. Last year was a swamp out, this year a dry out! Maybe next year will be nice? (Another good reason for waiting to get the birds until spring. I will monitor the coup remotely, and be sure it is sound over the winter. If it doesn't get blown over....birds in March!
More to learn...
Nice to meet ya'
-fab
from Ohio. So glad to have you aboard. 
& 
