Hey Everyone!
I just built my first coop & run and I am picking up my 4 hens this Saturday. We are getting 4 - 6 month old hens that are a mix of a Plymouth Rock Hen and a Barnevelder Rooster. We ended up building a 4x4 coop with a 7x4 run attached. I plan on extending the run with time and made one of the walls on the coop removable, in case we decide to add on down the road.
Living in MN I will need to put in an electric heater for the water this winter and I am just curious to how I can put that in the coop and wire it so the hens don't tamper with the cord? Also, it was suggested to me to use pine shavings over straw/hay... in the winter should I use both straw and shavings for added comfort or will they be fine with just shavings?
Thanks for any help, I'm excited to be a part of BackYard Chickens!!
-Hunter
Twin Cities, MN
I just built my first coop & run and I am picking up my 4 hens this Saturday. We are getting 4 - 6 month old hens that are a mix of a Plymouth Rock Hen and a Barnevelder Rooster. We ended up building a 4x4 coop with a 7x4 run attached. I plan on extending the run with time and made one of the walls on the coop removable, in case we decide to add on down the road.
Living in MN I will need to put in an electric heater for the water this winter and I am just curious to how I can put that in the coop and wire it so the hens don't tamper with the cord? Also, it was suggested to me to use pine shavings over straw/hay... in the winter should I use both straw and shavings for added comfort or will they be fine with just shavings?
Thanks for any help, I'm excited to be a part of BackYard Chickens!!
-Hunter
Twin Cities, MN