So I am new to all of this and looking at getting a few chickens. I have a 4 ft chain link fence around my back yard and will be building a coop with a run. I would like to eventually allow for them to have free reign of the back yard. So my biggest questions are:
1: What is a good number of chickens to start with?
2: Do they all have to be the same breed?
3: If not should they all be the same size since they will be housed together?
4: Is a 4 ft fence going to be enough to keep them in my yard? (My neighbors all around me have dogs and would hate for one of them to end up as a treat)
5: Is it better to find someone local to buy the chicks from or an online company?
Any other thoughts or ideas on things I haven't thought of yet would be greatly appreciated.
1: What is a good number of chickens to start with?
2: Do they all have to be the same breed?
3: If not should they all be the same size since they will be housed together?
4: Is a 4 ft fence going to be enough to keep them in my yard? (My neighbors all around me have dogs and would hate for one of them to end up as a treat)
5: Is it better to find someone local to buy the chicks from or an online company?
Any other thoughts or ideas on things I haven't thought of yet would be greatly appreciated.