Hi ChickityChina!
I too have lurked and explored this site for several years. I recently retired and was considering moving to North Carolina, but I've decided to postpone that for a year, and so I plan to get my 4 hopefully all girls from a local farm supply store. The guy was very helpful when I called, and the store is local, not a chain store, and it has a great reputation. He said he'd even help me rehome if a chick turns out to be a rooster. We'll see. But I couldn't wait another year for chickens!
I actually completely cheated and ordered a large Formex Snap Lock coop and a 6X7 kennel run from Rural King last week. I would've liked to build one, but I worried I didn't have the skills to do it and didn't want to get stuck and not be able to finish it in time or properly. In addition, I wanted something lightweight that I could move or disassemble, if I do move someday. That's great that you and DH are making such great progress! I know that building one's own coop is much less expensive, and you can tweak to your liking. But I'm hoping this set-up will at least get me started. Then if I move, I can take it with me and use as a brooder and get a more permanent, larger coop. I'm a bit concerned since the Formex doesn't have any windows, but I'll see how things go. My main concern was keeping the girls safe from opossum and raccoons, since we have a lot of both in Anne Arundel County. I remember seeing "coon carnage" as I kid, and that image is still stuck in my head!
Anyway, only about 9 days to go! I have my cardboard brooder all set up and the Mama Heat Pad is ordered. I just need to make the "skeleton" to hold it. I have the heat lamp, but MHP sounded much "closer to nature." Until, then I'm reading, reading, reading!
Counting down the days!
I too have lurked and explored this site for several years. I recently retired and was considering moving to North Carolina, but I've decided to postpone that for a year, and so I plan to get my 4 hopefully all girls from a local farm supply store. The guy was very helpful when I called, and the store is local, not a chain store, and it has a great reputation. He said he'd even help me rehome if a chick turns out to be a rooster. We'll see. But I couldn't wait another year for chickens!
I actually completely cheated and ordered a large Formex Snap Lock coop and a 6X7 kennel run from Rural King last week. I would've liked to build one, but I worried I didn't have the skills to do it and didn't want to get stuck and not be able to finish it in time or properly. In addition, I wanted something lightweight that I could move or disassemble, if I do move someday. That's great that you and DH are making such great progress! I know that building one's own coop is much less expensive, and you can tweak to your liking. But I'm hoping this set-up will at least get me started. Then if I move, I can take it with me and use as a brooder and get a more permanent, larger coop. I'm a bit concerned since the Formex doesn't have any windows, but I'll see how things go. My main concern was keeping the girls safe from opossum and raccoons, since we have a lot of both in Anne Arundel County. I remember seeing "coon carnage" as I kid, and that image is still stuck in my head!
Anyway, only about 9 days to go! I have my cardboard brooder all set up and the Mama Heat Pad is ordered. I just need to make the "skeleton" to hold it. I have the heat lamp, but MHP sounded much "closer to nature." Until, then I'm reading, reading, reading!
Counting down the days!
