- Sep 24, 2017
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I am in the initial phases of thinking about a small backyard flock. My backyard is about 1.25 acres in Wisconsin. My objectives would be to raise a few chickens (6ish) for meat and eggs, help control japanese beetles in my garden/raspberry patch and ticks around my yard, give my daughter a valuable experience. With that being said, I need this to be as automated as possible on a daily basis to fit into our crazy busy lives. To start, I have a few questions I hope you can all be so kind and help with!
#1: If I allow the chickens to roam about my backyard during the day, will they return to the coop on their own at night? I am pretty sure my grandmother did not spend hours on end chasing her chickens around the farm to get them back into the coop every night, however, I do know that she would go out and shut the coop door.
#2: If so, I'd like to try this automatic coop door opener and closer: https://www.chickenguard.com/
What do you all think of that?
#3: Will they destroy my garden of sweetcorn, tomatoes, squash, beets, peas, beans, raspberries?
#4: I would like watering them to be automatic and freeze proof. This is the only solution I can see so far: http://www.brittonfarmproducts.com/BP510A.html
What do you all think of that? Are there any other automatic freeze proof watering solutions? Daily watering is something that I do not want to add to my to do list.
#5: I was thinking about this automatic feeder: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/282654357990?chn=ps&dispItem=1
#6: What breeds would you suggest?
Thank you for all your help in advance!
#1: If I allow the chickens to roam about my backyard during the day, will they return to the coop on their own at night? I am pretty sure my grandmother did not spend hours on end chasing her chickens around the farm to get them back into the coop every night, however, I do know that she would go out and shut the coop door.
#2: If so, I'd like to try this automatic coop door opener and closer: https://www.chickenguard.com/
What do you all think of that?
#3: Will they destroy my garden of sweetcorn, tomatoes, squash, beets, peas, beans, raspberries?
#4: I would like watering them to be automatic and freeze proof. This is the only solution I can see so far: http://www.brittonfarmproducts.com/BP510A.html
What do you all think of that? Are there any other automatic freeze proof watering solutions? Daily watering is something that I do not want to add to my to do list.
#5: I was thinking about this automatic feeder: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/282654357990?chn=ps&dispItem=1
#6: What breeds would you suggest?
Thank you for all your help in advance!