Trying to be a good neighbor

[Pork Pie]

I looked into our local zoning ordinance for animals, and all it says are 1. No Hogs, and 2. Any animal that escapes my property, ex Dogs, Cats, Chickens etc...are subject to a fine. The Weeds are waist high in some areas....chickens will destroy them that high?

Depends on the species and the time of year - my flock will munch on plants during the dry season that they would not usually bother with at other times of year. Not sure that they would demolish weeds that high, but it would provide great cover if you leave little "islands" of the weeds for them to bolt into, should a predator be around.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Welcome, post pics as you go along!


Gary from Idyllwild Ca here

 

[PapaBear4]

With regard to your question about them killing the weeds, I have found that chickens will basically eat anything green. And if they don't, they'll scratch it up looking for the bugs underneath it. They do such a good job eating green things that in not too long they will take the whole area down to the dirt. Keep adding material over time to keep the smell and mess down. If you garden you can harvest the bedding from the run and coop once or twice a year. Pile it up and let it compost down to some awesome gardening material! Chicken manure compost can be another tool to pacify grumpy neighbors (if they're into that sort of thing).

 

[Daox13]

yeah be prepared for your nice green lawn and weeds to be under a surprisingly fierce attack.... I had the unrealistic dream that under managed free range I could keep my borders intact.... like I said unrealistic... chickens will peck, eat and scratch everything in your yard. I now keep mine in the large run with plenty of entertainment play toys and will usually only let out to free range for a few hours on the weekends or during the summers longer daylight a few hours in late afternoon.

 

[KenStorm989]

yeah be prepared for your nice green lawn and weeds to be under a surprisingly fierce attack.... I had the unrealistic dream that under managed free range I could keep my borders intact.... like I said unrealistic... chickens will peck, eat and scratch everything in your yard. I now keep mine in the large run with plenty of entertainment play toys and will usually only let out to free range for a few hours on the weekends or during the summers longer daylight a few hours in late afternoon.

Play toys?!?!?! What kinda Play Toys?

 

[enrgizerbunny]

I looked into our local zoning ordinance for animals, and all it says are 1. No Hogs, and 2. Any animal that escapes my property, ex Dogs, Cats, Chickens etc...are subject to a fine.  The Weeds are waist high in some areas....chickens will destroy them that high?

If not just spray them with glyphosate(round up). It won't harm you or the chickens, and works by preventing the synthesis of a protein that doesn't exist in animal cells which causes the death of the plant. It works systemically so less is more and misting vegetation is more effective than drenching. I know the organic crowd will fight tooth and nail on this, but I'm an agriculture major and between plant, soil, and environmental science- I'd drink round up if it would change opinions.

 

[Howard E]

Looks like this had great potential. Some thoughts.....

What is the design of the coop? Be thinking ventilation and lots of it and windows for natural light. Is this coop south of your house? If so, be sure to have some windows on the south side facing the winter sun.

What is the drainage pattern? What happens to rain water at the coop and run locations? Running into or running away from? Having a concrete floor is a big plus for something like this.....keeps digging predators out and makes for a dryer, cleaner, more sanitary coop inside, even with deep litter (which is my preference).

Do you have either water or electric back there?

On the run, how will it be fenced? Chickens attract predators, even where you are. They are there, even if you never see them.

On vegetation for the run, once large weeds and plants are established, the birds probably won't take down 5' tall weeds, but if they are turned in early, the weeds may never get that high, although if there is enough vegetation, they can be selective, so a few might get past them. If so, they will probably be used for shade. Or you can divide this up and plan on providing shade, depending on how much work you want. A section of that run planted to tall crops like corn, sunflowers, okra, etc, will give the birds shady places to run around under, but only once they are established, so you have to protect those kinds of plants for a month or so until they get established. Plants of that type are also heavy feeders of the nitrogen and other that the birds will leave behind. Later in the summer, you reload with things like fall turnips. So in addition to being a run, it can also be a salad bar for the birds. Again, lots of potential, depending on how intensive you want to manage it.

 

[Daox13]

Play toys?!?!?! What kinda Play Toys?

haha, now lets not go down that rabbit hole!!!

Pumpkins, deep bedding with scratch toss around, dust bath, swing perches. suet basket with vegies, soda bottle with a few holes in it with scratch inside. Cabbage on a string, sometimes I hide treats in places. anything that keeps them hunting and pecking.

 

[KenStorm989]

Looks like this had great potential. Some thoughts.....

What is the design of the coop? I dont know yet exactly, i dont have much building experience, so i want to keep it simple, but my wife wants it to look "pretty" i want to do a Large window on the South Western Side of the Coop (facing the run) with Chicken wire. I want it to be a walk in coop with the main door facing the house, and I want to try and re-use the current Steel Roof on the shed now, it gets cold in the winter, so i've been researching coops for a few weeks was thinking a standard square coop, with the front facing the house higher and the back lower, but put the roof up on little 2x4 posts a few inches so it can vent? maybe dig a small trench behind it and put a little french draing that takes the water toward the neighbors fence and out into my yard proper?? thoughts?. Be thinking ventilation and lots of it and windows for natural light. Is this coop south of your house? Coop is South East ish, so in the picture the top right corner of the Coop outline will face south, was going to do the South Western facing wall with a large open windown with chicken wife over it If so, be sure to have some windows on the south side facing the winter sun.

What is the drainage pattern? What happens to rain water at the coop and run locations? Running into or running away from? away from coop away from run toward the house Having a concrete floor is a big plus for something like this.....keeps digging predators out and makes for a dryer, cleaner, more sanitary coop inside, even with deep litter (which is my preference).

Do you have either water or electric back there? I can run a hose from the back of the house, no electric, other than long extension cord for power tools that i can run from the back of the house

On the run, how will it be fenced? Chickens attract predators, even where you are. They are there, even if you never see them. I dont have a 100% plan for this yet. was thinking posts and chicken wire....i really dont want to put a "roof" over it

On vegetation for the run, once large weeds and plants are established, the birds probably won't take down 5' tall weeds, but if they are turned in early, the weeds may never get that high, although if there is enough vegetation, they can be selective, so a few might get past them. If so, they will probably be used for shade. Or you can divide this up and plan on providing shade, depending on how much work you want. A section of that run planted to tall crops like corn, sunflowers, okra, etc, will give the birds shady places to run around under, but only once they are established, so you have to protect those kinds of plants for a month or so until they get established. Plants of that type are also heavy feeders of the nitrogen and other that the birds will leave behind. Later in the summer, you reload with things like fall turnips. So in addition to being a run, it can also be a salad bar for the birds. Again, lots of potential, depending on how intensive you want to manage it. I was thinking of doing corn and sunflowers for both shade and "free" chicken food. never thought of Fall Turnips! i like the idea.

Thank you for taking an interest, i really want to succeed and do well at this, so please reply with ideas and thoughts

 

[enrgizerbunny]

To make it pretty I recommend a shed type roof, large overhang, and vinyl siding. Vinyl hides mistakes, goes up easy and isn't too expensive.