I am adding three raised garden beds. Compost is cooking. I ordered blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, herbs, tomatoes, and peppers online to be shipped in spring.
I have sand in 2/3 of run and compost material in the back 1/3. I scoop the poop from sand and toss in compost pile. Chickens scratch the compost around when I add dry leaves and chopped straw. Once a month I take most of the compost out and add it to my garden pile.
I give them grass clipping and chopped straw to scratch in. Will also hang a tree branch in a hook. I have pots of cheap herbs that I will put in run in a rainy day. Lots of perches.
https://www.cacklehatchery.com/coccidiosis-the-scourge-of-chicks-and-poults/#What Is Coccidiosis?
This has some good information. Mine had the Vax from hatchery so I did not provide medicated feed.
So sorry for your losses. I am also new to chicks and from Mass. Got my chicks from koopscoops in Westport, MA. Brooke has pullets. I used a pop up puppy pen from Amazon. I have town water but use a pitcher filter for drinking and filtered baby chick water as well. I used the same organic feed...
I am going to construct a daytime, portable aviary out of an old 8’ pop up shelter frame. Not ground predator proof but for chickens to have temporary time outside on the grass. Pics to follow when completed.
I have only seen chipmunks on occasion. No droppings in my shed, or on patio. I just turned my entire compost bin over when I moved its location and so no signs there either. How do I find out? My neighbor has several bird feeders set up about 100 feet from my coop area.
Pretty bird! Yours has feathers more uniform and less blotchy than I would expect on a cockerel. My EE cockerel was the last to fully feather, friendliest of all my birds. I was suspicious, and at 12 weeks he started a soft crowing in the morning.