Hello,
We started with 4 silver-laced Wyandotte and 14 Easter egger chicks last March. (The Wyandottes were from Tractor Supply and the Easter eggers were from Tractor Supply and Rainbow Ag.)
We lost a Wyandotte mysteriously, suddenly, at 6 months. We didn't see it happen, and only discovered...
Yes, I like designing and building things, too. The chickens needs are very basic... shelter, ventilation, safety. Most coop features are more for our own use, comfort and amusement than for the chickens! :lau
And from another perspective entirely, I live in a rural area, on 180 acres, at the top of a ridge, where our nearest neighbor is a 30 minute hike away. The only people who see our coop are my man & I, plus any family or company we have visiting us.
And yet, I would consider our 8' x 12' coop...
Well, I guess I should have said "relatively" secure! We live out in the country and have a lot of predators, including black bears, coyotes, foxes and weasels. We hope the run is secure against flying, digging and climbing predators, but would rather not put it to the test at night. The coop...
Does anyone have an auto chicken door that they get to open when it is still dark so their chickens can go to an enclosed, secure lighted run? Like, have a light on a timer outside in the run, over the auto door, that turns on at 6:00 AM so the sensor on the auto door thinks it's daylight and...