You can tell my climate and if I am in the northern or southern hemisphere. AntiqueB is from New Jersey, not Southern California. Please go to your signature and put in your location.
Please add your location in your information. Africa is a really big continent with variable predator problems and climates.
I did a google search for "Chicken Coops From Africa". There were plenty of coops of various designs. Maybe you could start from there and tell us what you decided on.
It looks very nice. But, the window is where the chickens will be roosting. They need the windows above their heads when they roost. Also, I don't think there is enough ventilation
I wrote "straw bales", not "hay bales". Very different products. Hay is a food and has mold spores on it. When it gets wet, the mold will grow. Use Straw.
The air coming in needs to be above their heads when on the roosting bar. You may need to put a window under the eaves and close the one shown in the picture. You can also raise the roof and put hardware cloth between the walls and roof.
Since the prevailing winds come from the north, turn the...
If you start with six, then add six more two years later, you will extend the better laying time that Ridgerunner mentioned.
Also, with six you can see how well six do in the amount of space you give them before adding six more. You may also decide that you want a different breed for some...
Orpingtons are large, winter hardy, very calm and gentle. They have a good egg laying reputation, laying longer than other breeds (fall into winter). They lay medium sized eggs, if that matters to you. They will forage.
I have also had Brahma chickens. They are very large winter hardy, calm...
Please add your location in the box.
I'm in Michigan's thumb and I don't add heat. If you do decide to run an electric cord, make sure it is for outdoor use. Don't lay it on the ground, have it raised, as Stinky Acres has done. You could run it along that wooden fence.
The chickens won't need...
As Big Blue Hen wrote, take a couple of classes on business. Your local community college probably has practical classes for you. Basic Bookkeeping, Accounting for the small Business, Small Animal agriculture.
Be sure to compare the prices of commercial chicken feed with that which you can...
I went to the poultry show at Cheboygan, Michigan. I asked somebody if there was anyone present who sold Brahmas. She pointed out the Brahma judge and said that he was "Mr. Brahma". Mr. Brahma called his wife. I drove a couple of miles to their little homestead and bought two chickens. One...
If you are going to raise your own chickens spend the extra money on a pair (or more) of excellent birds. You will get the size, personality, etc. that you expect. Hatchery chicks are unlikely to come up to the quality of well bred chicks.