I am a nationally certified firearms instructor and I teach many courses, including "In Home Self Defense". I certainly understand that defending livestock against predation is very different from defending yourself and your family from intrusion and/or assault.
Some principles applied to self...
My wife and I just bought a 4 yr. old 1700 sq. ft. modular home on 7 acres 5 miles outside of town. Nearest neighbor is measured in hundreds of yards. There's a beautiful stand of Knotty Pines behind the house. I'm going to drop just enough to accommodate the coop and build the coop/yard under...
Mypetchicken.com sells birds and guarantees gender and safe arrival. Is this a reputable dealer? Any suggestions for other dealers to investigate?
http://www.mypetchicken.com/default.aspx
When it comes time to bring them home, how long should we keep them in the coop/yard before we turn them out to free range?
Thanks so much for putting up with my "20 questions". I'm excited about getting chickens and am doing a LOT of reading and studying.
I do some part time work for a family that owns a 230 acre cattle spread. They rent out a 5 acre pasture to a man that raises meat birds. The cattle owner turned about half of his herd into that pasture because grass is getting scarce. The cattle tore up the chicken pens to get at the feed.
If...
Over the winter, I'll be building a coop and yard. Our night time lows in the dead of winter can get down to the single digit figures. What's the minimum temp that chickens can stand? I'm wondering if I need to wire my coop for a small heat source for the following winter.
Thanks!
Hi, folks!
I just joined. Over the winter, I'm going to be building a yard and coop. Come spring, we'll get some birds.
What my wife and I are looking for are pets. I'd like to have a variety of pretty birds. I'd like to have a few eggs on occasion, but that's not critical. We live in the Blue...
Hi, folks!
I just joined the forum. I have an introductory post in new members section.
Can anybody tell me where I can get free plans for a coop that will hold about a dozen or so birds?
Thanks so much!
Hi, folks!
My wife and I just bought a nice house on 7 beautiful, secluded acres in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. We're just outside "Smalltown, USA" and we'd like to have some "yard birds".
I know a little about keeping chickens from what Grandaddy taught me. My wife knows nothing...