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I forgot to comment on this.
I have lived & learned over the past 3 years & we have gradually upgraded the property for the birds. We now have a very solid coop with an automatic door so I can't forget any longer (lost a bunch of birds to that mistake).
I have a very strong run - but...
I suppose if I get way out of hand I can ask my wife to park her volvo outside & build a roost in the garage.
Somehow though I think it would be me thats parked outside & the roost wrapped around my head.
I still plan to free range - I guess its just the tax you have to pay to live in...
Update ** the seller of the marans decided to sell to someone else for a higher price (after we had an agreement I might add)
So - I have just dodged the bullet of raising a thousand birds for cool colors of eggs.
Maybe my welsummer rooster (if I get one) will help the aracauna's chicks lay...
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I added the new coop this spring. It & the run are pretty secure now. Certainly nothing can get into the coop after dark.
Its when they are free ranging around that the coyote's & hawks get them.
Of course it all started out with a bunch of random hens I could buy locally.
The random ones got old or ate up by predators (I have almost all of them & I free range)
Then last year I ordered 25 chicks online. It was too expensive though - $100 for 25 chicks shipped? too much.
Anyway - there...