Alaska!

[ashmomma31]

Hello fellow Alaskans, this is our 2nd attempt at raising chickens. I am open to any advise. Right now the chicks are in our house I have a coop, but it's on the small side. Last year we attempted 10 chickens, and the dogs ate them since they kept getting out of their coop and run. This year we are moving the dogs so they will have zero access to the chickens, and reinforcing the run and making it bigger since this year we are going to raise 20 chickens. I am having an extremely difficult time trying to figure out how big we should make our coop. Someone on another thread said I would need 160 sq ft, that seems a bit excessive to me especially since all my research said that a 60 sq ft coop would be more than enough. Thoughts???

 

[PetitePlume]

Welcome!
If the chickens will have acces to the run everyday for the whole day you can go with minimum size for the coop. A covered area in the run would help for the rainy days.
The bigger run the better, go with what works for you.
Dog wise I heard a trick that I personnaly never had tu use.: you tie up the dead chicken on his collar for many days. I know it's gross but apparently it cures them.
Good luck!

 

[ashmomma31]

Welcome!
If the chickens will have acces to the run everyday for the whole day you can go with minimum size for the coop. A covered area in the run would help for the rainy days.
The bigger run the better, go with what works for you.
Dog wise I heard a trick that I personnaly never had tu use.: you tie up the dead chicken on his collar for many days. I know it's gross but apparently it cures them.
Good luck!

There was no dead chickens left...the dogs ate them, feathers and all. The dogs wont be an issue this year as they won't have access to the chickens at all.

 

[Kelsey Gravelle]

Hello Alaskans!