First some info about our yard:
PREDATORS: The only possible predators are rats and 2 cats that are owned but roam outside. We have vinyl fencing that they can't squeeze through but the can get in via climbing the car and a wall in the back. This has only happened once since we've moved here and that was before the chicks came home. Even though my dog goes outdoors 3-4 times a day, that seems to be enough to keep them all away.
UNDERGROUND: Coral so nothing can dig through. There's nothing here in the city anyways lol!
AREA FOR CHICKS: Partially covered by several bougainvillea plants (big ones) so shade and rain don't hit the area 100% until late afternoon, when everyone will be roaming the yard.
WEATHER: Relatively dry and warm where I am. If it does rain it's pretty light or the wind is blowing it in a direction that doesn't pelt the area. There are flooding rains and gusty winds at times in winter.
Now the questions, opinions and advice please:
~I've been mulling over using vinyl lattice with wood framing as the coop walls. What do you think about that? For stormy, windy weather we'd move the chicks under a covered area.
~I would like to use a regular solid piece of wood covered with a scrap piece of sheet vinyl for the floor and shavings on that.
~The run itself would be chain link all around and the roof would be a tarp temporarily.
~The coop would be raised however I'm going to use a piece of the lattice to block off the underneath so Chick-Chick is separate from the girls but they can still see each other. If they get along I'll remove the divide later. So Chick-Chick will have about 7-1/2 feet of run for herself and the girls will have the same for themselves.
~I haven't decided about the nest boxes for the girls yet but does Chick-Chick really need one? She's the pet Cornish X and the girls are layers.
I think that's about it, I can't think of anything else. TY in advance!
PREDATORS: The only possible predators are rats and 2 cats that are owned but roam outside. We have vinyl fencing that they can't squeeze through but the can get in via climbing the car and a wall in the back. This has only happened once since we've moved here and that was before the chicks came home. Even though my dog goes outdoors 3-4 times a day, that seems to be enough to keep them all away.
UNDERGROUND: Coral so nothing can dig through. There's nothing here in the city anyways lol!
AREA FOR CHICKS: Partially covered by several bougainvillea plants (big ones) so shade and rain don't hit the area 100% until late afternoon, when everyone will be roaming the yard.
WEATHER: Relatively dry and warm where I am. If it does rain it's pretty light or the wind is blowing it in a direction that doesn't pelt the area. There are flooding rains and gusty winds at times in winter.
Now the questions, opinions and advice please:
~I've been mulling over using vinyl lattice with wood framing as the coop walls. What do you think about that? For stormy, windy weather we'd move the chicks under a covered area.
~I would like to use a regular solid piece of wood covered with a scrap piece of sheet vinyl for the floor and shavings on that.
~The run itself would be chain link all around and the roof would be a tarp temporarily.
~The coop would be raised however I'm going to use a piece of the lattice to block off the underneath so Chick-Chick is separate from the girls but they can still see each other. If they get along I'll remove the divide later. So Chick-Chick will have about 7-1/2 feet of run for herself and the girls will have the same for themselves.
~I haven't decided about the nest boxes for the girls yet but does Chick-Chick really need one? She's the pet Cornish X and the girls are layers.
I think that's about it, I can't think of anything else. TY in advance!
