Hello! I hope I can get some input/ideas/suggestions for coop/pen/tractor for the five little hens and one Muscovie duck we “adopted” last month (gender unknown!). We are first-time chicken guardians, we learning as we go and doing LOTS of reading!
We live on ½ acre in a rural/suburban neighborhood, and our yard is fenced with 4’ chain-link fence. Technically, chickens are NOT allowed in town unless you have 5 acres. The lady at the town hall told me as long as the neighbors do not complain, the “chicken police” will not show up at our door. Our neighbors are OK with it, and we have promised to keep the coop & run attractive, neat, and clean (and I am sure providing them with fresh eggs from time to time will not hurt either!).
We have an 8x10 aluminum shed in excellent condition we want to convert for their coop. We are going to install some windows with hardware cloth for ventilation, cover the floor with sand, and put in the used kitchen cupboards we bought from Craigslist for $5 each for nesting boxes and build some roosts. They will be locked in at night. I don’t think we have any questions about the coop – but if anything I said sounds bad, or anyone has suggestions, we’re listening!
We have several sections of 6’ tall chain link fence that we used as a dog run before we had the fence installed around the property. We were thinking of encircling the coop with it to make a pen, lining the inside with hardware cloth. Considering surrounding the outside with lattice for aesthetics, and planting climbing roses around the outside of the pen to help make it pretty. Someone on the site – and I am sorry I do not remember who it was to give credit – had taken clothesline and ran it back and forth and “crisscross” over the top of the run to make a grid-like pattern to keep the hawks out. Not sure HOW big we should make the run for 5 chickens and a duck…figuring bigger is better!
I’m really debating whether or not we need/should make a tractor. Our property is covered in grass and weeds, and we are OK with letting the girls graze (is that the right word for chickens?) out there under a tractor…but I am also sprouting scratch and sunflower seeds and growing them into grass for fodder…and we provide them with kitchen scraps every day, so I am really wondering if a tractor is necessary if we have a large, safe pen attached to the large coop and provide plenty of greens on a daily basis. We can also throw in the grass clippings weekly after we mow the front lawn…
As far as predators, we do have red-tail hawk. On occasion, I have seen red fox, but not often at all - I think just twice in the last four years! I am sure there are racoons and possum in the area, but I have never seen one on our property. No coyotes; never seen a single snake (THANK GOD!)! We have two large dogs, so I think that keeps some predators away. The dogs live INSIDE our house - only going out to do their business and for run and play time. They are *interested* in the chickens, but don't really bother them and they live with six cats, a bunny, a guinea pig, and several conures in the house, so they are used to small, furry and feathered friends!
Thoughts, suggestions, ideas? All are welcomed and appreciated!
Many thanks in advance!
Michelle in Massachusetts
We live on ½ acre in a rural/suburban neighborhood, and our yard is fenced with 4’ chain-link fence. Technically, chickens are NOT allowed in town unless you have 5 acres. The lady at the town hall told me as long as the neighbors do not complain, the “chicken police” will not show up at our door. Our neighbors are OK with it, and we have promised to keep the coop & run attractive, neat, and clean (and I am sure providing them with fresh eggs from time to time will not hurt either!).
We have an 8x10 aluminum shed in excellent condition we want to convert for their coop. We are going to install some windows with hardware cloth for ventilation, cover the floor with sand, and put in the used kitchen cupboards we bought from Craigslist for $5 each for nesting boxes and build some roosts. They will be locked in at night. I don’t think we have any questions about the coop – but if anything I said sounds bad, or anyone has suggestions, we’re listening!
We have several sections of 6’ tall chain link fence that we used as a dog run before we had the fence installed around the property. We were thinking of encircling the coop with it to make a pen, lining the inside with hardware cloth. Considering surrounding the outside with lattice for aesthetics, and planting climbing roses around the outside of the pen to help make it pretty. Someone on the site – and I am sorry I do not remember who it was to give credit – had taken clothesline and ran it back and forth and “crisscross” over the top of the run to make a grid-like pattern to keep the hawks out. Not sure HOW big we should make the run for 5 chickens and a duck…figuring bigger is better!
I’m really debating whether or not we need/should make a tractor. Our property is covered in grass and weeds, and we are OK with letting the girls graze (is that the right word for chickens?) out there under a tractor…but I am also sprouting scratch and sunflower seeds and growing them into grass for fodder…and we provide them with kitchen scraps every day, so I am really wondering if a tractor is necessary if we have a large, safe pen attached to the large coop and provide plenty of greens on a daily basis. We can also throw in the grass clippings weekly after we mow the front lawn…
As far as predators, we do have red-tail hawk. On occasion, I have seen red fox, but not often at all - I think just twice in the last four years! I am sure there are racoons and possum in the area, but I have never seen one on our property. No coyotes; never seen a single snake (THANK GOD!)! We have two large dogs, so I think that keeps some predators away. The dogs live INSIDE our house - only going out to do their business and for run and play time. They are *interested* in the chickens, but don't really bother them and they live with six cats, a bunny, a guinea pig, and several conures in the house, so they are used to small, furry and feathered friends!
Thoughts, suggestions, ideas? All are welcomed and appreciated!
Many thanks in advance!
Michelle in Massachusetts
