Finding a local "tutor" in this endeavor....

[bluebirdnanny]

Ok thinking I might do it this year. At the least make preps for a foraging yard and coop. I will just have to find others here near Atlanta, MI to give me some help. Might do a temp "yard" from a covered dog kennel and attach a building to that. Perhaps build out from the side of my Amish built shed. The shed already has a base of limestone over wire to prevent anything burrowing under!

I want to get started and I think first I want to do the Buffs. There is a Tractor Supply an hour away in Gaylord I may go hang out as I met someone in past years there that raises them. Who knows if she will be there again.

 

[Arkansas81]

hi! i'm no where near atlanta but i will give advice if you would like....i think if you could be able to do some "under cover" work for your local area would be good to start with. look and see if predators are a huge problem for free ranging, dogs, cats, racoons, birds, etc?

here is what i've done..................i live in the country so i knew my flock was going to need some protection. so what i did was make our coop out of my daughters metal frame swing set that she out grew. then made them a run out of her old metal swimming pool. for the coop i covered the entire thing with chicken wire, then for shade in the summer attached a long bamboo mat on the back, and tarped the top. made nesting boxes out of 5gal stripper buckets. for their feeders used old rectangle planters, and for water used new oil pans (rubber). for the roost i put length ways my daughter's old baby gates. for the "playpen" run i wired the entire outside, tarped the top.

they are able to get out in the covered run during the day when weather permits. at night they go back in the coop. so if you are free ranging then sky and ground predators will need to be considered. so if possible always try to give them some protection. i love using things i have around here at the house, and when i don't have it then i go look around and see if i can find things that other people don't want. i've got the hook-up on wood crates to make my other pens and runs out of. so when i start that i will only need chicken wire, zip ties, and tarps too.

ask around-never know what people are willing to trade/give away. i try to be as natural with my animals as much as possible. i also try to recycle what i can too. good avenues are looking at your local co-ops, tractor supply, even craigs list in your area. see if there is a thread for people in your local area here on byc-where am i, where are you? if you have local farmers markets go talk up the people, go to any local flea marekts.

hope i helped in anyway? there is a ton of nice people on here so got a question just ask-plenty of advice. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Yes thankyou. I know raccoons and opossum are potential problems as skunks here and there are hawks in the area. I assume I will have to do a yard with some kind of cover. Bears do come around but don't know if they will be a chicken problem.

Roof & building repairs, plus bringing up to code via help from Fair Housing Lien on my property will start within a month. Much greater lien than I thought it would be. But then I did not have on my list all the work they require to get help from the program. Protecting their interests I guess but the inheritable cash asset of my home will be lower for my kids. I don't see how I will pay it off before I die. Up to this point it was free and clear. Which means the house will have to be sold to pay off anything I don't get paid back.

So I may have to do research etc and get things ready after they are done. Might not be able to start the chickens until next spring though I'd like to this year. It appears there will be more expense to them than I thought. Hope I can still manage to raise my own. Maybe have extra to share with less fortunate or sell a little to at least 'feel' like I am paying it back.