First timer - need advice

[Christyw103]

Hi there - we are planning on getting 10-15 day old chicks this summer. We have never raised chickens and are trying to figure out how to best utilize the space pictured below. The lower level is all paved in bricks, the upper level is an overgrown garden. Remove the bricks to have just a dirt area? Clear then plant things in the garden area? The entire area is about 400 sq feet (outside the coop we are building) and will be completely enclosed by wood frame and slats above concrete walls,lined with hardware cloth, and electric wire on the outside of perimeter. Our highest priority is safety as we have every predator imaginable. I just saw a bobcat in our front yard this morning. All the ideas and advice please!

 

[Wezdin]

Welcome to BYC! Having the bricks is a good thing, it will prevent predators digging. As long as there is nothing dangerous planted in the garden I would let the plants there and fence it in for a run. I would pull out half of the bricks, chickens like to dig and need a place to dust bathe.

 

[Christyw103]

Welcome to BYC! Having the bricks is a good thing, it will prevent predators digging. As long as there is nothing dangerous planted in the garden I would let the plants there and fence it in for a run. I would pull out half of the bricks, chickens like to dig and need a place to dust bathe.

So maybe leave the bricks on the perimeter? Do you mean enclose the garden area separately? Should we not enclose the whole thing for a run?

 

[Ted Brown]

I would place the coop and as much of a run as possible on the unused garden. Expand from there AS NEEDED.

Order 7 pullets ready to lay and start getting eggs asap, makes one feel smug to have eggs coming in every day. Expand as you gain confidence.

When building avoid undoing something that is already done and not necessary if you can find an alternative. Just looking at the fountain and bricked terrace area, there is some serious bucks spent there. It also done with materials that are VERY DURABLE. I would figure out what additional run space you will need and fill that portion only with DEEP LITTER BEDDING. Fill that fountain with water or better yet get it running as a fountain. Your flock will think they have died and gone to heaven and will paint the fountain white in no time (who cares it and everything around can be cleaned with a hose or in bad cases a power washer).

I wish I had what you have as a place to start.

 

[Wezdin]

I would place the coop and as much of a run as possible on the unused garden. Expand from there AS NEEDED.

Order 7 pullets ready to lay and start getting eggs asap, makes one feel smug to have eggs coming in every day. Expand as you gain confidence.

When building avoid undoing something that is already done and not necessary if one can find an alternative. Just looking at the fountain and bricked terrace area, there is some serious bucks spent there. It also done with materials that are VERY DURABLE. I would figure out what additional run space you will need and fill that portion only with DEEP LITTER BEDDING. Fill that fountain with water or better yet get it running as a fountain. Your flock will think they have died and gone to heaven and will paint the fountain white in no time (who cares it and everything around can be cleaned with a hose or in bad cases a power washer.

I wish I have what you have as a place to start.

the more i think about it the better that sounds and the worse what i said sounds....

 

[Christyw103]

I would place the coop and as much of a run as possible on the unused garden. Expand from there AS NEEDED.

Order 7 pullets ready to lay and start getting eggs asap, makes one feel smug to have eggs coming in every day. Expand as you gain confidence.

When building avoid undoing something that is already done and not necessary if one can find an alternative. Just looking at the fountain and bricked terrace area, there is some serious bucks spent there. It also done with materials that are VERY DURABLE. I would figure out what additional run space you will need and fill that portion only with DEEP LITTER BEDDING. Fill that fountain with water or better yet get it running as a fountain. Your flock will think they have died and gone to heaven and will paint the fountain white in no time (who cares it and everything around can be cleaned with a hose or in bad cases a power washer).

I wish I had what you have as a place to start.

Thank you -
I love the idea of using the fountain for them

 

[Acre4Me]

I would also leave the bricks/fountain, etc. they have the overgrown garden terrace and the small side beds to dig in.

what you are missing and will need to provide is shade. The chickens wear down year round. Get Mediterranean types that are not so heavily feathered, or just stick with not so heavily feathered breeds (No Cochin, no Brahmas, no Jersey Giants, as examples). Single comb chickens work well in warm/hot areas bc their combs dont get frost bite in the winter! But, you can have any comb type in a hot environment.

Buy shade cloth or other means of providing shade. You will want shade for their waterers too. Chickens don’t drink hot water.

lovely yard! Chickens will be a nice addition!

 

[Christyw103]

Yes absolutely need shade! We have 100+ degrees regularly (AZ) so we were thinking maybe an evap cooler in the coop would be a good idea for hot season.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Shade would be a huge priority and yes, I also think it'd be a shame to cover up all that nice brick work and fountain, but if that's the only space you have available... 400 sq ft would be a pretty decent size for 10-15 standard birds so I certainly don't want to see that get halved just because we think the brick is nice!

With the weedy patch, I'd only remove plants that you think might be a problem (i.e. anything poisonous to chickens) and the chickens will eventually weed the area and destroy it for you!

Also if you're thinking 15 chickens TOTAL I'd start with a smaller number of chicks at first and add more later on, unless you are planning on selling/processing retired layers. This way you'll get a more steady supply of eggs over the years. Still build for the maximum number of birds you want.