First timers coop

[GalloChicks]

Hello all! I brought home 5 chicks last week and they have been happy in their kennel home. But they are also growing very quickly! My husband and I designed a coop of an old rabbit hutch and I just finished it this morning, hoping to finish the run by tomorrow. I will obviously be adding the nesting boxes, roosts and what not before placing the chicks in the coop. The side that is open and covered with hardware cloth will be closed up by a wooden door most the time. I just liked the idea of being able to open it at times to air out the inside of the coop. Just wanted to show others who are just as chicken crazed as I

I used hardware cloth vs chicken wire as I already know of a few potential threats including the family of Blue Indigos under our ahed and the Black Racers under our back porch, not to mention the coons, cats and possums we have running around. As the thread title states, I'm a first timer so any suggestions are welcome

 

[kajira]

Have you thought about getting a sheep dog to raise with your live stock? (including chickens) if they think they are all part of the flock/pack etc, the sheep dog will keep dangerous critters off your land.

Generally, people thrown them out with sheeps and goats, but i've seen a lot of success stories with chickens too

I'm about done owning dogs that aren't designed to live and protect live stock... don't get me wrong, I love my dogs, but they aren't 100% trustworthy with my livestock :/

 

[GalloChicks]

Forgot to post pics. Lol

 

[GalloChicks]

Lol. I actually have three dogs but none of them are trustworthy with the chickens, at all. Lol. So I'll definitely be keeping them in an enclosure.