Got chicks for the first time... Want input/advice

[gtighe]

So i recently built a coop from a shed and added a run on to it. I don't know too much about chickens. I have about 30 but half of them are not staying when they are a bit older. I just want advice on what I could be doing better or what I should know about raising chicks because I have no experience at all. I've put a lot of time in the coop so far.

 

[50-45-1]

The coop looks great. Its kind of hard to tell what size it is from the photos though. Would you be able to give us sime measurements?
Could you update your profile so we know where you are? It might tell us what kind of winter you have in your location, and also the preditors you might expect to have.
If i understand you, there will be ony 15 birds here eventually. What breed are they?
You and the chickens have quite a nice view there in the background!

 

[ronott1]

Read articles in the forums i the learning center and ask specific question in the forums.

The coop looks good for 15 chickens

 

[gtighe]

The coop looks great. Its kind of hard to tell what size it is from the photos though. Would you be able to give us sime measurements?
Could you update your profile so we know where you are? It might tell us what kind of winter you have in your location, and also the preditors you might expect to have.
If i understand you, there will be ony 15 birds here eventually. What breed are they?
You and the chickens have quite a nice view there in the background!

The coop is 12' by 6' and the run is 12' by 12' I live in northeast Nebraska. Yes there will only be 15 birds. I ordered 10 Wyandottes 10 Black Sex Links and a variety pack of 10 random brown egg layers.

 

[ChickenzRCul]

The coop and run look good, love the view. I cant tell from the pictures but does the run have any chicken wire going below the run so predators cant dig there way under, because if i am right then you probably have foxes and coyotes. Also you will eventually need roosts in the coop (couldn't tell if you did or not) and maybe more ventilation in the coop. Hope this helps.

 

[gtighe]

The coop and run look good, love the view. I cant tell from the pictures but does the run have any chicken wire going below the run so predators cant dig there way under, because if i am right then you probably have foxes and coyotes. Also you will eventually need roosts in the coop (couldn't tell if you did or not) and maybe more ventilation in the coop. Hope this helps.

Tell me if i’m wrong but i’m pretty sure i won’t need chicken wire underneath. All of the chickens will be in the coop during the night and i will have a door on the outside.

 

[ronott1]

Tell me if i’m wrong but i’m pretty sure i won’t need chicken wire underneath. All of the chickens will be in the coop during the night and i will have a door on the outside.

There are some daytime predators that will dig under the wire--rat terrier type of dogs for one LOL!

 

[DobieLover]

I too am new to chickens. I did a TON of research before even beginning construction of my coop. After it was done I added more windows that are backed by 1/2" hardware cloth because it felt too warm to me inside the coop and this was in May in upstate NY.
I think your coop is really nice and you certainly have enough space for 15 birds. I might add more windows for better ventilation though.
Personally, I didn't even consider chicken wire to enclose my coop and run due to the number of predators we have in our area (fisher cats, coyotes, raccoons, opossums, red fox, even a big black bear who demolished our bird feeders - no more bird feeders since we became chicken parents!)
We also installed a 2' wide predator barrier of HC around the entire coop/run.
Keep reading on this site! You will learn an amazing amount of information from the folks here who have been doing this for a very long time. It's wonderful

 

[gtighe]

If you can't tell in the picture the front of the coop there is a hatch that opens inward, it was at one point a concessions shed. I plan on putting chicken wire over it and leaving it open during the day.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

How do they get in the run? Am I missing the door from the coop?