Hello James.
Nice to meet someone local. (We had a chance to drive through some areas of Chester recently and it is such a lovely town!)
I don't have chickens yet, just an apiary -but I'm gathering knowledge, advice and equipment for the spring. I am planning on 6-8 hens.
So sorry to hear a fisher cat got your chickens. I, too, am worried about that. We've seen a lot of foxes in the daytime lately and a home nearby had their bee hives destroyed by a bear, just about a week ago.
So far, this whole thing has become a bit more expensive than I anticipated, despite all the wonderful ideas on creative coops and runs. When you get right down to it,necessary expenses like hardware cloth and providing a truly predator-proof environment really add up, although it just doesn't make sense to skimp in any area of security. I hope I can afford to do it right.
Anyway, I look forward to connecting with you and others that are local to the area to share ideas and solutions.
Good luck,
jonalisa
