Hello from Kentucky!

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Donnadawn said:
Hello, fellow chicken lovers. I am having the most amazing journey with my first batch of birds. My sister is an experienced chicken mom and specializes in selling Ameracaunas and Black Copper Marans. She was kind enough to give me 14 babies (I got to watch them hatch in incubator!) and I brought them home with nothing but a starter kit from Amazon. While these babies grew in my finished basement, I busted my chops and built a coop with attached run. Attaching pics. I had been watching youtube videos, reading books, and asking questions for years, so I had a good idea of what I wanted. I am so very happy with the result. There is only one thing I would do different. I wish I had gone ahead and spent the money to run concrete under everything. AS you can see I have a sand floor, which I LOVE, and it helps keep everything very clean. I also have hardware cloth run three feet around the entire structure to keep out diggers, and a band of metal roofing to help as well. But all of these precautions are not keeping tunnelers, like mice, from getting in.

Babies hatched in late June, moved into coop at 10 weeks. They are healthy and happy. Unfortunately, out of the original flock of 14 birds, NINE were roos. I gave them all away except one, my big beautiful Marans boy, Blue. He is a great roo, taking care of all the girls, and so far, is quite loving with me.

My birds are happy and healthy, even as we are now experiencing below zero temps. I have tarped the sides of the run and put a deep layer of mixed chopped straw/shaving bedding in the coop and nesting boxes. My girls are still laying eggs as fast as I can haul them in. They love to lay in my arms and be sung to.

This has been a dream decades in the making and has been worth every penny spent, every walk in the rain and cold. They are a delight and I treasure every minute I spend with them.

I am thankful for all the posts, pics, and videos that chicken owners post everywhere. I learn so much from others and am constantly inspired to try new things. Thank you, everyone, for your continued posts!

Donna SR
Adairville, KY

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Very nice setup!

And welcome from eastern NC. :frow
 
Donnadawn said:
Thank you, Debby. After listening to the yipping of coyotes and watching eagles fly over for three years since moving here, I knew I needed to reinforce as much as possible. I also have the neighbor's dogs to deal with. I can only let my birds free range when I am with them, hence the Adirondack chair and table so I can sit and read (and enjoy a glass of wine.;)) But they never want to stay out long. They really do like the run. I have since built a jungle gym of sorts inside for them to climb and roost.
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No wonder your flock doesn't want to stay out long...they have lots of room to move around and a play ground too! WTG!
 

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