I just wanted to introduce myself here in the forum. Name is Todd and not totally new to chickens but haven't been around them since I was a kid so might as well be. I have been re-learning a lot about chickens.
This was actually my wife's idea for the grandkids and the coop project we just recently finished was much more than I anticipated. We built an 8' x 8' coop with a 20' x 20' fenced yard. I originally estimated around $500 - 600 for the project but we broke $1000 by the time it was finished the way we wanted it to be. Wood got real expensive since the last time we built something like this!
We have a dozen Golden Comet Pullets purchased as chicks 6 weeks ago that we plan only for layers. Because of where we live, we won't likely be able to free range them due to predators and closeness to a major road. We plan to go deep litter method in the coop and I have procured two 50 lb. bags of Perma Guard as of last evening. Was a bit of a trick to find a DE supplier that was close enough to drive to but finally found an Amish farmer that swears by the stuff about 45 mins. away.
I'll be looking for many tips and tricks as we go and I have a question to pose already on a behaviour we noticed last evening that I couldn't explain but will post in the proper area in the forum later today.
This was actually my wife's idea for the grandkids and the coop project we just recently finished was much more than I anticipated. We built an 8' x 8' coop with a 20' x 20' fenced yard. I originally estimated around $500 - 600 for the project but we broke $1000 by the time it was finished the way we wanted it to be. Wood got real expensive since the last time we built something like this!
We have a dozen Golden Comet Pullets purchased as chicks 6 weeks ago that we plan only for layers. Because of where we live, we won't likely be able to free range them due to predators and closeness to a major road. We plan to go deep litter method in the coop and I have procured two 50 lb. bags of Perma Guard as of last evening. Was a bit of a trick to find a DE supplier that was close enough to drive to but finally found an Amish farmer that swears by the stuff about 45 mins. away.
I'll be looking for many tips and tricks as we go and I have a question to pose already on a behaviour we noticed last evening that I couldn't explain but will post in the proper area in the forum later today.
