Hello.. helping a chick mama

[AuntChickie]

Hi! I'm an aunt to 5 hens (the mama is no longer a novice), and my best friend, after not having chickens for at least 12 years, has just let her daughter talk her into getting 4 new chicks! We are building the first coop today (a pre-fab). I'm thankful that this site exists and I can find answers for set-up questions with discussion as to WHY one solution is better than another.

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC and the wonderful world of chicken keeping.
What coop did you get?

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. There's rarely many topics that have one solution and you'll get lots of different opinions here - my advice is just to go with what you feel most comfortable with.

 

[AuntChickie]

I'm going with her to pick it up this afternoon... I don't have the pics. She was shopping with her mom yesterday to find one (apparently she needed to get one in April, as everyone seems to be sold out for this season!)... she had to drive around and call stores to find one, then had one store tell her they had one (30 miles south of here) and they are holding it for her. I have questions about best way to keep predators from digging into the run (coop is elevated over a small run - whole thing is about 6L x 4D and about 6H

 

[AuntChickie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. There's rarely many topics that have one solution and you'll get lots of different opinions here - my advice is just to go with what you feel most comfortable with.

Thank you. I want to help her build a strong pest-and-predator-free coop. Wire floor in run? or wire apron outside run? She wants to put wire floor, all our chicken friends use aprons...

 

[AuntChickie]

Welcome to BYC and the wonderful world of chicken keeping.
What coop did you get?

oops... should've hit "reply" .. answered in new comment below. Sigh. Learning curve.

 

[Kiki]

I really like the "apron" "way"..I actually use it.

 

[Pork Pie]

Thank you. I want to help her build a strong pest-and-predator-free coop. Wire floor in run? or wire apron outside run? She wants to put wire floor, all our chicken friends use aprons...

Maybe ask on your state thread as those guys will be familiar with critters in your area -
- http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/270925/find-your-states-thread#post_3239224
and feel free to ask coop related questions on this forum - https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/coop-run-design-construction-maintenance.9/

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to BYC Aunt Chickie, so glad you joined us.

 

[AuntChickie]

True about more than one solution to most things.. I like to have a good reason for applying one or the other (instead of "trust me, do it this way"... I need to understand WHY)