- Jul 1, 2012
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As a small boy I remember my grandmother's chickens, lots of them , all free ranging. I got flogged by a rooster when I was three.
Ok that's all the backgroung I'm giving. I've been wanting to have some laying hens for a long time now, but the wife was against it. She grew up with chickens and only remembers the bad parts.After twenty some odd years of being the model husband, and much pleading, I mean debate
, we're gonna have some chickens.
We live on a farm in a rural area, so I first thought " get some birds and turn them loose. After reading on this site for some weeks now, I have decided that it's not that simple.We have every predator except bears around here.There are so many that it would be nearly impossible to control them.
I decided to build a secure coop with attached run, and let them out when I can be around to guard them. I work full time, so they can only free range in the evenings and weekends.I'll post some pictures soon so that you'all can critique. It needs to be as secure as Ft Knox. Reading here has led me to believe that maybe I should have a rooster for the security of the flock. It never occured to me that he provided any service other that breeding. Kinda didn't want to have a roo, you know why
. Maybe confronting those old fears is a healthy thing. It's pretty silly, I mean after four years in the Marine Corps,I'm a high voltage lineman, and a volunteer firefighter, and every time I see a rooster, I get that old fight or flight thing going on.
Anyway the coop is about halfway finished and I have located some 6 month old Buff Orpington Poults. Wish me luck.
David
Ok that's all the backgroung I'm giving. I've been wanting to have some laying hens for a long time now, but the wife was against it. She grew up with chickens and only remembers the bad parts.After twenty some odd years of being the model husband, and much pleading, I mean debate

We live on a farm in a rural area, so I first thought " get some birds and turn them loose. After reading on this site for some weeks now, I have decided that it's not that simple.We have every predator except bears around here.There are so many that it would be nearly impossible to control them.
I decided to build a secure coop with attached run, and let them out when I can be around to guard them. I work full time, so they can only free range in the evenings and weekends.I'll post some pictures soon so that you'all can critique. It needs to be as secure as Ft Knox. Reading here has led me to believe that maybe I should have a rooster for the security of the flock. It never occured to me that he provided any service other that breeding. Kinda didn't want to have a roo, you know why

Anyway the coop is about halfway finished and I have located some 6 month old Buff Orpington Poults. Wish me luck.
David