I am very happy. Our new coop will be a 6 x 6 raised coop and have a covered, secure run that will be 6 x 16. That will be attached to our big goat pen, which is where they are now all day long. They love it out there and pick the alfalfa off the goat's heads for them. Plus they keep the flies way down. We actually have less flies than people with no animals. They will be able to come and go as they please between the secure run and the goat pen and their new coop. I thought the goat pen was 16 by 24. When I was out measuring last night, I discovered it is 24 x 24 and once the old coop and goat house are torn down and fenced in, it will be 32 x 24. I had wanted to have a couple dozen chickens but was worried about space since the covered run won't be all that big. Now I feel better. We bought a snow blower this past winter as well so we can clean out the pen in the winter for the animals. We will also be putting a covered area in the run as well to keep part of it snow free for the goats. They think they will melt if a snow flake or rain drop touches them! So I think I am good space wise. I don't know what I was thinking before.
Plus this area is perfect I think. It has large oak trees on the west and south corners for summer shade. I have planted apple and peach trees across the front of the pen that is along the street. Once the old coop and goat house is down, we will plant more apple trees along that side to serve as wind break, line the driveway and block the the pen from the front garden. And of course it will give us apples for us and for the animals. When the oak leaves fall off in the fall, the goats love to eat them and I compost some. Then the bare trees let the sun in during the winter. So I feel good now knowing I will have about double the space I thought I did. Yeah! It will work out to 768 sq ft in the big pen and 96 sq ft in the covered run for a total of 864 sq ft of outside area. That is pretty good considering we live on only 1/5 of an acre lot. People are calling me daily for eggs, but my old girls are barely putting out. Time for some new chicks I think.
Plus this area is perfect I think. It has large oak trees on the west and south corners for summer shade. I have planted apple and peach trees across the front of the pen that is along the street. Once the old coop and goat house is down, we will plant more apple trees along that side to serve as wind break, line the driveway and block the the pen from the front garden. And of course it will give us apples for us and for the animals. When the oak leaves fall off in the fall, the goats love to eat them and I compost some. Then the bare trees let the sun in during the winter. So I feel good now knowing I will have about double the space I thought I did. Yeah! It will work out to 768 sq ft in the big pen and 96 sq ft in the covered run for a total of 864 sq ft of outside area. That is pretty good considering we live on only 1/5 of an acre lot. People are calling me daily for eggs, but my old girls are barely putting out. Time for some new chicks I think.
