Introducing myself

[HLMarano]

Hello,

I'm Heather and I live in Orinda, CA. We just moved here this summer from a small rental we had for the past 12 years. I was unable to raise chickens there but we own this home now on a half acre of land and I want to start a flock this coming spring. I am going to spend the fall investigating coops and runs and prepare the area over the winter. We have foxes and raccoons here as well as the odd coyote and mountain lion, so a VERY secure coop is required. Over the winter it will get chilly, dipping in the 30s at night sometimes so I'm assuming I'll also need a heat source for the chickens. There is no rule here against roosters but I want girls so I can have eggs and not worry about having to keep them separate.

So any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[rjohns39]

Hi heather and welcome to BYC You won't really need to worry about a heat source, but welded wire and electrical fencing are your friends. Again welcome and we're so glad you've joined our flock

 

[drumstick diva]

That doesn't sound very cold. Chickens can tolerate cold much better than heat. They do not need a heat source, they just need a good draft free coop with sufficient ventilation. For roosts use 2 x 4's with the wide side up. Chickens like to lay their heads down on their feet to keep them warm.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi Heather and welcome to BYC - thanks for joining us.

Here’s a link to the Articles section - https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/ There you’ll find lots of information on almost every aspect of keeping chickens - from coop building ideas, to incubating eggs.

There’s a link on the page above to the Learning Centre - it’s a great resource. If you have a specific topic in mind, just type it in the search box - there's a wealth of information on past and present threads.

Each week, various topics are discussed, which can also be a great resource - https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive

You may wish to consider joining your state thread as it will put you in touch with other BYC members in your area - http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/270925/find-your-states-thread#post_3239224

All the best

Pork Pie

 

[orrpeople]

Greetings from a fellow Californian! We have similar conditions, it sounds like. My flock actually handles the winters much better than the summers. The primary consideration for winter here, is to make sure they have a place out of the wind and rain. But, as other folks stated, you won't need extra heat (once your chicks have feathered out - if you are planning to start with chicks).
Also, you may want to think about having a rooster. Initially, when I got chickens, I didn't want any. Then we lost one of our girls to a hawk. Besides securing things more, we got our first rooster. He took such good care of his girls! I couldn't believe how vigilant he was about anything that might possibly harm them! Since then, we've had lots of boys - some better than others (we don't tolerate mean birds) - and I can't imagine my flock without them.
I hope you really enjoy your chicken "adventure"!

 

[blackdust951]

hi Heatherand welcome to backyard chickens!thank you for joining us