Frippi
In the Brooder
I'm brand new to chickens, but me and my spouse are getting serious about having a few hens in our backyard. Right now I'm looking into getting a chicken tractor from someone in the neighborhood who builds them, and then I guess it's a matter of finding 3-4 laying hens. (I guess I'd like to start with grown chickens rather than raising them from little babies, at least for my first ones.) I've got a large backyard with a waist-high fence, so I'm imagining letting them roam around most days. Possibly with wings clipped, as the neighbor next to us has a dog.
My neighborhood definitely has wildlife, including foxes and raccoons. How necessary is it to be at home to shut the coop at sunset? Can this be fudged a little, or do I want to get an automatic door for the henhouse ASAP?
My neighborhood definitely has wildlife, including foxes and raccoons. How necessary is it to be at home to shut the coop at sunset? Can this be fudged a little, or do I want to get an automatic door for the henhouse ASAP?