Hello from Maine. I am very new and never raised chickens before. I am living on a fifty acre mostly woods. There is a chained linked dog kennel from the previous owner on the property that is roughy 4x15 and eight feet high. There is a wood pallet floor with a small dog house in the inside of the dog kennel. In the back of the dog kennel where there the dog house is a full sheet of plywood on the top of the kennel to provide a little extra cover from the rain. There is also two feet high plywood wraped around the bottom of the.chain link fence. I was thinking that this would be great to use this area as a chicken coop for two to three chickens. I also have a huge tick population here and have been told that ckickens eat deer ticks. Obivously I will give the chickens the normal amount of feed. I want mostly for the eggs. I was thinking to have them free range during the day and put them in the kennel at night. I also plan to cover the top of the kennel somehow to keep the hawks and occasional eagle away. Does anyone have any suggestions on what breeds or feed. Does my idea so far sound reasonable? Should I start off with baby chicks or buy already grown hens?
