New coup needed. What is best for 2 geese and 10 Silkies? any ideas?

[Jennifer Cappi Williams]

We are moving to a 4 acre mini micro farm I just bought and I want a new coup. I am thinking of a night coup that can both hold my 2 geese and have an area for my Silkies. I will probably need to keep them apart at night. I am already stocking up on cloth wire. I plan on using chain link for the outside day run and put electric on the top and outside bottom and put raptor netting over the top. I just need some brain storm ideas for keeping them comfy at night.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I do not keep waterfowl so have no direct experience with them, but my understanding is that waterfowl need water and can be messy with it, ducks probably more than geese.

I consider Silkies special needs chickens because they cannot fly. That can effect how you set up the inside of the coop, usually involving ramps to nests and roosts.

My thoughts are to build two separate coops in that run, one designed for geese and the other for Silkies and train them to use their own. I think you will be happier in the long run. I think you are already headed his way with your desire t keep then separated ant night.

Good luck!

 

[Kiki]

You might want to spend a few minutes scrolling through these for ideas
Chicken Coops .

 

[Jennifer Cappi Williams]

Thank you! We just had a chicken tragedy at work (we have pet chickens at work) They perched too close to the side of the cage and a coon got two. (I didn't make that cage, that is "work's chicken coup). But that did reinforce my fear of what can happen. I will NOT be using the stuff I call "goat fence" (has the long rectangle holes in the wire), I will be using cloth wire. I am not sure how intense the predators are at my new place. I am hoping to have the dog fence to border 3 sides of the coup and also double up on electric... I am just so nervous. It only takes ONE NIGHT to end up with dead birds. I am trying to think of all the ways things can kill my bird babies (they are adults by the way..)

 

[snow5164]

The smaller the holes in the fence the less things can get in... I know it’s expensive. For example my run is 1 inch hardware cloth and no wild birds can fit in ,but my door is chain link and they come in and take my birds food ....

Also saying silkies are “special needs” because they can’t fly is insulting and uneducated! I’m sure you know because you want them they can hop and jump a good distance , they like to climb up on boxes and roosts too.