New flock setup questions

[JnAP]

Hi there! I'm planning my first flock, and I have some questions I'm hoping some of you can help me with. We're building a house on our 30 acre property, and once it's done, I want to get my flock going.

My plan is roughly 4 chickens, 2 ducks, and 6 guineas. I've seen varying opinions on keeping them all together in one coop. What are your thoughts and/or experiences with chickens, ducks, and guineas all together?

I've been debating whether to keep the coop in the cleared space where our house will be or across the little "road" where the barn and crops will be. What are your thoughts on that?

We're going to build the coop with a run but would like to free range them as well, for bug (mostly tick) control. All but the acre and a half we're clearing for the house, barn, and small field are wooded. I know the guineas are fine roaming the woods as long as they're trained first to come "home" to roost at night, but I'm not sure about the chickens roaming that far. Will they stay in the yard or barn/field area without fencing or will they wander out through the woods?

This may depend on the predator situation and if I need a guardian (roo? dog? or are guineas or ducks sufficient?), but do I need to let them out only when I can be out there to watch them with no fence, or will they be okay without me (I work from home, but I do have to work!)?

Sorry this is long with so many questions! I really appreciate any advice!

 

[Egg Snatcher]

I probably won’t be much help for your other questions but I do know if you keep a male duck with hens and even roosters he will try to breed them.

I don’t own guineas but my neighbors guineas seem to just wonder and fly where ever they want. Even with a guardian dog or roo there is no guarantee they will protect or keep your chickens alive during an attack.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I know nothing about keeping chickens, ducks and guineas together, but I'll try to help with a few of the other questions:

I've been debating whether to keep the coop in the cleared space where our house will be or across the little "road" where the barn and crops will be. What are your thoughts on that?

Most important is the location of good SHADE. On hot summer days, this is the number one thing to keep your chickens from roasting in their run when you have to keep them locked in. Where are your trees in relation to the proposed run areas? If you don't have any in those places, then plant some.

Second, the site should have VERY GOOD drainage. Never, ever put your coop and run in a low spot. If you have to, add soil to raise the level of the site you want, and add drainage ditches/swales/berms/french drains etc. around it if necessary. If the birds are in a muddy run, their trampling and scratching will soon turn the whole thing into a smelly, slippery, filthy mess. Ask me how I know.

Third, consider the location of the water hydrant and access to electricity. If those two things are remote or unreachable from the coop, you will regret locating your coop in that spot. Think hauling buckets of water, or needing power for lights, fans, security camera, what-have-you.

Next, consider room to expand. You will discover there is a real thing called "chicken math" and you WILL need extra room to add on. Just plan for it now, so it won't be a problem later.

Finally, you'll want it located where you can watch from your work area in the house, or whatever room you might be in late in the afternoon and early evening. This is when they'll go to roost and you'll want to watch them to close the run and coop door(s) when they're all in. It's also when predators might be most active (dusk).

I know the guineas are fine roaming the woods as long as they're trained first to come "home" to roost at night, but I'm not sure about the chickens roaming that far. Will they stay in the yard or barn/field area without fencing or will they wander out through the woods?

The chickens will only roam as far as they feel safe and comfortable doing so. If you keep a rooster with the flock, he'll guard them and keep the hens from straying too far. He'll also herd them back to the coop at roosting time.

We have a 12-acre pasture on one side of their coop and thick woods and a stream along the other side. We're also not too far from the county highway in front of the house, maybe 75-ish yards. The chickens never wander near the road (perhaps they sense the danger?), and they'll go maybe twice that distance along the edge of pasture and woods. Mine never go into the woods, but that's maybe because the brush is so thick it wouldn't be easy for them to escape. They are *always* within sight, or short running distance, from the coop.

Train them to the coop and run for the first several weeks, and they'll never wander far.

This may depend on the predator situation and if I need a guardian (roo? dog? or are guineas or ducks sufficient?), but do I need to let them out only when I can be out there to watch them with no fence, or will they be okay without me (I work from home, but I do have to work!)?

That's a tough decision that many of us face. If you let them free-range at all, expect to have predator losses. It's just the nature of keeping chickens and you will not avoid it completely unless you keep them caged in their run 24/7 (and even that's not guaranteed). They'll be safer if you're outside to play guard dog for them, but that's not always convenient nor completely effective. I've heard of hawks diving down right in front of a human, in the middle of the day, to pick up their dinner at the dive-through.

A rooster will lessen the risk, but not eliminate it. A guardian dog might be a great choice. (I've never had one; my dogs always want to chase chickens, not protect them.)

I do know my chickens are happier and healthier when they are out to free-range regularly and often. But because of that, I lose a few chickens each year (I keep a flock of 50 or so with 3 roosters). It's one reason I hatch chicks each spring, to replace the losses. You have to make the call on how much you're willing to risk, or how much you're willing to spend.

I hope this helps!

 

[JnAP]

I probably won’t be much help for your other questions but I do know if you keep a male duck with hens and even roosters he will try to breed them.

I don’t own guineas but my neighbors guineas seem to just wonder and fly where ever they want. Even with a guardian dog or roo there is no guarantee they will protect or keep your chickens alive during an attack.

I am planning on female ducks, but wow, I had no idea drakes would do that! Thank you for the response!

 

[JnAP]

I know nothing about keeping chickens, ducks and guineas together, but I'll try to help with a few of the other questions:


Most important is the location of good SHADE. On hot summer days, this is the number one thing to keep your chickens from roasting in their run when you have to keep them locked in. Where are your trees in relation to the proposed run areas? If you don't have any in those places, then plant some.

Second, the site should have VERY GOOD drainage. Never, ever put your coop and run in a low spot. If you have to, add soil to raise the level of the site you want, and add drainage ditches/swales/berms/french drains etc. around it if necessary. If the birds are in a muddy run, their trampling and scratching will soon turn the whole thing into a smelly, slippery, filthy mess. Ask me how I know.

Third, consider the location of the water hydrant and access to electricity. If those two things are remote or unreachable from the coop, you will regret locating your coop in that spot. Think hauling buckets of water, or needing power for lights, fans, security camera, what-have-you.

Next, consider room to expand. You will discover there is a real thing called "chicken math" and you WILL need extra room to add on. Just plan for it now, so it won't be a problem later.

Finally, you'll want it located where you can watch from your work area in the house, or whatever room you might be in late in the afternoon and early evening. This is when they'll go to roost and you'll want to watch them to close the run and coop door(s) when they're all in. It's also when predators might be most active (dusk).


The chickens will only roam as far as they feel safe and comfortable doing so. If you keep a rooster with the flock, he'll guard them and keep the hens from straying too far. He'll also herd them back to the coop at roosting time.

We have a 12-acre pasture on one side of their coop and thick woods and a stream along the other side. We're also not too far from the county highway in front of the house, maybe 75-ish yards. The chickens never wander near the road (perhaps they sense the danger?), and they'll go maybe twice that distance along the edge of pasture and woods. Mine never go into the woods, but that's maybe because the brush is so thick it wouldn't be easy for them to escape. They are *always* within sight, or short running distance, from the coop.

Train them to the coop and run for the first several weeks, and they'll never wander far.


That's a tough decision that many of us face. If you let them free-range at all, expect to have predator losses. It's just the nature of keeping chickens and you will not avoid it completely unless you keep them caged in their run 24/7 (and even that's not guaranteed). They'll be safer if you're outside to play guard dog for them, but that's not always convenient nor completely effective. I've heard of hawks diving down right in front of a human, in the middle of the day, to pick up their dinner at the dive-through.

A rooster will lessen the risk, but not eliminate it. A guardian dog might be a great choice. (I've never had one; my dogs always want to chase chickens, not protect them.)

I do know my chickens are happier and healthier when they are out to free-range regularly and often. But because of that, I lose a few chickens each year (I keep a flock of 50 or so with 3 roosters). It's one reason I hatch chicks each spring, to replace the losses. You have to make the call on how much you're willing to risk, or how much you're willing to spend.

I hope this helps!

Thank you for all the info and reminders! There is so much that goes into the planning process! I think I need to make a safety checklist so I don't forget any of the items. Thank you so much for the response!

 

[aart]

There is so much that goes into the planning process! I think I need to make a safety checklist so I don't forget any of the items.

It's like getting a sip of water out of a firehose!

I read this and other forums for 6 months before setting up my coop, it really helped.
Also kept a word doc for notes and links with headings like Coop, Nests, Runs, Feeders/waterers, etc.

 

[JnAP]

It's like getting a sip of water out of a firehose!

I read this and other forums for 6 months before setting up my coop, it really helped.
Also kept a word doc for notes and links with headings like Coop, Nests, Runs, Feeders/waterers, etc.

Yes, that's actually how I found BYC was by doing research! I'm sure I've been driving my hubby crazy sharing all the info I'm learning, LOL!

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Yes, that's actually how I found BYC was by doing research! I'm sure I've been driving my hubby crazy sharing all the info I'm learning, LOL!

If you don't know already, there's a little bookmark tab at the top of each post so you can save the ones you want and find them easily later. You'll find them under your profile at the top right.