New So. OR Chicken "farmers" (help please)

[Jvillechooks]

Hi! We have been studying BYC for sometime. So much great info. We are converting our garden area into a chicken pen and coop. Here in our wooded So. OR town, deer are also residences so if it is edible, it must be protected! Well, we put our garden "pen" in a spot that needs more afternoon sun. (we discovered that all we could grow there is kale, spinach, etc) So... we moved garden boxes to a new sunnier area.
Now the chicken story: We got our Buff Orpingtons on Easter weekend. They are now 3wks old and doing well in our homemade brooder. (thanks to the Grange and BYC) My husband has finally come up with his plan for our coop and is at the lumber store right now!

Questions: do we need to put wire under the pen? Pine shavings best for flooring in pen and coop? Straw for nesting boxes, correct?

 

[DDNONIN2016]

Hello and welcome from Ohio...so glad you joined BYC

First I have to say you have one adorable avatar

I use deep litter pine shavings (often referred to as the DLM-deep litter method) in my coop and nest boxes and sand for the run. I put a skirt of wire around my run that extends out about 24 inches. Just layed it on top of the ground and used bricks to hold it down until the grass grew up thru and held it down. Some people lay the wire and cover it with dirt or top soil and some dig down several inches and bury the wire. There are boo koo threads on here with detailed instructions. Just type away in the search bar at the top of the page and your questions are magically answered

Good luck with your coop and run building. Looks like you have a beautiful place

 

[Jvillechooks]

Thank you! I will pass this info on to my chicken coop building hubby. I like the idea of a sand run. I was wondering if we should put in a "sandbox"for bathing. I will search the sight for more thoughts on this. Thank you for the welcome!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Welcome to BYC!!

Glad you joined us!!

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[redsoxs]

Howdy from Kansas, Jvillechooks, and

! Pleased you joined our flock! Loos like a beautiful set up you have. Good luck and enjoy the adventure!

 

[Jvillechooks]

Thanks all! Hubby just got back with the wood and is setting up to start cutting! Took him a while to get on board but now he's goin' for it! He said he didn't sleep last night because he was planning the coop!

Photos of the progress to come.