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Herbal Tymes

Herbal Tymes

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I am starting a new journey of raising chickens in my back yard. I have hatched chicken eggs from the 4 H with my class as well as hatched quail eggs. My school has hosted a chicken coop and I want to experience this joy right here in my yard.
Question...What is the best style of chicken coop to buy for backyard use? I need it to keep out predictors of snakes, deer, rabbit and fox.
 
G’Day from down under Herbal Tymes
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Welcome!

Hhhm, the type of coop best suited to you is difficult to recommend. As you mention, there are not only predators to consider but also climate.

Also, I see you mention “buy”. So you are looking at a prefab kit coop type situation? If I can, a few words of warning, the kits coops are only usually suitable for half the number of chickens they advertise they can accommodate. Each large chicken requires approximately 4 square foot of coop space and 10 square foot of run space. Also, being cheaply manufactured, some kit coops are not good at keeping predators out, just chickens in.

If at all possible you would be better off building your own, purchasing a second hand ‘built’ coop or converting a shed.

You might want to check out some coop ideas here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/2/Coops

When you have decided on a coop, you could post some pics on the Predator Forum: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/13/predators-and-pests for opinions on how to predator proof it or on this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/596294/post-your-chicken-coop-pictures-here

I hope you enjoy being a BYC member. There are lots of friendly and very helpful folks here so not only is it overflowing with useful information it is also a great place to make friends and have some fun.

You might want to also pop in and say hello on your local thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you ‘Find your State’s thread.

If you would like to share pictures and stories of your flock when they arrive, you have come to the right place. BYC’ers never tire of these and do not back away slowly or commence eye rolling when the photo album or home videos come out
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Best wishes!
 
Following this thread, our chicks are two weeks old and we are trying to build our first ever coop.
 
deBeauvoir said:
Following this thread, our chicks are two weeks old and we are trying to build our first ever coop.
Click to expand...

Have you got any ideas from the "coop threads" on here?

You can build a very simple and secure coop that will probably be bigger than anything you can buy prebuilt for cheaper!
 
We work at a hatchery so we have been brainstorming for a couple of months. We need a tractor since we rent, but my husband wants to build a geodesic. LOL
 
deBeauvoir said:
We work at a hatchery so we have been brainstorming for a couple of months. We need a tractor since we rent, but my husband wants to build a geodesic. LOL
Click to expand...

Interesting...do you work at a "well known" hatchery?
As in a hatchery people commonly order chicks from?
 
Yes. :D My husband started in October as the IT dept, and I was talked into being a packer as of February. Neither of us had any experience at all with birds (other than a cockatiel we had 15 yrs ago).
 
deBeauvoir said:
Yes.
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My husband started in October as the IT dept, and I was talked into being a packer as of February. Neither of us had any experience at all with birds (other than a cockatiel we had 15 yrs ago).
Click to expand...

Cool!
 

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