On my way to getting chickens.

[Appalachickens]

You're definitely going to want to add electric fencing to your setup.

I’ll check out battery./solar options when I’m closer to the end of the build.

 

[rjohns39]

i hadn’t thought of a solar option. I will look into that.

https://www.premier1supplies.com/poultry/fencing.php

 

[Appalachickens]

https://www.premier1supplies.com/poultry/fencing.php

Thanks!

 

[HiEverybirdy]

I’ll check out battery./solar options when I’m closer to the end of the build.

You definitely have time Electric is the last thing we added. I wasn't a fan before. Can't count how many times I zapped myself as a kid, ha. But DH did the research and talked me into it, thank goodness. Far better to zap predators than have to keep killing them. After all, those predators also eat and are food for other predators, lowering the number of hungry animals to go after the flock. Plus, a lot of them eat ticks and carrion and pollinate and mulch downed trees...they're here for a reason, and if we don't kill them, we don't have to work as hard. That's been our approach to a lot of situations out here: clear the way for as much native stuff as possible, then let nature balance out. We were hesitant to leave so much up to nature at first, but the land has flourished in 4 years.

We're on a mountainside at the same elevation as you, but our acreage sits on a rock of its own, like a wavy plateau, so most of our land is more rolling than "steep, and we have a couple meadows. A big part of year 1 was rehabbing the meadows, saving one from kudzu and the other from invasive bramble.

Everyone's style & goals are different, but FWIW, here's our chicken setup at the edge of one of the meadows. It's hard to see, but we do maintain at least a 20' buffer from the woods and trimmed overhanging branches so bobcats, raccoons, etc. would have a harder time rappelling in. The ground is kind of slanty, but we've been able to find enough flat spots that it doesn't take much to level the coops.

We did 6' welded-wire fence around their yard with 3 electric wires, the lowest at nose level for most critters.

Since predators are bolder when people aren't around, and some can run right through welded wire, the flock is locked into HC-wrapped coop/runs when we leave. Coop runs have either HC aprons or wire floor. All coop doors have keyed locks in case raccoons get past the zappy fence. They seem to know when the fence isn't on and will absolutely go in there when there's a malfunction, like a honey-bee swarm in the control box (true story) or someone (me) forgets to turn it on. Also, solar motion-sensor lights are a godsend for chores in the dark. Not sure how much they deter predators.

We wish there were a way to easily cover this much area to better protect from raptors, but this year, we had luck with strings and reflective items. We left low trees and added ample hiding spots. The roosters help, too. There's a whole other concern about wild birds bringing things in – we had to fight the good fight against northern fowl mites this year – that we're still working out as well.

Lastly, we started with non-flighty breeds who "tolerate confinement." They can fly over the fence but this group only wants to be outside the fence if we're there to chaperone. I've wondered what it would be like to try a flock of ultra flighty breeds who are more predator savvy, but for us beginners, these big, round birds are a lot easier to capture and vet.

Geesh, another novel. You may be doing things totally different and I'm sure are hearing lots of advice from every angle. I just figured I'd share our approach while in this reflective mode in case it's helpful in any way.

 

[Appalachickens]

You definitely have time Electric is the last thing we added. I wasn't a fan before. Can't count how many times I zapped myself as a kid, ha. But DH did the research and talked me into it, thank goodness. Far better to zap predators than have to keep killing them. After all, those predators also eat and are food for other predators, lowering the number of hungry animals to go after the flock. Plus, a lot of them eat ticks and carrion and pollinate and mulch downed trees...they're here for a reason, and if we don't kill them, we don't have to work as hard. That's been our approach to a lot of situations out here: clear the way for as much native stuff as possible, then let nature balance out. We were hesitant to leave so much up to nature at first, but the land has flourished in 4 years.

We're on a mountainside at the same elevation as you, but our acreage sits on a rock of its own, like a wavy plateau, so most of our land is more rolling than "steep, and we have a couple meadows. A big part of year 1 was rehabbing the meadows, saving one from kudzu and the other from invasive bramble.

Everyone's style & goals are different, but FWIW, here's our chicken setup at the edge of one of the meadows. It's hard to see, but we do maintain at least a 20' buffer from the woods and trimmed overhanging branches so bobcats, raccoons, etc. would have a harder time rappelling in. The ground is kind of slanty, but we've been able to find enough flat spots that it doesn't take much to level the coops.

View attachment 2500964

We did 6' welded-wire fence around their yard with 3 electric wires, the lowest at nose level for most critters.

View attachment 2500908
Since predators are bolder when people aren't around, and some can run right through welded wire, the flock is locked into HC-wrapped coop/runs when we leave. Coop runs have either HC aprons or wire floor. All coop doors have keyed locks in case raccoons get past the zappy fence. They seem to know when the fence isn't on and will absolutely go in there when there's a malfunction, like a honey-bee swarm in the control box (true story) or someone (me) forgets to turn it on. Also, solar motion-sensor lights are a godsend for chores in the dark. Not sure how much they deter predators.

We wish there were a way to easily cover this much area to better protect from raptors, but this year, we had luck with strings and reflective items. We left low trees and added ample hiding spots. The roosters help, too. There's a whole other concern about wild birds bringing things in – we had to fight the good fight against northern fowl mites this year – that we're still working out as well.

Lastly, we started with non-flighty breeds who "tolerate confinement." They can fly over the fence but this group only wants to be outside the fence if we're there to chaperone. I've wondered what it would be like to try a flock of ultra flighty breeds who are more predator savvy, but for us beginners, these big, round birds are a lot easier to capture and vet.

Geesh, another novel. You may be doing things totally different and I'm sure are hearing lots of advice from every angle. I just figured I'd share our approach while in this reflective mode in case it's helpful in any way.

I love hearing about it in that much detail and the photos - very helpful! Fortunately, I figure I won't have to make a decision about the electric stuff until right before I get the chicks. But I would like to avoid killing predators. I love hawks and owls. And especially possums! Possums are the good guys. At our current house there's one who eats from our cat's dish every night.

I'm definitely going with less flighty birds, both chickens and ducks. And we are also wanting to keep the land as natural as possible. No one's lived on it before, but there are the ruins of what appears to be an old logging operation. I've pulled aside the intact cement blocks to use for raised beds and holding up the coop and so on. Aside from the house, the chicken set up and a small garden, I want to leave the land as natural as possible.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

I love hearing about it in that much detail and the photos - very helpful! Fortunately, I figure I won't have to make a decision about the electric stuff until right before I get the chicks. But I would like to avoid killing predators. I love hawks and owls. And especially possums! Possums are the good guys. At our current house there's one who eats from our cat's dish every night.

I'm definitely going with less flighty birds, both chickens and ducks. And we are also wanting to keep the land as natural as possible. No one's lived on it before, but there are the ruins of what appears to be an old logging operation. I've pulled aside the intact cement blocks to use for raised beds and holding up the coop and so on. Aside from the house, the chicken set up and a small garden, I want to leave the land as natural as possible.

Yes, possums rule! They're excellent cleaning crew and supposedly eat tons of ticks. Plus it's just cool they're marsupial.

With that much acreage, I bet you'll be finding treasure for years to come, whether manmade artifacts or natural, like a new flower or mushroom. Very cool you go up to a ridge, too.