- Aug 12, 2013
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I'm just north of Reno,NV. I am planning on 3-6 chickens next year when I can get my coop/run set up. I still need to talk to local chicken people to decide on breed(s). The area that I am planning on using was going to be a small garden (12'x14') that is presently fenced to keep goats out; it gets too much shade from the cottonwoods in the summer to make a good garden though. I need to get it covered and an 'apron' around it install a larger door/gate and smaller mesh around it, but the present fencing is 'close' to ground predator-proof. Right now one side is 4'chain link fence, one side is 5' horse fence with 4" posts and the other two sides are 5' horse panels, supported by t-posts inside the panel ends, covered with 4' horse fence (I REALLY wanted to keep the goats out). The coop will need to be internal to the run, with maybe the backs of the nest boxes sticking through the rails of the panels.
Over the winter (along with a dozen other projects) I plan on building a 3-4'x6-8' raised coop with 3-4 nest boxes and roosts with poop boards. I plan to start off with the chicken nipples and the gravity fed PVC pipe feeders. I think I have a line on soy-free chicken feed. I plan on having part of the run (maybe 4'x4') used to compose scraps, grass clippings and horse/goat manure for the garden. The top I have planned would be a modified hoop coop tied into the existing structure, using more 4' horse fence (I have a spare couple of hundred feet from tearing up some useless pens/corrals) I live two lots away from BLM land with several active coyote packs and bunches of hawks.
The chickens would be mainly layers; I would not be opposed to a couple/few meat birds but I don't that I could process them. Eat them, yes;, process them, no.
When I'm home, they should be able to free range the yards and pasture area (1.3 acres in total of sand,rabbit brush, sage and landscaped front yard with fruit trees but the quail seem to like it) The back neighbors have too many Ameraucanas, horses and goats on 1 acre. I am NOT planning on asking the neighbors for help as I think their animal husbandry practices are 'sketchy' to say the least.
Over the winter (along with a dozen other projects) I plan on building a 3-4'x6-8' raised coop with 3-4 nest boxes and roosts with poop boards. I plan to start off with the chicken nipples and the gravity fed PVC pipe feeders. I think I have a line on soy-free chicken feed. I plan on having part of the run (maybe 4'x4') used to compose scraps, grass clippings and horse/goat manure for the garden. The top I have planned would be a modified hoop coop tied into the existing structure, using more 4' horse fence (I have a spare couple of hundred feet from tearing up some useless pens/corrals) I live two lots away from BLM land with several active coyote packs and bunches of hawks.
The chickens would be mainly layers; I would not be opposed to a couple/few meat birds but I don't that I could process them. Eat them, yes;, process them, no.
When I'm home, they should be able to free range the yards and pasture area (1.3 acres in total of sand,rabbit brush, sage and landscaped front yard with fruit trees but the quail seem to like it) The back neighbors have too many Ameraucanas, horses and goats on 1 acre. I am NOT planning on asking the neighbors for help as I think their animal husbandry practices are 'sketchy' to say the least.
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