notsopickychicky
In the Brooder
- Jul 10, 2020
- 11
- 29
- 33
Hi chicken friends! I have a question and have used the search bar but still can't really find a definitive answer. Here's my issue: I'm in northern florida, on the coast. It is scorching hot here and I'm trying to decide on a suitable location for my coop/run. Walking my lot daily, I think I've found the perfect spot that receives mostly dappled sun under a giant cedar tree....it feels literally 10 degrees or so cooler than the rest of the yard. There is plenty of room to the side of this area that could receive full sun if I add on as well, although I just can't imagine (at least during summer) them wanting to be there. Even taking them outside for an hour the other day they started panting. It's HOT.
My current (still in boxes) setup includes the raised Omlet cube, along with the 9x12 walk in run....which I'll most likely extend at a later date. For now though, I have three bantams and two Red Star hens that are about a week and a half old so I feel like this will be enough for a bit. I would have loved to build my own run; however, I decided to just go ahead with the prefab so that I would not be retired by the time my husband got around to helping me. lol. He's not obsessed with the chickens like I am.
Now here's where I'm a little worried. We are next to a state forest and have LOADS of coons and foxes. I'm primarily concerned about the trash pandas....they are crazy good at breaking into things, including our garbage and attic. Is a location under a tree going to prove an insurmountable predator problem? I'm foreseeing them dropping onto the top of the run from the tree, although considering the girls will be locked inside the coop, inside the run during the night maybe this isn't a huge worry after all? I already had plans to reinforce the inside with hardware cloth and probably mosquito screen since fowl pox is really bad here. I'm torn between prioritizing cool with safe. Thanks for any insight.
My current (still in boxes) setup includes the raised Omlet cube, along with the 9x12 walk in run....which I'll most likely extend at a later date. For now though, I have three bantams and two Red Star hens that are about a week and a half old so I feel like this will be enough for a bit. I would have loved to build my own run; however, I decided to just go ahead with the prefab so that I would not be retired by the time my husband got around to helping me. lol. He's not obsessed with the chickens like I am.
Now here's where I'm a little worried. We are next to a state forest and have LOADS of coons and foxes. I'm primarily concerned about the trash pandas....they are crazy good at breaking into things, including our garbage and attic. Is a location under a tree going to prove an insurmountable predator problem? I'm foreseeing them dropping onto the top of the run from the tree, although considering the girls will be locked inside the coop, inside the run during the night maybe this isn't a huge worry after all? I already had plans to reinforce the inside with hardware cloth and probably mosquito screen since fowl pox is really bad here. I'm torn between prioritizing cool with safe. Thanks for any insight.
