Still planning for chickens - free range?

[atobols]

Quote:
I didn't even know automatic doors existed. We'll have to look into that and see if it will work well for us.

 

[atobols]

I'm not sure how helpful this is, but this is a picture of our property. I don't know where I want the coop to be yet. The deck along the back of the house is going to be expanded this spring to include another level down to the pool. It's currently 14' by 38' and is about 7' off the ground. I was really hoping that might serve as some cover and protection. As you can see, we are really lacking in trees close to the house. Well, there are about 50 planted but they're averaging about 5' tall.

That's another thing, is the pool an issue?

 

[they'reHISchickens]

If you are going to free-range at all, keep the coop closer to the barn. Don't encourage them around the house or your landscaping will suffer badly and you will find fertilizer pellets all over. Your barn is far enough away that you can encourage that to be home base Don't worry, they will still come visit you. I do think they will gravitate to the woods because there are not that many taller trees to hide under. I second the suggestion of elevated pallets to hide under. You may want to place them in areas that you want to dig up eventually!

 

[centrarchid]

I am managing my landscape around needs of free ranging poultry. My resources are somewhat similar to yours except I have more fencerows and more complex topography to work with.

Your setup for free ranging appears to have more potential than I envisioned from initial description. As trees along drive grow they will provide cover from predators and direct sun.

Based on aerial photograph, your birds are going to have an L-shaped area where they will spend most of the daylight hours if they do not hunker down around house. This area is the woodlot border and fencerow. The yard itself is largely devoid of cover with a potential focal point you may not want birds to use too much; namely the area under the rear deck. Your front porch may also be an attractant as well when it starts getting hot. Integrating use of pallets mentioned with plantings will increase cover option in yard and hopefully pull birds away from house. Option could also be made to look rather pretty. Will also reduce likelihood birds will spend too much time in existing fence row and woodlot border as it is in those locations they are most likely to be introduced to Mr. Fox and Mr. Coyote. That will eventually happen, but if birds kept more into yard, then detection of problem faster. Breeds you are considering I do not think will effectively use available trees as refuge from ground predators.

My cooping systems have never been of the Fort Knox type yet losses kept consistently very low because they have been in heavy traffic areas between house and livestock barn. You do not have latter although some benefit would be to have coop closer to house for easier monitoring. Keeping coop near shed will protect house area from poo but will increase predator risk. My manner of thinking is that if poo does get considerations over bird safety then you are treating your charges like step children. Poo also keeps the soles of feet soft and supple. Still go with Fort Knox design if days away expected.

Feeding stations / locations can also greatly affect ranging habits of flock. I use it a lot.

I would use a rooster and start considering a dog as a guard.

Overall you resources look sweet.

 

[teach1rusl]

Does the barn have electricity? If so, then that area over beside the barn (between garage and barn) looks promising. Not sure what that stuff is along the barn side, but if that was moved, you could probably even save money by building a lean-to type coop right there against the barn. Or, if you're into chicken watching, pretty much anywhere out back, where you could sit out on the deck and see the coop.
Oh...and you can do a search on "auto doors" and find both commercial ones and homemade ones. We used a drapery motor and timer for our auto door...

 

[atobols]

Quote:
The barn doesn't have electricity. The junk (my words, not yours) on the side of the barn is a raised platform that the greenhouse will be built on this summer/fall.