Soon2BChixMom
Herding ducks and Wrangling chickens
- Jan 8, 2017
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I have been wanting chickens for awhile as I started researching last year, but didn’t get chicks this spring as I had hoped.
Just the other day someone asked my hubby if I wanted their 4 remaining chickens due to an upcoming move. There are 3 Isa Browns and 1 Ameraucana.
I said sure! But, then realized that I didn’t have enough time to build a coop -and rushed out to buy a pre-fab one. I’m not excited about the coop, but it will work temporarily until I can build or buy a better one.
My question is -how do I acclimate them to their new settings? They are coming from a free range set up and I’m not sure how much free ranging they can do here. We have hawks flying over all of the time and we have a very open lot surrounded by fields. We had an owl roost on a weather vane just the other day. I can let the chickens out briefly when I’m home and can keep an eye on them. The coop has a 24 sq ft run (which I know is small considering the recommendations for the sq ft per chicken).
I’m not sure what they currently have for a coop either. So they might think they’ve gotten the raw end of a deal.
Also, this coop has slide latches that I’m not sure are really predator proof. Can raccoons open these slide latches? We don’t usually have raccoons in our yard, but they are in the area -so the chickens will probably entice them to come closer. I have seen a possum in the yard though. I plan on making a hardware cloth apron around the perimeter of the run/coop area. But, I also want to make sure the chickens are safe when cooped up.
Thanks!
Just the other day someone asked my hubby if I wanted their 4 remaining chickens due to an upcoming move. There are 3 Isa Browns and 1 Ameraucana.
I said sure! But, then realized that I didn’t have enough time to build a coop -and rushed out to buy a pre-fab one. I’m not excited about the coop, but it will work temporarily until I can build or buy a better one.
My question is -how do I acclimate them to their new settings? They are coming from a free range set up and I’m not sure how much free ranging they can do here. We have hawks flying over all of the time and we have a very open lot surrounded by fields. We had an owl roost on a weather vane just the other day. I can let the chickens out briefly when I’m home and can keep an eye on them. The coop has a 24 sq ft run (which I know is small considering the recommendations for the sq ft per chicken).
I’m not sure what they currently have for a coop either. So they might think they’ve gotten the raw end of a deal.
Also, this coop has slide latches that I’m not sure are really predator proof. Can raccoons open these slide latches? We don’t usually have raccoons in our yard, but they are in the area -so the chickens will probably entice them to come closer. I have seen a possum in the yard though. I plan on making a hardware cloth apron around the perimeter of the run/coop area. But, I also want to make sure the chickens are safe when cooped up.
Thanks!