I have a coop and enclosed run, and the chickens are much happier when I let them run around the yard. They do poop everywhere though, but iyou can often just rake it into the grass.
Have a plan for the poop. I use dry leaves as floor covering in the coop and scoop it out every week or two to remove the poop. I compost (and give away some) and the leaves (or wood shavings too) are needed to get a good product.
So much poop. Seriously. It doesn't seem like much at first, but after a year of keeping them locked in a coop/run you'll start worrying what to do with it all. Don't just make a pile in the corner of your yard near the neighbor's house. It will stink badly.
I’ve watched that Homestead Rescue show and in one case they had a moveable chicken shed. Seemed like a good idea but I don’t know how practical it is. Any predator that can dig under a fence would be a problem I’d imagine.
Chicken tractor, I think it's called. You only put them in it during the day, and it's always good to have a dog or a few dogs around.
Chicken tractors are cool because they will kill the weeds and till the soil for you. And they do it fast so good to move them regularly.
i’m looking forward to the poop for my compost.
It's good to have goals
Call local tree services, they'll deliver free mulch year round when you don't have enough leaves.
I wish you were my neighbor, I have a ton of compost piles that won't kick off because they're all carbon. My advice would be to call around to local tree services, we make one phone call and within a couple days a free 10 yard pile of mulch appears in the driveway.
Mix it 70/30 carbon/nitrogen aka mulch/chicken shit. Turn it a few times a week and it will kick off long before it starts smelling. Even if you don't garden you could sell the compost.
How do you deal with predators? I want to start a chicken coop this year but if I leave for a day or two will the chickens get slaughtered? Do I need a dog to keep the coyotes away? I feel like once I get a chicken coop going I'm going to be stuck there all the time.
We go a week without feeding, it's easy to get someone to check the coop once, tell them to keep the eggs. After about 4 days they will have a few dozen. Don't leave the eggs too long, then they become broody.
I made an enclosed run so predators aren't an issue. Use a strong metal mesh for the walls of the enclosure. Dig it down at least a foot to prevent burrowing, but you may also want to bury a mesh floor if you have lots of predators. With an enclosed run, the chickens can get in/out of the coop for exercise and you can leave them for a few days if necessary.
If you just have a coop, you'll need to let them out each day and lock them up at night for predators. I don't have experience with dogs or other guards.
I put a lot of effort into my coop/run so that I can leave them for a week at a time (or longer if food/water is stocked). The only daily item that needs taken care of is removing eggs, and I can usually get a neighbor to agree to free eggs.
Do you have wheels on your coup? My neighbor does and insists on it. He moves it around his yard for some reason.
(post is archived)