So many questions...Starting with coops

From: Ann (annbal_at_newsguy.com)
Date: 03/13/05 

Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2005 15:20:10 -0500

If anyone could answer a few questions that have been puzzling me I'd
appreciate it.

1) I've read of a 'dropping pit' below roosts. Is that open to below?
Wouldn't that be drafty for the birds in winter?

2) Is an 8x8' coop large enough for 10-12 chickens? I love Joe's
plan, I've seen a few more on the web, so I'm going to build an
amalgamation of them <G>

3) What I'd like to do is build my coop on 4x4 timbers, sort of like
rails, on cinder blocks with a solid floor (predator proof). Is this
a good plan?

4) The run....I want the chicks to be safe outdoors. It sounds like I
should put up a wire fence, burying the wire around the base, with a
flare to the outside. I'm planning on the run being 14x20'.

One guy on the EZ board Backyard Chicken forum has a really neat
setup, The pictures are in this thread
http://p072.ezboard.com/fbackyardchickensfrm15.showMessage?topicID=24.topic
. I like the idea of the top netting.

5) I'm thinking of putting the brooder in the garage, safe from my cat
and other bad guys. I think that's the best place for them, there's
electricity and I can rig up a nice pen for them at first with the
heat lamp, etc.

I'm so afraid of getting things all set up and losing them to
predators. My yard is surrounded by woods, we've got hawks, foxes,
coons, dogs, etc. all waiting to eat my babies (when I get them). I
do work outside of the home, so no one would be here during business
hours. I can let them out and feed them in the morning before work
and my husband gets home a bit earlier, getting them inside at night
should be no problem.

Is this doable? Is it safe for me to get chickens? I'm feeling a
bit unsure. I'm sure I'll have more questions once I start to build,
thank you all for any advice you can offer. 

-- 
Ann
e-mail address is not checked

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