Concrete is a bad idea for the chickens health. If you build the coop right, it will take care of the pests. Do not use the 2x4 type fencing because the newly hatched chicks will get out. You should have a roof, acess to the eggs, a lift gate to keep the floor clean, a hanging feeder, and water holder for cleaness as chickens love to scratch. They must have an area to stay out of rain, but still be outside, and also must be able to get sun as there vitaman d supply comes from the sun. They need shade. And grass. What I do is throw in cut grass after mowing the lawn. They also love to scratch in bailed hay. Go buy a bail at the co-op, cut the strings, and throw a couple of sections in. They and you both will be greatly intertained. You need a rooster in the pen for the hens sake, as they feel safer this way and will complain less. One rooster to six hens is kind of a general rule. If you can, keep a game rooster outside the pen to keep the pen rooster riled up as this help with the social life of the whole coop. If you cannot have a rooster outside, then put a young one inside with the older. Mix the hens up. By this I mean have different breeds. Great layers are, dominecker, rhode island red, blacks, and bufforbington. You will be able to reconise the hens eventually by the eggs as each hen has her own shape of egg. There will be a dominant hen that will regulate the nest sitting times and keep the coop running strong. These are amazing lettle creatures. Really makes you think of the Almighty God in a whole new light.
Incase anyones interested, I do build and ship. My email is [email protected], drop a line if you need more help.
JP&ME
Incase anyones interested, I do build and ship. My email is [email protected], drop a line if you need more help.
JP&ME
