Getting a hankering for chickens again. Their not allowed here but that depends on neighbors for a zoning variance if complaints arise.
At the end of a dirt road and plowing snow for them there should be no issues. The only question from those I have discussed it with was would the birds range free.
Getting started takes planning for long term success. A brooder or brooding area for chicks here due to spring climate comes first. The last ones were in the house. Dusty deal that was. Chicks need watched to be sure heat is not too much or too little. Boredom will have them peck each other and if one bleeds horrible results will follow. A clump of sod can help but avoiding overcrowding a big part of brewing trouble. Enough chicks to have spares always a good idea. Dominance gets established after a while and newly introduced birds get beat up usually and stress follows.
The last coop built was a fortress as everything wants to eat either chickens or eggs. No drafts in winter.
Deepseeker, see if any of the following relates to your homesteads coop.
About four square feet of floor space for each bird and about a foot of roost per each. Eastern windows. One with a heavy screen and shutter for summer air and a hardware clothed vent with a wood door near the peak for winter air.
Attached run was wire mesh covered above to defend from air attacks. Were the birds allowed in it at night a double layer spaced several inches apart would have been used to keep panicked birds heads intact if owl flushed through first layer. Wire fence was buried a couple feet but fence fabric could have been laid flat on outside of vertical fence and covered with a couple inches of dirt to discourage critters digging under fence. A lever with cable went from pop hole door to near entrance door to coop to open and close. The run had a shade site, a covered dusting site, and raised again water fountain to keep feet out. With coop raised the area under it was fenced and gave a greater dry area when needed. Would save on runs footprint size if space was limited also.
Saw a plan once where a teeter totter type dive could be set for birds to open door themselves.
In winter a wire mesh defended a heat lamp from birds and was suspended above a watering fountain blocked up off the floor a little over a foot to keep feet out.
A hen must always have water or will be messed up for future laying.While only so many eggs potentially produced over a life time ,unlike factory birds a homestead hen can produce for years if cared for well. In winter a tuna can with grit was placed in coop for a necessary treat for digestion,or crop function anyway. Small gravel in smooth for was collected in dry weather and reserved to use for same purpose and add variety.
Coop was off the ground two cement blocks high. Keeping floor dry was a priority. While a dropping board will go in next one if built, I used deep litter method. Some cedar shavings covered with hay in winter and straw in summer. Next coop also would include nest boxes accessible from outside the coop. Them hens used to give me funny looks from their perch when coming home after dark to check for eggs, and were about eye level...nest boxes were all the way across from door. Planning was not good there.
Chickens were let to range and be industrious often when someone could keep an eye out for trouble. Rakin leaves, chasing bugs or just bee boppin around.The kid and others had a riot taking the rooster,(they named him Speedy of course) out to the road and chasing him back to the coop. They did not like having to leave the hens alone but that was the deal.
Sometimes coming home late they would have left the gate or the pop hole closed and them poor chickens would be roosted wherever they could.
For those who dislike the idea of eating their stock laying hens can last quite awhile and provide fresh sassy eggs.
Diatomaceous earth can be used to reduce threat of parasites but keeping birds happy and feet clean with little access to droppings goes far.
Roosters are optional if not going to hatch chicks by letting a hen go to set. If no rooster the dominant hen will try to fill in by attempted crowing and keeping discipline.
Where allowed the crowing of a rooster fits in the homestead as well as woodsmoke. Both a sure sign of life.
A couple/few Guinea hens make noisy watchdogs if kept confined. The trick if Guineas are allowed to roam, is to keep one confined or the others won't return.
Nest boxes need to be kept real clean. Straw or some form of padding to avoid breakage. Fake eggs help new layers figure out where to lay. Keeping eggs recovered, usually early A.M. helps avoid the very naughty habit of egg pecking from getting started. A hen that pecks eggs gets culled by me though seldom a problem. While commercial eggs get a mild bleach wash I would not wash one, being porous.. A piece of sandpaper can clean the occasional dirt off. The ducks I raised seemed to delight in playing soccer with their eggs and rolling them through any available filth.
Nature's Garden - A Guide To Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants, and The Forager's Harvest - Edible Wild Plants
