2024: School closed due to possible high winds!
In NY and NJ, they often close schools because the weather says there will be snow, despite not a flake having fallen. Kids have gotten snow days for nothing at all.
Raccoons are quite strong. I was leaving for work one morning and heard breaking wood. A raccoon had gotten its hand between boards on my neighbor's garage eave, and literally broke the wood to get in.
It depends, too, on how long you anticipate having your chicks in there until they move into...
Depends on your predators, and how determined they may be.
I live in the suburbs with raccoons as main predators, and they seemed to think a run made with washers and screws was way more work than flipping a garbage can lid next door.
I would have been more apprehensive in a rural setting...
I use aspen nesting pads, replacing when they get dirty. Herbs in the boxes make it smell nice, at least for a human nose.
I use pine shavings in the coop. I scoop daily, and replace completely every year or so. I do add when it gets low. I also mix in some Sweet PDZ to control odor when the...