If you wanna make God laugh, tell Him your plans, right?

[Hermits Garden]

In re: electric and bears.

I have been told that bears will tear right through coop walls so that the coop should also have electric wires around it where bears are a problem.

I confess I don't know if they're a problem or not...just that in the "area wildlife" pamphlets, they are listed as part of the "attraction" to the White Mountains. But yeah, I'm researching electric wiring now.

 

[Big Doggie]

Maybe this'll be good for a chuckle.

We're currently building a house on an acre in Lakeside, Arizona (east, pine-woods, elevation 7130 ft), and should be done by late fall. Next year, once the dust settles, and the spousal unit finishes all the Honey-Do building projects, I will start on the Chicken House & Run. Summer highs in the mid 90's, winter lows around 10, and crazy low humidity.

I bought plans for a Shed-roof building, 5' by 16' and intend to divide it three ways. One end for the Silver Gray Dorkings, the middle for the Bachelor Pad, and the other end for the birds I just can't say no to; Mottled Houdans, Gold Brabanters, and Black Australorps. (The heart knows no reason, but it knows what it wants.) I'll use deep compost/litter in the coop and dirt/mulch in the runs--it's dry here, so I might actually have to spray down the run once in a while. Don't know yet. Lots of shade from pines and junipers.

I intend to purchase three Dorking males, choose the best for breeding with the five females--the other two will go in the Bachelor Pad. The Houdans are straight run, so there will be another one or two for the BP. The Brabanters and Australorps will be purchased as pullets, and any typical Oops Fellow will join the guys. If I get a curly hair, I might add one of the guys in with the mixed flock just to see what results, and either hatch chicks in an incubator or let a broody hen have them if she's willing. I don't intend to breed the Dorkings to sell, just for our dual purpose use. I do want to keep them pure and improve if I can, so I'll have to add a new rooster or two for new blood down the line.

The runs: the runs will be 16 ft long, and split so the mixed flock gets the main width, while the Dorkings and Bachelors share the rest. I'll use pressure treated 4x4s & 2x4s with cattle panels and hardware cloth for the exterior perimeter. For the interior divisions--2x4s, cattle panels and chicken wire. Hardware cloth on 2x4s over top of it all. There will be way too many doors to suit the hubs, but it's the nature of the beast. Dust baths will get quality wood stove ash, and we have a good red clay/sand loam for dirt.

They can't free range, sadly. The area is rural, but folks don't keep their dogs in, and we have wildlife that love chicken as much as we do. Including black bears. We don't have grass up on the mountain--just loads of pine needles--so I've studied all the best practices for feeding, and plans for an herb garden. The birds will have lots of enrichment, and my husband will become a chicken widower. (Sorry, hon.)

The reason I'm posting is because of my lack of experience concerning building a good safe run & coop, and I'm hoping to get feedback on my plan (it's okay to laugh, just try to be gentle.) I've waited for over a decade for us to finally stop moving (this will be our 18th move in 26 years) and to finally be able to have chickens. I want to do it as right as I can from the beginning.

So; what am I missing?

Get an electric deterrent set up especially for bear. I don’t think you could build anything less than steel reinforced concrete to prevent bears from destroying your coop. BUT they respect hot electric wires. Won’t kill em nor any other predator but will keep your birds safe.

 

[BlueBaby]

That was my goal--I know I'm "supposed" to be raising them for eggs--but as it's just the hubs and I, the egg count is not critical. But I am counting on the Dorking Ladies to be broody. Do you mind if I ask where you got yours? I'm planning to order all of mine from Ideal Poultry. I know a guy who sells chicks/eggs of Red Dorkings, but I need to learn I can do this right before spend his kind of money.

I bought mine from a local lady that had ordered a big batch of chick's from Murry McMurry's. She orders the chick's and then re-sell's what she doesn't want to keep for herself when they are a month old. I got the last Silver Grey Dorking's that she had.