Newbie in Montana

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yoyoma8686

In the Brooder
May 28, 2023
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64
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Laurel, MT
Hello, I’m located in Montana and researching raising chickens. I plan to start my flock in the spring of 2024 and am making use of my time now gathering materials and planning.

My main motivation for raising chickens is for better food security/self reliance and knowing where my food comes from. We also have kiddos allergic to cats and dogs so an outdoor animal seems to be the way to go for us since they’ve passed exposure tests to other chickens so far.

I am more of a crunchy/attachment parenting sort of person, and I’m kinda bummed I can’t free range my chickens due to regulations, and I’m also undecided on how to obtain my chickens because I want my chickens not to have been separated too soon from their mama. Haha! Im already protective and I don’t even own them.

I’m very much a planner and like gathering info which brings me here, but I am also very adaptable in the moment and think I’ll do just fine “listening” to my chickens and responding appropriately.

Any advice is welcome!
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
yoyoma8686 said:
I want my chickens not to have been separated too soon from their mama
Click to expand...
Nearly all the pullets/cockerels that someone acquires are incubator hatched and getting them away from that contraption as soon as possible is a good thing!

IF you someday can acquire chicks that were broody raised, they will be very aloof and independent. Not a bad thing at all.

Design the LARGEST coop and run you possibly are permitted and put a solid roof on the run for added protection. It also just makes the chicken keeping process so much easier.

Shoot for 3.5-4 sq ft per bird in the coop, with 1 linear foot of roost space, 1 nest box per every 4-5 birds and as close to 1 sq ft of permanently open ventilation as you can manage. Adding lots of roost level windows for additional summertime ventilation is great.

Attach the predator proof run to the coop and build it using 1/2" hardware cloth and cover every window and vent opening in the coop with the same to keep out small predators. And don't forget to add a 2' predator apron around the entire structure to prevent digging predators from gaining access.

Try to give the birds 15 sq ft of space per bird in the run. Put any dry organic matter you have ready access to on the run floor for scratching material and to slowly cold compost the poop load. Add lots of structure to the run like branches about 2 ft up attached to the corners for flying up to and perching, old wood stools or chairs (I have found countless numbers of these at curbside for garbage collection, free for the taking), wood pallets leaning against the run walls, stumps, etc. Avoid swings. Kids like swings. Chickens, not so much.
Oooh! And POOP BOARDS!! :loveTry to incorporate poop boards into your coop.
These are mine with coffee ground bedding on them. You scoop them every morning with a kitty litter scoop and dump that into a bucket. When the bucket is full, you dump it into a compost pile that feeds your flower and vegetable gardens each year.

coffee grounds on boards.png

They make keeping everything clean and odor free so much easier.
 
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