Ive got 39 hens of various breeds. I need to get rid of at least 25 of them.

EVERYTHING from dogs, coyotes, chick eating cats, chicken snakes, chicken hawks, chicken eating owls, etc, right on down to that damn chicken killing school bus that got one the other day.

damn a chicken eating school bus.....

What you asking for them?

Thanks for the encouragement. I have no shortage of hawks, owls, coons and cats with the occasional coyote around here.

Sluggun, are any of them domineckers and how much you asking?

You want to sell any of your chickens or not?

Bet it could go through a henhouse full reeaall quick.

My new hens laid first egg yesterday. Got three that made it to laying age. Old barred rock they I have left has quit. Not sure it matters but just have started hearing young rooster crowing then next day first egg.

Sorry for not responding sooner I have been hunting pretty hard the last few days. I have 10 silver lace wynadottes, 6 new hampshire reds, 4 black astralorps and 5 buff orbingtons that I would like to get rid of. I am just tired of feeding this many chickens. I'm asking $10 each. If anyone wants to buy some or all just pm me.

I got my chicks ordered today, supposed to ship on the 22nd and be at the post office for pickup on the 24th.

Ordered the Dominiques like I had planned. 14 females and 3 males, sexing on day old chicks is at 80%. I guess I will wind up somewhere between 6 Cockrells and 11 pullets and 2 Cockrells and 15 pullets.

Now just got to get started back and finish the coop and run. Should be plenty of time before they can come out of the brooder.

I'm going to have to beat the owls, hawks, coons and chicken snakes. No shortage of any around my house. May as well add the neighbors cats to the list.

If anybody wants to give advice to a newbie raising chickens from scratch, I'm all ears. Thanks.

Put a roof on coop and run, and pour concrete about 10 inches out from bottom of fence to discourage digging.

#5 magnums and a Great Pyrenese.

I'm a hoping I can keep the flying and climbing ones out of the top with fencing or tin. Since I'm not 100% positive I want to leave the coop where it is I plan to put 2 runs of the 12" stepping stones around the outside of the run. When I am satisfied I have it in the spot I want it I could replace with the concrete. It's also inside the pasture fence behind the house, maybe the horses will help keep digging critters out. I hope this woll work. What do yall say?

Frogeye, whatever the chickens stay in at night needs to be as secure as Fort Knox. I mean really secure. Any place a coon may/might/can/could get in they will. You would be astounded how small a hole a coon can get thru to kill chickens. Don't ask me how I know this....

Thanks, I'll do my best, just don't know if it'll be enough. I have two live traps, maybe I need to go ahead and start a coon relocation program.

won't work, think fort Knox. If you don't , then after a coon kills most of yer birds in one night, you will.....

I'm not really worried about their coop ( for nighttime. Elevated, plywood floor and roof then tin on top of roof. 4x8 siding on the outside. Any vents and windows will be covered on the inside with 1/2" hardware cloth.

My problem will be shutting their door at night and opening it in the am. It will be inside their run, 10'x6' dog pen panels and covered, not sure if the covering will be tin or heavy wire yet.

Plan to temporarily use 20" to 24" of stepping stones on the ground outside the run until I pour a concrete footing.

I may be wrong but the two weakest spots look like they will be the walls of the coop itself or underneath the run.

I got a 100' roll of the hardware cloth to cover any holes or gaps and to go around the underneath or downstairs part of their coop.

I may not have all the possibilities covered, but I think I do or at least I hope I do. But it will be a learning experience anyway, I figure I'll probably loose some before I even get them out of the brooder.

I'll send or post some pics when I get through for any suggestions or comments.

And I do appreciate yalls comments and suggestions. Thanks.

Edit: and the run will be 10' x 20' plus the extra 48 Sq ft under the coop. And you have made me think more about varmit proofing it than I had been.

You could just get you a cur dog to run loose. That will keep predators at bay. I know a guy has proly 75 chickens, lives a mile in the woods and doesn't even have a coop. Chickens just roost around the dog pens and has a set of nesting boxes nailed onto the side of the barn and he lets one cur dog run loose.

I have a pop up door to let them out of their coop. Have a rope tied to it and connected to the outside of the run.