Timely tip: We got 6 birds last summer. We also got one of those chicken houses from Ocean State Job Lots. When we moved the birds out to it, a predator, I think a raccoon, opened the door and pulled out and killed one of the hens. The latches were a joke!
We had the chickens, four hens and an accidental rooster, living with the ducks in the coop. Well, last week, a predator killed two of the hens in the late afternoon. The remaining two hens and the rooster are now in the chicken house with better latches on the two doors.
We have 9 hens on order from Crackle Hatchery, due in towards the end of the month. My mission is to convert the area on the north side of the now named “Duck House” into a predator-proof run for the existing and future chickens. Then, I need to design and build a suitable hen house in the area on the north side of the Duck House.
It is going to be fun, but a lot of work.
Predators will always be the worst problem when raising chickens. :(