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Ragusaheir

In the Brooder
Feb 11, 2024
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Hello chicken keeping friends!
Starting from the ground up-literally!
Need to find information on the following:
1. Ordinances: Chesterfield, MO and Creve Coeur, MO
2. Building a Chicken coop or chicken coop plans with protection from predators as I back to woods
frequented by fox, possum, raccoon, occasionally mountain lion and a rare bear.
3. Best number of hens to start with and square footage of outside space for their health
4. Best place to purchase hens in St. Louis County
5. Care and feeding of hens
Thank you for sharing your insights.
JGC
 
Hello, and welcome to BYC!
Space in coop: I'd go with about 4 to 5sq ft of floor space per hen in your area. You'll also need a foot of roost space for each hen, and a nest box for every 3 to 4 hens.
Outdoor run: 15 sq ft per hen. 2 feeders and waterers for under 12 chickens and an additional for each 6 after that.
As far as predator protection, 1/2 " hardware cloth on every opening to keep out smaller predators and You'll most likely need some electric fencing for bears and other large predators.
 
Ragusaheir said:
Hello chicken keeping friends!
Starting from the ground up-literally!
Need to find information on the following:
1. Ordinances: Chesterfield, MO and Creve Coeur, MO
2. Building a Chicken coop or chicken coop plans with protection from predators as I back to woods
frequented by fox, possum, raccoon, occasionally mountain lion and a rare bear.
3. Best number of hens to start with and square footage of outside space for their health
4. Best place to purchase hens in St. Louis County
5. Care and feeding of hens
Thank you for sharing your insights.
JGC
Click to expand...
If you want to skip brooding day old chicks Murray McMurray has farmers that raise them out as started pullets all around the country. Cackle Hatchery is near you but I don't know if they have anyone that raises there pullets out as started pullets or not. You can also look at MO members here to see if anyone close to you in MO has hens for sale. Good luck in getting started and with any regulations that you may encounter. If bears could be involved then you need a much stronger hen house than normal.
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow

So glad you decided to join us. Great advice given above. You might also want to stop by our Learning Center for all kinds of great articles on all the aspects of keeping chickens.. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/

Make yourself at home here and ask as many questions as needed.
 
janiedoe said:
Hello, and welcome to BYC!
Space in coop: I'd go with about 4 to 5sq ft of floor space per hen in your area. You'll also need a foot of roost space for each hen, and a nest box for every 3 to 4 hens.
Outdoor run: 15 sq ft per hen. 2 feeders and waterers for under 12 chickens and an additional for each 6 after that.
As far as predator protection, 1/2 " hardware cloth on every opening to keep out smaller predators and You'll most likely need some electric fencing for bears and other large predators.
Click to expand...
Welcome. I agree with @janiedoe, but would add that as much secure space as you can give them, both in the coop and the run will solve so many issues - boredom, fighting, diseases, etc...At the same time, sticking with the hardware cloth with a hardware cloth apron is the most important - so do as much as you can securely.
 

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