Couple of questions from a real newbie!

[Torreya]

Hi folks! Need to pick your brains......... Have just bought our first 2 coops and runs ( had the 2 because they were too much of a bargain to refuse!!). Thing is, at the moment we've got a prob as to where to site them. The easiest place is right outside the back door, it has a brick wall on one side, a lean-to log shed (also made from logs with a galvanised tin roof and one side wall made from split logs) at one end. At the moment there are 4 large slates on part of what would be the run, but they could soon be moved, the rest has got a couple of dead hebes in, which I've been meaning to dig out for ages, and some bluebells and snowdrops. The trouble I have is that it's North facing. would any chooks be happy there? Otherwise, I have a large area of open land, but that has its own problem!! In amongst the 'ordinary' weeds, there is a lot of mare's tail (Equisetum) and I keep hearing that it's poisonous???? Sorry about the long-winded message, but camera's on the blink at present, a photo would have been so much easier!! Any advice would be much appreciated! Thank you!

[chris]

Right by the backdoor you may experience the smells of them - unless you're extremely disiplined and clean them daily you will get some smells.

I have marestail in my garden that the chickens are in, they don't really bother with it. That said, they've eaten poisonous plants a few times too (i.e. my tomatoes, aubergines, etc) earlier in the year.

North facing - does it get any sun? Will they ever be out of the runs?

[Torreya]

Thanks Chris! I keep hearing differing reports about chooks and Mare's tail, so it's nice to hear from someone who's actually experienced it! Right, I was thinking of putting the coops actually under the log-shed, they'll be completely out of the rain and v. sheltered from the wind, then the purpose-built runs outwards towards the house, then an 'open' but fenced-in and over area for them to scrat about in. Smell really shouldn't be a prob, we live in the countryside surrounded by farmers who regularly spread pig muck on the field outside our kitchen window!! I've currently got a pile of Dexter manure not that far away from the back door, so I think we're pretty immune to the countryside pongs, don't you?!
Sun??? What sun? It is N-facing, but it's pretty 'open' rather than shady.
They will be allowed as much free space as I dare give them, we've got so many wild things around at the moment, I'm nervous of anything that moves!! We've seen: rabbits, mice, voles, rats, muntjac deer, roe deer, foxes and badgers in our back-garden ( nearly 2 acres...), if we'd got a pond, I'm sure we'd find Nessie 2!!

[chris]

You'll want to ensure that the runs/coops are in as fox/badger proof state as possible (slabs around the perimeter for them to stop them digging in).

I only asked about the sun as they do like to sunbathe! Mine are so lazy, spend any hot days either on their backs or sides just baking in the sun

You'll want to bring the feed in at night, as that'll help stop the rats/mice eating their feed/urinating in it. Suspending them in the run will help with that during the day too.

Flies can be an issue too, if there's poo around.

Chickens tend to know what they can and can't eat (i.e. things that'd make them ill or what not) - but as I've said mine have stripped a 4' tomato plant after knocking it over, and started on countless others.

They'll strip any ground bare of things they like too, so it may be worth while either dividing the run to rotate the ground that they're on, or at least freshing up the ground every so often. Mine have a run with a concrete floor to keep the foxes out, but are out all day in a gardent that's just for them now. I did have veg and fruit in there, but no more

[its hilly]

I agree that hens normally have the sense to avoid poisonous stuff there is always one...and bluebell bulbs are as well as horsetail. I'd be inclined to be cautious.
As for foxes, can you afford some electric fencing? You could fence a smaller area off the 2 acres for them to run around in when you are at home.

[BUFFS]

our birds have cleared a large area which had marestail in it ,they seem to know whats deadly and whats not,whats not gets devoured....simples.....