Great job and I'm sure a great sense of accomplishment for you both!
The chickens need grit to digest their food and they love a good dust bath in the sand. So having a sand base I think is ideal for them as well as drainage.
I love Joel Salatins books my favorite is You Can Farm.
His chicken business is based on a moving model vs the standing model. There are benefits to both.
Mine is a coop run similar to yours and I use straw and hay on the run floor to keep odor down as well as inside the coup. Ever so often rake it up and compost. You will find that it will compost in place and I have just added layers before to allow that microbiology to get going.... The chickens seem to know when it's ready and go find the bugs. I also like the straw and hay as I find it breaks down quicker than wood chips or that type material and prefer it for garden compost.
The main secret to chickens is a clean dry environment.
I always keep poultry electrolytes on hand and a product called VetRX. The most common illness in chickens is respiratory which usually comes from a damp wet environment
and the VetRX is an all natural solution that WORKS.
I use to work in a farm store and saved a lot of flocks by recommending it. It's under $10 for a bottle that could last year's depending on the size of your flock. You may never need it but when they show illness they've probably been sick for awhile so getting it to them quickly is important and if you have it on hand you'll be glad you do.
I love my chickens and appreciate the contribution they make on my homestead. I look forward to seeing them bring that joy and contribution to your family!
What is your predator pressure like on your farm?
Thanks, wow! So many people coming out and helping with so much information!
As for predators, the only ones I've seen so far are gray hawks. The run has a wire roof on it to keep em out. I wouldn't doubt there's raccoons too, but I haven't seen em yet.
The raccoons are super cute but their little hands can rip open chicken wire pretty easily. They are strong and can pull the birds through it to. Happened to a neighbor, it was awful to see.
Just depends on your area.
People that build those chicken tractor style coups with chicken wire also have the electric fence that surrounds it.
Is you box that they will sleep in solid? I couldn't tell in the pic.
Just the chicken wire wouldn't keep mine safe I had to make their night box solid wooden walls with hardware cloth window for ventilation.
Not to worry you, your setup is spacious and the birds will love it!
Just asking as precaution.
Yes, the actual coop part is solid, not just wire. 3/8 siding framed out with 2x4s and 4x4s.
You've got it going on!
When do the chickens come?
Looking like we'll bring them home tomorrow! I'm gonna go tomorrow afternoon to disassemble the coop and bring it home. I hope to get all four birds at the same time.
Exciting! I'll be watching for that post