I am SO excited.

I have just ordered a coop and run and I have found a really lovely seller thanks to Heather72 in Emerald to go and see what he has available he has raised different breeds together so it means I can get a variety of pretty birds.

I am hoping for 4-6 birds, maybe 1 or 2 more price depending, standard size as I think the cat will be less likely to try to kill them.

SO I need to ask,

What kind of feed (aside from scraps) do you recommend and what is the price range for them.

What things CAN they eat, I have a few toxic plants (currently) in the garden - Angel trumpet, Olliander, Arnum Lillies to name a few will these endanger the birds?

The birds will be caged over night and I will need to organise different run times for the cat (in the beginning at least) and definately the dogs who are notorious bird killers) but the chookies will have from 3.30 til dusk out to roam the garden to coincide with MIL's chooks times

The garden is large, some of it is very well established so will offer some protection from Hawks/Eagles but the front and left side I have only just planted.

Are the chooks, prey bird savvy?

ALSO

Should I put some chicken wire or dog wire underneath the run and cage to prevent foxes digging under? I cannot imagine they'd come up to the house as there are carcasses added to the bone heap whenever SIL's cows calf.

Should I do this anyway to stop snakes (we have lots) from getting to the chooks? we're not at this stage having eggs for chicks though won't right that off further down the track.

Thanks so much for letting me pick your brains.

Nae x