Wood shavings, sawdust, chopped straw or peanut hulls can be used for litter. If you plan to keep the birds in a fenced yard, the fenced area should provide 5 or more square feet per hen. The yard should be at least twice as big as the house. The fence should be closely woven wire at least 5 feet high. You need a top over the yard or you need to clip the main feathers on one wing of each hen.
Clipping keeps the birds from flying out.
The brooder guard keeps the chicks from straying away from the heat and prevents them from being chilled by drafts. It can be constructed from fiber board boxes split open and taped together to form a chick barrier about 18 inches to 2 feet high. The brooder guard should be about 6 feet in diameter for 100 chicks. It can be removed when the chicks are 1 week old. Put the brooder guard in the house a few days before the chicks arrive.