Texas

[kenprice0]

I'm in San Antonio. Have 8 hens (English game, white Leghorn, buff Orpington, barred rock, americana, black star, two Rhode reds) and one rooster (Australorp). i'm my third year raising chickens. I let them range in backyard in 50 x 50 fence.

 

[TherryChicken]

So after a stressful night shift, I noticed an empty egg shell in the broody coop. So I got to meet this little guy when the sun came up. A little blue silkie.

Also the guys from January are almost all grown up. Anyone need a silkie? I feel like I have too many broody hens.

My niece wants a silky. How much? Location?

 

[Belott]

Good boy blue! The dogs arent normally let in thw brooding shed. Titan kept whining and shoving his face in an ole feed bag... pulled it out and out popped this 6.4" monster! Blue and Sugar puppy disposed of it with a good shake. But not before covering us with stomach acid and my missing bantam cochins...

Good dogs!

Don't know what all the fuss is about Kate!! Looks like a little ol Garter snake to me!!

David

If I recall correctly Blue got himself a rat snake last year too!! How I knew you was a redhead!! Haha

 

[Belott]

I am hoping to finish my coop today if the rain holds off long enough. With that being said, i need some inhabitants for my coop! Any recommendations in the austin area? I am looking for Ameraucana, laced Wyandottes, and a couple of other docile good laying breeds. I would like 4 hens total, preferably older than 3 months. I would like to have eggs sooner rather than later, and I don't want to start out with chicks.

Thanks for any recommendations!

Where's your spirit of adventure??

If you want instant gratification you can take a road trip down to Brenham and get what you want from the Crazy Chicken Lady. I am sure an Internet search can hook you up with her.

David

 

[Belott]

While I'm on here,

Welcome to all the newcomers from Belott


David

 

[mystonedgarden]

My niece wants a silky. How much? Location?

I am located in Buda, right outside of Austin. I just saw your pm.

 

[Zukeypur]

Where's your spirit of adventure??

If you want instant gratification you can take a road trip down to Brenham and get what you want from the Crazy Chicken Lady. I am sure an Internet search can hook you up with her.

David

This building process has been adventure enough. I am cut up from hardware cloth, tired, filthy, and i ran 2 ft. short of hardware cloth. What are the odds of ordering a 50 ft roll and running TWO FEET SHORT!?! Gah!!!! Now I am havin to get creative to cover the top of the run.

 

[Zukeypur]

I am located in Buda, right outside of Austin. I just saw your pm.

Buda isn't to far from Georgetown. Do you have any hens other than silkies? How often do they lay? Maybe a silkie or two could fill in my fourth spot (wyandotte, ameraucana, buff orpington).

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

I've been considering doing it myself, but not sure that I could handle it. I'm a bit odd in that I've been a vegetarian since I was old enough to know where meat came from, so I really do not like killing anything. But this spring I got a ton of laying chickens and ducks, so I would know my eggs came from humanely raised animals, and to sell eggs on the side. Though since I ended up with way more males than I was hoping for in the process I ended up with the dilemma of what to do with them all. Seems like a waste of money to give them away, just to be killed anyway, and since my dog is allergic to all store bought food, and I have to feed her actual chicken, that the best option would be to use them to feed her, atleast I'll know her food was raised humanely. Though just preparing her food makes me really sick sometimes, more so at first, so as much as I think I should just see it through and process them myself, I'm not sure that I could do it. Though they really make me consider it with how aggressive they are, and how much they eat. Maybe they'll finally annoy me enough someday to help me get up the courage to do it?

I think it is good to have the experience, so that it makes what is in the store that much more tangible and real. It would also be cost effective. There are plenty of "how to" videos on Youtube that can get you through the process of either using a killing cone, or using a stump and an axe. It can also guide you through the scalding and de-feathering process, then how to gut them as not to contaminate the meat, keeping them in the refrigerator for 24 hours before freezing so the meat doesn't get tough. If you can handle it, it would be cheaper, and get you closer to the source of where your food comes from.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

Good boy blue! The dogs arent normally let in thw brooding shed. Titan kept whining and shoving his face in an ole feed bag... pulled it out and out popped this 6.4" monster! Blue and Sugar puppy disposed of it with a good shake. But not before covering us with stomach acid and my missing bantam cochins...

Good dogs!

I remember your dog. He is a good dog. Friendly, vigilant. You couldn't ask for a better dog.