Howdy.
I currently live in the suburbs of north Dallas (Richardson, TX). I've been threatening to keep some backyard hens for a few years now and have finally started taking steps . Most importantly, the Dear Wife is fully on-board with the project.
Luckily my city's laws do not forbid poultry, though they will enforce against noise and smell.
Cobbled together a rubbermaid bin brooder with gear I got from the local feed store. They get their chicks (Ideal) in two weeks, so I'm getting ready. Did a dry run on the brooder and it stabilized at 94F on the first attempt. I read the brooder pic thread to get better ideas. Gathering scraps and bits to make a tractor for the backyard.
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
When I was a child (late 60s) we lived on a small farm and I did my share of chicken feeding and coop raking. Since then I have loved to watch chickens walk around and scratch. Very relaxing. I like cows and goats, too, but they're not as practical in the suburbs.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
Zero. Planning on 4-6 laying hens.
(3) What breeds do you have?
None, but I'll probably need to steer toward quieter and more heat resistant birds. My backyard is shady with mature trees but it does get 100F+ in the summer. It's a little challenging because it seems that cold hardiness is well documented but heat hardiness is stuff that is anecdotal at best.
The local feed store will have RIR, ameraucana (EE?), Buff Orp, and Barred rock peepers shortly. I assume those will survive ok in Tx or they wouldn't be sold (and grown by Ideal) here otherwise. We could pick a half-dozen from those or mailorder some before it gets too hot.
(4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com?
A link from City Chicken, I think.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Homebrewing, canning, walking, linuxy stuff, citizen crime watch patrol, etc.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
Daughter has flown the coop to college. Dear Wife and I live alone in a house with a decent 1960s backyard. We have a retired greyhound who sleeps all the time. I am currently substitute teaching though my degrees are in history and I am trying to get a position teaching social studies / history / geography / etc to the local highschool kids. No luck so far. I quit a corporate gig in 2008 to pursue teaching, just before it became obvious the economy was developing a massive pasting-up. D'oh!
That's all for now. Gotta get some sleep.
I currently live in the suburbs of north Dallas (Richardson, TX). I've been threatening to keep some backyard hens for a few years now and have finally started taking steps . Most importantly, the Dear Wife is fully on-board with the project.
Luckily my city's laws do not forbid poultry, though they will enforce against noise and smell.
Cobbled together a rubbermaid bin brooder with gear I got from the local feed store. They get their chicks (Ideal) in two weeks, so I'm getting ready. Did a dry run on the brooder and it stabilized at 94F on the first attempt. I read the brooder pic thread to get better ideas. Gathering scraps and bits to make a tractor for the backyard.
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
When I was a child (late 60s) we lived on a small farm and I did my share of chicken feeding and coop raking. Since then I have loved to watch chickens walk around and scratch. Very relaxing. I like cows and goats, too, but they're not as practical in the suburbs.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
Zero. Planning on 4-6 laying hens.
(3) What breeds do you have?
None, but I'll probably need to steer toward quieter and more heat resistant birds. My backyard is shady with mature trees but it does get 100F+ in the summer. It's a little challenging because it seems that cold hardiness is well documented but heat hardiness is stuff that is anecdotal at best.
The local feed store will have RIR, ameraucana (EE?), Buff Orp, and Barred rock peepers shortly. I assume those will survive ok in Tx or they wouldn't be sold (and grown by Ideal) here otherwise. We could pick a half-dozen from those or mailorder some before it gets too hot.
(4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com?
A link from City Chicken, I think.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Homebrewing, canning, walking, linuxy stuff, citizen crime watch patrol, etc.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
Daughter has flown the coop to college. Dear Wife and I live alone in a house with a decent 1960s backyard. We have a retired greyhound who sleeps all the time. I am currently substitute teaching though my degrees are in history and I am trying to get a position teaching social studies / history / geography / etc to the local highschool kids. No luck so far. I quit a corporate gig in 2008 to pursue teaching, just before it became obvious the economy was developing a massive pasting-up. D'oh!
That's all for now. Gotta get some sleep.
