All things Chicken

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MayesFamily

In the Brooder
Aug 7, 2022
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Hello,
Our family is in the planning stages of raising chickens. We are clearing some space for them… and I’ve been looking for coops! Our land has about 2 acres of available roaming space. Neighbors have horses one side, cows on the other.
We live in southeast Texas with three seasons, Hot, Hotter and 2 weeks of winter (if we’re lucky). We excited to venturing into the chicken world… with fresh eggs soon to come.

I need help though, because I need this to be fairly easy.
My ideas are…
- We would have a coop that could be incorporated into our future produce garden. Plus, easy to get in and out and clean.
- we would start with about 10 chickens, best breeds for egg laying?
- we live in southeast Texas. Thus, I need chickens good for this area and climate, as well as a coop design that would protect and house our new chicken friends.
- best meal plan for chicks and water (vitamins for water?)
- what kind of things do we need to worry about as far as pest and predator control?

Any and all suggestions welcome. Would love to see pics of your coops.

Thank you in advance.
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
You would do well building an open air, walk-in style coop. Pictures of my coop or any northern climate coop will not be appropriate for your climate.
You don't NEED vitamins/minerals for chicks. Just a good quality chick starter with fresh clean water all the time is good. Because you haven't started yet, I would get the coop design nailed down then built it and the run THEN get chicks and brood them directly in their coop.
 
Hello, welcome! I'm in east Texas.
An open air walk-in as @DobieLover stated is best. Build where you'll have plenty of shade and good drainage.
We have plenty of predators. Bobcats, fox, skunks, raccoons, and snakes are the ones that I see most often. If you use 1/2" hardware cloth on your coop and run, you'll be fine.
I keep a couple of tarps for very stormy or very cold weather, but I always leave at least one full side of my coop/run combo open.
 
Welcome to BYC! Thanks for joining. I'd recommended Welsummers, Leghorns, RIR, Red Sex Links, Sussexs, and Barred Rocks. All are good layers and double as being heat hardy. There are a ton of articles in the Learning Center about different coops, feeding chickens, predator control, etc. Also read through as many of the threads as you can.
 

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