Austin, Texas Funky Chicken Coop Tour

[mom'sfolly]

I'm not offering my coops for the tour, especially after seeing your lovely setup Carla, but I definitely want to go on the tour. I'm in Round Rock and the only set backs are from neighbors houses. Right now the only way I'm out of compliance is that I don't confine the chooks to their run, and freeranging puts them too close to the neighbors. I even have only the regulation number of birds (for now

).

 

[allen wranch]

Karen,
Glad to hear from you ! Keep watching, we will post more as the date approches.

Bob,
I know you were teasing, but I still wanted to clarify.

I love the wild chickens. I think they make a neighborhood interesting (unless the community doesn't get it.)

When my husband and I were inspecting HUD home, we found a town south of San Antonio that had black chickens everywhere. Some rooster really spread his genes around ! I loved it.

 

[mom'sfolly]

I know a place just off 183 in Austin that has feral chickens roaming around. There were two of the most beautiful roosters I have ever seen. Its a fairly industrial area, with some mixed use. I love the surprise of seeing the birds. Round Rock used to have feral chickens, but newcomers to the neighborhoods where they lived didn't like the crowing, so they were trapped and rehomed. It was kinda sad to see the local color going.

 

[Substance]

Hi All,

I live in East Austin at my "Green Building Materials" retail/warehouse (Substance Distributing Inc.), and am wanting to get some chickens, and maybe some rabbits. I have been researching for a while and am glad to see so many urban "guerrilla" chicken farmers out there. And am pleased about what my town is allowing people to do! My place borders a huge park and is way more than 50 ft from anyone! From the research I have done, I believe the law is now 10 chickens @ 50ft. ??

I am entertaining the idea of a rooster, and/or just getting straight run chicks and eating the males when they start acting like jerks and making tons of noise. Is this the age when they are edible? Is this what someone will do with the males I reject as chicks anyway, if I get sexed chicks? It seems the best places to get quality and rare chicks, want to sell you them in quantities from min.5 to 100's.. I found a place online, turns out to be in Elgin. They have all kinds of birds (maybe too many, I am having a hard time choosing). Can I have a duck with my chickens, are they compatible? What about chickens and rabbits together, it is all about everyone eating everyone else food?

I am thinking of keeping 4-5 hens total after getting 5 chicks each of:
Blue Andalusian
Light Brahma
Blue Langshan

And after they chose their pecking order, we will know who is laying eggs and who is freezer bound.
Does this sound okay? Is there something I should know about these breeds with our climate etc..?
Should I be waiting longer to slaughter them, and by then 15 chickens is no longer a backyard flock?
Is there a breed of rooster that is best to keep? One that crows an okay amount and is more docile?
I think I would be okay where I am with some noise, I am in a semi-industrial neighborhood.
Zoned; CM-MU. (Commercial/Mixed-Use) , so I can live here legally, and my commute is 0!! How much is gas, I don't care?

Now that the world is 50% urban, we will need more zones like; commercial/residential AND agricultural-mixed use.

I anticipate a day when, (in a sanitary and civilized way), you are walking down Congress and look up at the rooftop edge of an old building, to see corn and sunflowers swaying in the wind. You see a small goat poke his head through a fence to see the street below. You hear a faint rooster crow, which is then drowned out by the noise pollution from traffic and the life below.

I just found out about this Austin chicken tour thing. I love it! I love Austin! I am all about it!

Thanks everyone, Merry Christmas!
Casey

 

[andorraclaim]

Could you give us a better location? Like an intersection, landmark, or mile marker if it's on a highway? I would love to see them being free!

mom'sfolly :

I know a place just off 183 in Austin that has feral chickens roaming around. There were two of the most beautiful roosters I have ever seen. Its a fairly industrial area, with some mixed use. I love the surprise of seeing the birds. Round Rock used to have feral chickens, but newcomers to the neighborhoods where they lived didn't like the crowing, so they were trapped and rehomed. It was kinda sad to see the local color going.​

 

[andorraclaim]

I hope I am on the tour. I think I need to post new picks of my chicken digs. I completely cleaned up this abandoned (crack) house and used the salvageable materials.

 

[allen wranch]

Casey,
Welcome to BYC.

You have a lot of questions I personally do not have answers for. Check out the many categories on our forum and you will find some helpful information about breeds, raising meat birds, hatcheries, etc. (Xtreme Game Birds in Elgin has good stock).

Hope you can make it on the tour. It will help you a lot too.

Billy,
Got your application. I look forward to checking out your coop. Sounds facinating.

 

[Gypsyharte]

I recently got 10 light bramha chicks from an older gentleman in Elgin. I don't know if it was Xtreme game birds. But my chicks are doing great and he had some other lovely chickens too and was very nice.

 

[blackred]

John and Suzanne who have Extreme game birds are in their 30's. John hatches some pheasants and quail but his poultry chicks come from Ideal Hatchery in Cameron. John is what is known as a Drop Shipper. You place an order with him and he has Ideal ship the birds. There is another person in Elgin who does the same thing and I have a good friend who also did this but now works for the post office.

There is nothing wrong with this but some would have you believe that they have a large hatchery or operation.


Bob

 

[allen wranch]

The deadline for entries for the coop tour is getting close.

If you are in Austin and would like to participate, please fill out an application soon.

Also, if you do not want your coop on the tour, but would like to help out, we need docents to help the coop owners during the tour.

I look forward to seeing everyone's coops !