Chicken Lady in Texas

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Paxo

Paxo

In the Brooder
6 Years
Mar 30, 2013
15
0
29
Hi everyone! Bought 6 Rhode Island Red chicks today and am really looking forward to raising chickens again. I lived in UK until moving to Texas 12 years ago where I was known locally as the chicken lady! I had a very tame very smart RIR named Paxo who travelled with me to schools and day cares to teach children (and adults) about cage free eggs and free range chickens. That was a lifetime ago - or so it seems.
Just felt the urge to do it all again but not sure about the challenges I may face in Texas! Looking for help and advice from some friendly chicken folk
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Quick update - my six girls are all healthy and growing fast. Switched the brood warmer off today and will only use it at night for one more week.
 
My girls moved out of the playroom and into the garage yesterday. I was hoping to have a coop by now and wanted to build my own. But with a busy restaurant and a new grandson I do not have the time.

So I started to search the Internet for coops. Now my head is spinning and I need help and advice.

I found lots of coops but not many to fit six large hens. There are coops for 2-4 birds and then they leap in size for 10-12 birds. With that leap in size comes a huge price increase of course. So I started looking at sheds and larger building to transform into coops. This too was an expensive alternative. So now having spent hours on the web reading descriptions and specs I am totally confused.

For now my girls are in a large dog pen inside the garage so they are safe from predators and protected from the weather. But they need to scratch and dig and do what chickens do!

My questions: is there a square footage allowance for each bird? What diameter should roosting poles be? How many nest boxes should I have for 6 hens? What type of wood should I look for? Is cedar poisonous or not? Sand or sawdust in the house? Light or no light? Intruder alert or not?

Please help. thank you
Very frazzled Chicken Lady
 
My girls moved out of the playroom and into the garage yesterday. I was hoping to have a coop by now and wanted to build my own. But with a busy restaurant and a new grandson I do not have the time.

So I started to search the Internet for coops. Now my head is spinning and I need help and advice.

I found lots of coops but not many to fit six large hens. There are coops for 2-4 birds and then they leap in size for 10-12 birds. With that leap in size comes a huge price increase of course. So I started looking at sheds and larger building to transform into coops. This too was an expensive alternative. So now having spent hours on the web reading descriptions and specs I am totally confused.

For now my girls are in a large dog pen inside the garage so they are safe from predators and protected from the weather. But they need to scratch and dig and do what chickens do!

My questions: is there a square footage allowance for each bird? What diameter should roosting poles be? How many nest boxes should I have for 6 hens? What type of wood should I look for? Is cedar poisonous or not? Sand or sawdust in the house? Light or no light? Intruder alert or not?

Please help. thank you
Very frazzled Chicken Lady
 

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