Chickens for the Texas Heat

[kari_dawn]

When my new babies are old enough to integrate into the flock, this is what I do. It is just plastic mesh, garden stakes, and cinder blocks. I set up a pen in the run (usually it has a top on it...don't mind Ichabod...she thinks the straw on the baby's side is WAY better than the same straw I just put on the other side

) After everyone seems comfortable with eachother, I open the door, and let everyone mingle. Once everyone is used to this, and the babies are conditioned to return to THIS coop, everyone gets to free range again, and the baby pen gets taken down.

 

[cphinney]

The run is 8' x 5' by 3' tall. and the house is 4' x 5' by 4' tall (two stories) a colossal structure for a supposedly movable chicken tractor. and when the girls are a bit older, they will be allowed to range in a open top pen that is much bigger.

I think you might do better with less birds in that amount of space. The more you overcrowd the less eggs per bird you will get and the more social issues you will have with them. I have a 9'x5' coop with a 10'x3' run and would be hesitant to do more than 10 birds. There is no reason for me to consider a rooster because I have no room for him or chicks, not to mention I can't have one in my community. I just started raising chickens again after many years with none and am relearning the whole process. One thing I have never forgot is the more chickens the more mess, so be as accurate as possible on how many birds to fit your need (and available space).

 

[joeyfender]

If you want, get some silkies. I have a black one and she is the happiest, most energetic chicken out there. The youngest by months and can stand her own against the big guys.

 

[cphinney]

When my new babies are old enough to integrate into the flock, this is what I do. It is just plastic mesh, garden stakes, and cinder blocks. I set up a pen in the run (usually it has a top on it...don't mind Ichabod...she thinks the straw on the baby's side is WAY better than the same straw I just put on the other side

) After everyone seems comfortable with eachother, I open the door, and let everyone mingle. Once everyone is used to this, and the babies are conditioned to return to THIS coop, everyone gets to free range again, and the baby pen gets taken down.

Growing up we would just split the coop with wood and cinder blocks. We had about 100 chicks on the chick side and the hens managed to get through one day and killed all but a few, they were leghorns, it was brutal.

 

[mithious]

I think you might do better with less birds in that amount of space. The more you overcrowd the less eggs per bird you will get and the more social issues you will have with them. I have a 9'x5' coop with a 10'x3' run and would be hesitant to do more than 10 birds. There is no reason for me to consider a rooster because I have no room for him or chicks, not to mention I can't have one in my community. I just started raising chickens again after many years with none and am relearning the whole process. One thing I have never forgot is the more chickens the more mess, so be as accurate as possible on how many birds to fit your need (and available space).

Hi there

I guess, for me, it would depend on where in the states, people live. Like up here, our winters are cold cold cold, so the more chickens you can sqeeze into the coop, the warmer they are. The breed makes a difference too...I have BR's that take confinement great. Plus, those that free range have all that land the birds actually spend their day on, so only use the coop, at night to sleep in and to lay in...here, I have an 8" by 8' coop for 15 BR's which are a large breed, dual purpose, chicken. I am a bit worried that only 15 might not be as warm as say 20-25 in that layer coop...our run is 10' by 20' ( not done yet) but birds are only 5 weeks tomorrow, so not a huge deal, but I feel bad they are stuck in the coop for another week...I have read that some people, in their layer coops, especially in Alaska, have 50 birds in their layer coop, in the winter. That must be nice and toasty at the low temps they get up there...We get close, -40 F last winter for about a month...although with these weird weather patterns, we actually had a week and a half of 95 degrees!!! Was awful on the poor chicks!!! Fans on them, cold water, every 1-2 hours, cold yogurt in the heat of the day...glad that broke!!! Birds do much better in the cold than the heat!!!

My Daddy had them under the barn, only 3 sides to it, the whole one side was open, even all winter, but they were Barred Plymouth Rocks, never had a problem, plus there was 50 of them to keep them warm!!!

To me, it all depends on where, how, and such, for coop size...I would also make breeding coops bigger than laying coops...I might be free ranging, still debating, being so rural...but with their run, when done, that will add square footage to the coop and that counts in the figuring of how much square footage they need..wow two tiered...that must be a neat arrangement, would love a picture of the whole lay out of that...so two tierd would double the footage too...so many ways to raise chickens...so many wonderful ideas on here...Thanks all!!!!

 

[mithious]

opps 8' by 8', not eight inches lol typo sorry

 

[Texsea]

Thank you for your input on the Australorp and Road Island Reds. I'm still learning. I had decided on RIRs when I thougth non-broody was the way to go but later discovered you want broody if you want chicks! So that's when I decided on the Australorp. Your post mentioning both breeds caught my attention, so maybe this is something for me to consider. Would there be a benefit to having 2 breeds or any particular disadvantage to having 2 breeds? Also, what do you end up with if a RIR rooster mates with an Australorp and vice versa? Are chickens like dogs where if you cross breed, you no longer have purebred? (That might be a silly question; I'm not sure!)

I'm wanting the chicks for eggs and meat for personal consumption and possibly to sell.

Thanks for your input.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Hello!

I live in Magnolia, Texas... a little north of Tomball.

Hubby and I are going with a 100% Australorp flock. We want dual purpose birds that lay lots of eggs and give lots of meat that also do well in the brutal Texas heat.

Since Australorps were bred for heat tolerance in Australia, we figured it would be a very similar climate. I've also read that no matter which chicken you go with, you can make it work if you give them enough ventilation, water, shade and frozen fruit treats.

Good luck! We will learn together!

 

[MrsBrooke]

Thank you for your input on the Australorp and Road Island Reds. I'm still learning. I had decided on RIRs when I thougth non-broody was the way to go but later discovered you want broody if you want chicks! So that's when I decided on the Australorp. Your post mentioning both breeds caught my attention, so maybe this is something for me to consider. Would there be a benefit to having 2 breeds or any particular disadvantage to having 2 breeds? Also, what do you end up with if a RIR rooster mates with an Australorp and vice versa? Are chickens like dogs where if you cross breed, you no longer have purebred? (That might be a silly question; I'm not sure!)

I'm wanting the chicks for eggs and meat for personal consumption and possibly to sell.

Thanks for your input.

The benefit of having two breeds is you get the qualities of both chickens (good AND bad!). If you have a broody Aussie, she will sit on a clutch of RIR eggs if that mama doesn't want to brood. She will also raise the chicks.

The disadvantage might be if the two breeds don't mix. I know Aussies are very docile, sweet birds and RIRs can be a little more bossy and pushy. Don't be surprised if your Aussies are on the bottom of the pecking order.

If a RIR roo mates with an Aussie, you will get a cross. That would be a very pretty chicken, I think... But it would be a mix, neither a pure RIR or Aussie. An Aussie Island Black!

Hope that helps!

 

[Texsea]

If a RIR roo mates with an Aussie, you will get a cross. That would be a very pretty chicken, I think... But it would be a mix, neither a pure RIR or Aussie. An Aussie Island Black!

Hope that helps!

Yes! That helps. hee hee. I had been wondering if they'd be mixed or if some would come out RIR and some Australorps. But that's for clearing that up for me!
I'm really excited about getting chickens. We're getting really close to being ready.