Hi Regan, you found the FL state thread ok so I'd say you are doing just fine. If you need anything, just post and someone will direct you (or answer). Thanks for joining us!
FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!
- Thread starter Nava
- Start date
Hi Regan, you found the FL state thread ok so I'd say you are doing just fine. If you need anything, just post and someone will direct you (or answer). Thanks for joining us!
Regan,
Sometimes just typing in the search area your question or topic will bring up a lot of previous threads on the same subject and usually full of great info. However if that isn't working for you just go to the forum tab and try to find the area that you feel your question best fits in and start your own thread and you will get responses. This site is awesome, so many helpful friendly chickens owners on here just waiting to help us newer ones. Welcome to BYC and enjoy!
Welcome! You are in good company! Many of us, myself included, are brand new and full of questions while others are seasoned chicken experts. I am on the Space Coast on east Central Florida and I hope to get our first chicks this week - we have decided on Barred Rocks and Australorps and are hoping the feed store gets some of these two breeds in. Let us know what breeds interest you!
I thought I would add, any breeds are good in Florida, they will need shade and water. The cold in the winters here won't bother the birds but the heat in the summer is harder on them so good shade is a must. I have planted trees in all of my pens and also have auto waterers in them so they always have water available. The trees I planted are deciduous trees so each pen also has a shade table (as we call it) to provide shade when the trees have no leaves. On a warm sunny day the birds do get under the tables. They may scratch around their pens but will always go under the tables for some shade to cool off. There feathers are very good insulators against the cold. I have a friend who lives in Alaska. Her coops are insulated but not heated. She has told me in the winter when she gets home from work the eggs from her birds are usually frozen so she keeps them in the freezer and takes them out as she needs them. The eggs don't take long to thaw out and are fine to eat. I tried it myself and have put some of my cracked eggs into a container in the freezer and she is correct.
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AlHawk
Chirping
CMOM, I've been meaning to ask you for a while but what kind of trees did you plant? I planted a FL Native Paper bark Elm and it's still only about 15' tall and I planted it 10 years ago. I want something that will grow a bit faster.
AH - check with the native plant society - sometimes they will give you saplings for free or cheap - also try the Arbor Day website.
Fast growing trees have pros and cons - pros being you get fruit/shade quick, cons being they aren't as sturdy and easier to uproot in storms and require a lot more water.
I have some seedlings of seagrape and loquat - one is native the other not, but not invasive and both grow fast and both produce edible fruit for you and your hens. I also recommend live oaks, bald cypress and any fruit trees you might want - most citrus grows fast though they do not get large. Mangos get pretty big, however - mine is giant.
Fast growing trees have pros and cons - pros being you get fruit/shade quick, cons being they aren't as sturdy and easier to uproot in storms and require a lot more water.
I have some seedlings of seagrape and loquat - one is native the other not, but not invasive and both grow fast and both produce edible fruit for you and your hens. I also recommend live oaks, bald cypress and any fruit trees you might want - most citrus grows fast though they do not get large. Mangos get pretty big, however - mine is giant.
Welp - I backed out of getting chicks from my local feed store for two reasons - 1. They still had chicks from their last shipment and weren't sure how fast they would sell, and thus, would not be getting more chicks in until all these sold out - they said it could be up to 2 months before they sold all these and these are breeds I did not want. 2. They weren't sure what breeds they would get in next, and I specifically wanted Australorps and Barred Rocks ... thus, I checked many hatcheries online and went with Chickens for Backyards - the shipping was a bit much, but I felt it was worth the extra expense to get the two breeds I really wanted without searching all over the county or waiting until Easter, when most feed stores get their chicks. (I did call a few other places and either they wouldn't have my breeds or they weren't sure when they'd have chicks - and the main farm in my area is notorious for cocidia (sp) and poor health/conditions).
I have thus ordered three Australorps and three Barred Rocks from Chickens for Backyards and they are due to be shipped in early February. I am excited!
I have thus ordered three Australorps and three Barred Rocks from Chickens for Backyards and they are due to be shipped in early February. I am excited!
- Thread starter
- #16,029
I have been fighting with flow pox this year and finally the ones that survive are getting better and eating more. This morning I was in despair when I saw that some animal got into one of my coop and killed the 7 juvenile hens in it. Just yesterday I was telling my family that soon they were going to start laying. 
I'm so sad
I'm so sad
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