Houston Suburban Chickens!

[juliejonak]

Hello all!

So excited to join BYC with all these helpful community members!

I'm brand new to chickens. Purchased 3 Cochins with the intention of my small sisters (1 & 7 - yes, huge age gap between me and them) seeing how they grow. We've brought the girls in to the classroom show and tell weekly where all the kids are amazed!

Needless to say, they've become family and so we'll be keeping them! My three girls, Crystal, Pippa & More, are now 6 weeks old. They still live indoors in a very very large box, but will be moving to an outdoor coop in the next few weeks.

Nervous about moving them outdoors - I live right by the bayou so we have a lot of predators; but we are tucked inside a neighborhood so I hope there will be less. Anyone with great tips on coops in suburbia & in hot/humid areas is appreciated!

I'm still debating about building one myself v buying one as I have a low budget.

Would love to see pictures of other chickens and can't wait to get to know some other members here!

Thanks!

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to Backyard chickens. As soon as you move them outside, the predators will notice before your neighbors do. Unfortunately everything loves to eat chickens.

You may want to check out the predator and coops sections to learn how to best protect your birds, and what you need for coop safety. It would also be good for you to post on your state thread. Texas is so large, they may have a Houston thread also. They can give you a heads up of what predators are likeliest to show up and how do get your birds through hot/humid weather.

Glad you joined the flock.

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC.

 

[ChicKat]

Welcome to BYC - I'm in the Piney Woods about an hour and 1/2 away from the bush airport. Depending upon your size of yard/lot -- you may want to investigate a cattle panel hoop coop.

The dimensions would be around 8x8 on the exterior -- and if you put hardware cloth over the entire outside and a skirting of 2' hardware cloth arround the bottom, you would be pretty safe from predators. Inside you could arrange their housing as you needed to -

This has the advantage that it can be moved-- though it is surprisingly heavy and you would need to leverage it up on dollies like they use to move cars...but your cooks could get fresh grass. The tarp over the top protects from SUN and rain and cladding the sides in small mesh welded wire hardware cloth can keep out raccoon paws. Then just lay a skirting cut in sections flat on the ground, and when you move the enclosuer, reposition the skirting to prevent digging into the enclosure.






Around here, I think that the run is almost more important than the coop. I just lost two valuable and irreplaceable rare breed chickens to raccoon. That dug uder a chain link fence in a place where I hadn't put skirting....


One advantage is that you can walk right in -- they are safe while you are away. Disadvantage is that the 16 foot panels now cost a lot more than they used to -- and there is expense involved in the materials. PM me and I can give you a link to a construction materials diagram, if you would like it.

ETA: protection from sun and heat may become a concern equal to the predator problem once summer rolls around.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[nj2wv]

welcome to BYC !!