Just a girl trying to raise some chickens in DFW

[Auntiejessi3]

from Central Texas! I personally would not go with sand, but that's up to y'all. Is your run covered? Also I'm not sure about flex seal inside as I have no experience with that, but I used floor creat to paint my coop floor and it's held up quite well.

 

[j_palmer]

from Central Texas! I personally would not go with sand, but that's up to y'all. Is your run covered? Also I'm not sure about flex seal inside as I have no experience with that, but I used floor creat to paint my coop floor and it's held up quite well.

Yes, the run is covered. What do you use in your coop and run?

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Yes, the run is covered. What do you use in your coop and run?

I use wood shavings in the coop, I have poop boards under the roosts so I only clean out the coop the beginning of spring and right before winter. I used to be obsessed with cleaning poop outta the run, I just couldn't stand it, lol, now I do deep litter (wood chips, grass clippings, leaves, etc) all you do is add more and birds mix it for you. If you have a garden you can scoop it out after a season for a beautiful nutrient rich addition to the garden. @DobieLover has a great picture of her run that she uses deep litter in and she has never cleaned it out

 

[DobieLover]

Hello! Thanks for the reply. I'm unsure if it's sealed. The description shown below says "fully enclosed motor". Does this mean its sealed? Is sealing what I would need to do or do I need to ask the manufacturer?
fan:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D3QSC2Z?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

thermostat, humidistat, solid state speed controller and timer:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NRG9RM5?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

• MULTIPURPOSE: Perfect cooling and ventilation solution for any space at your home - including the attic, garage, shed, and more. Corrosion-resistant, the fully enclosed motor is thermally protected and permanently lubricated for easy maintenance.

Looks like a good model!

 

[007Sean]

Hi 007! I see you're in Texas and living through the non stop 100 degree temps! So hot! Do you have any suggestions regarding coop flooring? I planned to use construction sand in the coop and run for ease of cleaning. Should I put down vinyl flooring over the painted floor (porch paint), coat with Flex Seal or put down a durable shower curtain under the sand? Flex Seal seems like it would make cleaning easy but I'm concerned it could keep my coop from "breathing" and become a hot box for my chickens. I would coat the floor and about 1' up the walls. If I used vinyl I wasn't planning on it being glued down so it could be pulled out and rinsed if necessary. People say mites can hide under it if not glued down. The coop has 3 windows and an exhaust fan. What is your experience?

I don't raise chickens anymore, just pheasants and quail. All of my pens have dirt floors, (except for 4 above ground pens) and are open to the elements, except for a sheltered part of the enclosure....which is basically just a place where they can get out of the elements if they want too!
With our triple digit temps, I just make sure that they have plenty of fresh, cool water, even the sheltered areas get plenty of air movement, only one pen is out in an open area where it doesn't receive any help from the shade of trees, I water the sheltered area down to help give it some evaporative cooling effects but I don't know if that just makes me 'feel better' or if it really helps.

 

[InterestingChickens]

Welcome to BYC! Best of luck with your flock.

 

[j_palmer]

I use wood shavings in the coop, I have poop boards under the roosts so I only clean out the coop the beginning of spring and right before winter. I used to be obsessed with cleaning poop outta the run, I just couldn't stand it, lol, now I do deep litter (wood chips, grass clippings, leaves, etc) all you do is add more and birds mix it for you. If you have a garden you can scoop it out after a season for a beautiful nutrient rich addition to the garden. @DobieLover has a great picture of her run that she uses deep litter in and she has never cleaned it out

Do you use pine shavings? I may be overthinking all of this.

I don't raise chickens anymore, just pheasants and quail. All of my pens have dirt floors, (except for 4 above ground pens) and are open to the elements, except for a sheltered part of the enclosure....which is basically just a place where they can get out of the elements if they want too!
With our triple digit temps, I just make sure that they have plenty of fresh, cool water, even the sheltered areas get plenty of air movement, only one pen is out in an open area where it doesn't receive any help from the shade of trees, I water the sheltered area down to help give it some evaporative cooling effects but I don't know if that just makes me 'feel better' or if it really helps.
View attachment 3212006View attachment 3212003View attachment 3212005

Thank you for your reply and photos. Do you raise pheasant and quail for meat? Eggs?

 

[j_palmer]

Looks like a good model!

Thanks for the reply. Reviews showed someone used it for a coop and another used it for a dusty wood shop. It's hard getting anything to help in this Texas heat but I

Looks like a good model!

think this is working well and is pretty quiet. Going to open up some more ventilation at the top of the coop after reading here on BYC.

 

[DobieLover]

Do you use pine shavings? I may be overthinking all of this.

This is the run to which she was referring.

I use wood chips that I get for free from one of the local Town Highway departments.

 

[007Sean]

Do you use pine shavings? I may be overthinking all of this.

Thank you for your reply and photos. Do you raise pheasant and quail for meat? Eggs?

No, just because they are beautiful birds. I'm a breeder, so I breed for purity of bloodlines and to sell the offspring to others that want to do the same.