New BYC member intro

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blackcreekman said:
Good afternoon,

My wife and I finished building a home on 10 acres of her family's land in N FL last March. We have finally gotten from under some post construction and IRS related financial strain and are looking to begin bringing our farmstead dreams and plans to fruition. Our property is primarily open pasture that has been used for Bahia in the past. We have some clumps of oak trees with some pecan and pines here and there.

Egg chickens are the first step we want to take with regards livestock with future plans of Guinea fowl for tick control, goats for landscaping maintenance and meat and a 3 year plan to introduce 10 or so head of beef cattle . Neither of us have any experience with chickens but it seems pretty straight forward and the internet is full of valuable resources such as the BYC forum.

We do not have a preferred breed determined at this point, but something hardy with an easy going demeanor that will produce 200 or so eggs per year and not struggle in the Florida summers. We do a lot of cooking and I lift weights which means I LOVE protein, so the egg supply will be splendid. We are also acutely aware of the fragility of the food supply in America and try to avoid mass produced processed slop as it is. Furthermore, the reality of factory farms makes us ill, so being able to care for and nurture the animals that will provide our sustenance is a really exciting and fulfilling thought.

We currently have 2 dogs and a cat, but as stated before, have plans to introduce several other types of livestock / birds to our farmstead. When we are not at work we primarily enjoy just being home and spending time outside. I enjoy whitetail hunting, and removing invasive feral pigs from our property and the surrounding properties.

Why I joined BYC:

I am in the "planning phase" of our chicken adventure. I am trying to find simple easy to interpret plans / ideas to build my own coop / chicken run to house 10-12 layers. I have very limited woodworking skills, but am good with my hands and learn fast. I have done metal fabrication, welding and other mechanical jobs at the AC company I have worked at for 19 years, so a lot should translate over even though woodworking is its own beast with its own tool requirements ($$$). I am selling a spare vehicle I have and will be buying necessities such as a table saw, miter and jig saw. I also have an air compressor already. I am planning to build the coop on the south side of an existing 24'x12' shed that will get good morning sun with shade during the hottest parts of the day. It will also be protected from our cold north winds during the winter, and have access to electricity from the shed circuits.

Looking forward to learning!

Thanks,
Taylor
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Hi, welcome to BYC! It's nice to meet you. Great intro!
 
blackcreekman said:
Thank you very much. My brief initial tour of the forum was a bit overwhelming, so I really appreciate you providing those links to get me pointed in the right direction!
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There's a ton of information here, but the more you click around and check things out, the easier navigation will be. And if you get lost, just post and someone will help you out.
 

Welcome to BYC! It sounds like you have quite the project ahead of you. From what I can recall Barred Plymouth Rocks are supposed to be pretty heat hardy, and if you're planning on having cattle watch out for the oak trees. They can be toxic in large amounts if the cattle graze leaves or acorns from what I've read.​

 
Stravager said:

Welcome to BYC! It sounds like you have quite the project ahead of you. From what I can recall Barred Plymouth Rocks are supposed to be pretty heat hardy, and if you're planning on having cattle watch out for the oak trees. They can be toxic in large amounts if the cattle graze leaves or acorns from what I've read.​

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Good to know. Thank you!
 

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