New From Texas

[kidcody]

from WA. glad you joined us

 

[Nicole01]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

1. best egg laying chicken (best eggs to eat, biggest, most eggs laid in a year)-- Rhode island red, leghorn, sex link
2. what to feed both as chick and full grown (i will have them penned most of the time letting the roam every once in a while)--- medicated starter until 17-18 weeks and switch to layer is what I did.
3. do i need to put a top on the fence it will be around 4' tall and will be about 15' x 10' in size-- you bet!!! They can fly.
4. i have a 5'x8' shed that is 5' tall how many chickens is a good number to have for that size coop and fenced in area. ---10 for coop only. Per chicken they need 4 square feet for coop and 10 square feet for the run.
5. do i need to have a lot of shade for them? (its hot as HECK down here)--- absolutely! Chickens can not handle heat all that well. Many die of heat stress. You will need plenty of shade, fresh water, fans and watermelon to cool them off. Put the coop and run under trees if possible, this will help keep them cool.

 

[Fire Rescue1401]

Quote:
Thanks for the info, not much shade at our house yet only been here two years and didn't have many trees so i will be making shade for the run and the coop will be shaded from about 4pm on but it has a few good size windows and i will be putting in a fan for that they will have plenty of water, i plan on doing an automatic waterer

Thanks,
Eric

 

[weimarmama]

&

from Alabama. Glad you joined us. Great advice given

St Run (or Straight Run) means that the chicks won't be sexed. Ordering Pullets means that you're ordering females. Probably the only extra you might would want would be the Marek's vaccination. Debeaking is removing a portion of the beak. Dubbing is required for some of the game breeds to be shown & helps prevent frostbite. Dewing is removing a portion of the wing. Check out the Chicken Learning Center on here, lots of great info on there including a Chicken Glossary .
Good luck

 

[Fire Rescue1401]

Also how old are they when they start laying?

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Quote:
X2

according to Raising chickens by Gail Damerow it's 2 square feet inside per chicken and 10 outside per chicken

I agree as well.

 

[kyeschicks]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[mamawolf544]

from Texas.
I vote for Turkens/Naked Necks. I raise them myself, great birds for Texas and will lay just as much as a sex link.

 

[greymane]

I would ditto Dawg53, except we love our Red Stars (Red Sex Links). They are egg-layin' fools! Welcome to the fun!

 

[texasgal]

A big Texas-sized

If you haven't already, check us out on the Texas Thread (see my signature)