***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Kassaundra]

Sorry for the recent losses

Welcome to all the newbies.

Mitzi, we all knew where that was going!!!!

@H21Dan , shade ventilation, protection from heat are supremely important. My coop is raised and can't say enough good things about it, totally agree w/ Rinda, not only a place in the hot to be cool, but a place in the snow and rain, it effectively doubles your coop space for days anyway. We don't get cold enough to do real harm as long as they have cover and food, but our summers do and will kill. Lots and lots and lots of ventilation, I have totally open (wire walls) on two sides of my coop and will always construct that way, the air flow in the summer is great and no build up of ammonia, I use sand floor, love it for easy clean up, it dries the poop very quickly, dry poop doesn't smell or attract flies. Build as big as you can afford. Make sure you can shut them up at night preditor protection is very important at all times, but especially at night, everything loves a chicken dinner.

 

[NanaKat]

Good things come to those who wait...patiently or impatiently, as the case is with me! My Jubilees are laying like crazy, better than the girls in the main coop! I'm set 10 eggs tonight to check for fertility. I'm not expecting much. I did trim their bums last week though, so we will see.
This is my third winter with chickens. Every spring I forget how much I dislike freezing temps and frozen waterers. I now remember.
My knee is doing much better. I have one more week in the brace, and then it will be time to work out again! Woot!

Fertility always drops when temps hit freezing. And collecting eggs several times a day is necessary to protect the eggs from the freezing temps.
I use rubber tubs and top them off with a little hot tap water each morning and evening. These can be turned over and the ice block knocked out quickly too.
Glad to hear your knee is improving!

Quote: You have a deal...let me know a time and I'll meet you. Glad they are going to a good home...instead of the freezer.

Hey Everybody, new to this chicken thing and won't even have my chicks until spring but I love to soak up info ahaed of time. I have read a lot of stuff about chicken's in general, but are there any particular considerations for Oklahoma folks, especially central Oaklahoma, that you might not find in the books. We will be raising egg layers, haven't decided on breed yet, and eventually rais enough chickens to supply our family with meat throughout the year. Our weather is so wonky here that I don't even know where to build the coop. I have options for shade near the woods or out in the open or maybe a combo. I'll take any info I can get. Thanks everyone for being the awesome chicken people that you are. My family is excited to jump into our chicken adventure. (BTW we are on 5 acres in the far eastern part of OKC around Stanley Drapper).

You are already getting some great advice.

I make some of my outdoor coops out of plywood and face the open end to the southern sun...first picture below.. In winter, I simply add a cover to the front leaving it open on each side. Notice ventilation opening at the top. And at night, I use a wire panel to cover the opening to keep out the predators....even inside the yard with each coop. Owls, hawks fly over fences while coyote, possum, and raccoon can scale 4 foot fences Skunks also find their way into runs and coops.
The second picture is a coop made from a shipping crate...and the door on the front will close at night in any coop not under an aerial fenced top. The nestbox end closes at night too. The ventilation roof drops down in winter but still allows for ventilation.
Ventilation is necessary so that moisture buildup in the coop from natural body heat, etc, escapes and helps avoid frostbite.

While my coops sit on the ground, raising them is a great idea and will probably be done this next summer.

 

[NanaKat]

For your reading pleasure...some worm pictures are graphic...some good advice...
http://thepoultryguide.com/worming-chickens-naturally/

 

[Kyzmette]

1. Mitzi is my hero! She's like the saving grace of roosters.

2. Ugh on the worms, but fantastic material, thanks!

3. The Shawnee poultry show is just around the corner! Whooooot! Does everybody have it marked on their calendars?

 

[ftpagain]

3. The Shawnee poultry show is just around the corner! Whooooot! Does everybody have it marked on their calendars?

what? when? where?

i want to GOOO!!!

 

[ftpagain]

Hey Everybody, new to this chicken thing and won't even have my chicks until spring but I love to soak up info ahaed of time. I have read a lot of stuff about chicken's in general, but are there any particular considerations for Oklahoma folks, especially central Oaklahoma, that you might not find in the books. We will be raising egg layers, haven't decided on breed yet, and eventually rais enough chickens to supply our family with meat throughout the year. Our weather is so wonky here that I don't even know where to build the coop. I have options for shade near the woods or out in the open or maybe a combo. I'll take any info I can get. Thanks everyone for being the awesome chicken people that you are. My family is excited to jump into our chicken adventure. (BTW we are on 5 acres in the far eastern part of OKC around Stanley Drapper).

hi! we are on 5 acres toward shawnee surrounded by woods and fields and i can tell you that the worst problem we had to deal with is predators. snakes, possums, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, random dogs, predatory birds, anything you can possibly think of has been trying to eat my fuzzy babies (and succeeding sometimes). i have friends in Moore in the middle of the city and they still have visitors that kill their birds. it seems that every thing wants a piece. so there are a lot of things to consider when you are building a coop and setting everything up. my neighbors have theirs in a barn right now and i don't think they will let them free range, they used to have them run free and ended up losing all so they locked them up. i am set on letting them free range so we are in a constant battle it feels. at night the chickens are safe because are locked up in their coop but during the day they are being watched by a dog. in my opinion, one of the best things you can do is to have a good dog that will guard them. ours are still pups so i have to watch them just as much as the predators but they have helped already *knocking on wood*.

we built our coop inside of a barn. they go in the barn to eat and hang out and into the coop to sleep, it gives extra shade, protects form the wind and we keep two sides of the barn opened for ventilation. a heat lamp for when its cold.

my hubby and i are pretty new at this so we learn every day as we go and from this wonderful site.

 

[Kassaundra]

Finally finished the dining room curtain I've been working on, and got it hung today

 

[khawdashhtchngs]

Hey yall, I am from Oklahoma and feed bills are killing me right now going to Tractor supply. I am wondering if anyone knows of any feed mills or anywhere that sells poultry feed in bulk? I wouldnt mind traveling a bitif it would save me enough money.

 

[miohippus]

what? when? where?

i want to GOOO!!!

http://www.poultryshowcase.com

 

[kelielliott]

Hey Everybody, new to this chicken thing and won't even have my chicks until spring but I love to soak up info ahaed of time. I have read a lot of stuff about chicken's in general, but are there any particular considerations for Oklahoma folks, especially central Oaklahoma, that you might not find in the books. We will be raising egg layers, haven't decided on breed yet, and eventually rais enough chickens to supply our family with meat throughout the year. Our weather is so wonky here that I don't even know where to build the coop. I have options for shade near the woods or out in the open or maybe a combo. I'll take any info I can get. Thanks everyone for being the awesome chicken people that you are. My family is excited to jump into our chicken adventure. (BTW we are on 5 acres in the far eastern part of OKC around Stanley Drapper).

Welcome! I am newer to chickens also but can tell you what I have already learned. Decide how many chickens you want and multiply that by 2 or 10 in my case!

Build a big coop! I have always read to go bigger cause you will need it! I didn't believe it and now we are building a second coop and have 2 brooders in the garage! Yikes! Decide if you want a wide range of color in your eggs. It's truly amazing to see all the different colors! Lastly, try water nipples! They are so much easier and cleaner but it's personal preference. Ask questions! These folks are super helpful and full of knowledge! Good luck!