***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[dunnmom]

I still have no idea what I want for my other 2. I started out only wanting 2.. then it was 4.. and now I'm up to 6. The coop we're building will have enough space for 8-12. Looking at the "Pickin' a Frickin' Chicken" chart, it says that RIR are only hardy with cold weather. As hot as it gets in Oklahoma, how do they do with that in your experience? I really like the looks of the Plymouth Rock hens. Is hen compatibility something you have to consider? I mean do they usually get along well regardless or are there some that aren't compatible with each other. Sorry for all of the questions but I want to be as prepared as possible.

Reds should do better than Orpingtons with the heat. I've got 6 Orps myself. Rocks do okay with the heat too. In my opinion there are just some chickens that are very territorial and I don't think it's necessarily a breed thing. I had Orps, Wyandottes, and Rocks all at the same time when I first started out. I had one especially aggressive and nasty Wyandotte that threw a huge kink in my mixed flock fantasy. Lol! I'll eventually try again, I'm sure.

 

[LindseyC]

Reds should do better than Orpingtons with the heat. I've got 6 Orps myself. Rocks do okay with the heat too.

I already told my husband that we will be rigging up a fan if need be. I want my fluff butts to be comfortable. I also heard some people use misters if it is super hot and I'm also prepared to make frozen treats. There will also be plenty of shade so hopefully, that will help.

 

[Kassaundra]

I already told my husband that we will be rigging up a fan if need be. I want my fluff butts to be comfortable. I also heard some people use misters if it is super hot and I'm also prepared to make frozen treats. There will also be plenty of shade so hopefully, that will help.

All that will help, in OK the heat is a killer, but we really don't have to worry about the cold it doesn't get cold enough here to hurt them if they have even a modest amount of shelter, good food, and a coop that doesn't retain moisture (good ventilation)

 

[dunnmom]

I already told my husband that we will be rigging up a fan if need be. I want my fluff butts to be comfortable. I also heard some people use misters if it is super hot and I'm also prepared to make frozen treats. There will also be plenty of shade so hopefully, that will help.

I used misters during their first summer, but quit as my girls can't run free and it made the run stink something awful. I traded that out for and under-bed storage container full of water that I'd drop a frozen bottle of water into, and put ice in their waterer. That seemed to help a lot. I also noticed they'd dig a deep hole in their run to get to the cooler soil underneath and just sit in it, so all you could see was their head poking out. They did better in their 2nd summer than their first, so they didn't need as much intervention on my part.

 

[Kassaundra]

Yes a tub of water in the shade they can "wade" it is always a hit in the summer here.

 

[dunnmom]

Yes a tub of water in the shade they can "wade" it is always a hit in the summer here.

Speaking of summer, was it you I spoke with about using sand as bedding in a coop? I thought it was, but it was way back. If so, I had a question about it.

 

[Kassaundra]

Speaking of summer, was it you I spoke with about using sand as bedding in a coop? I thought it was, but it was way back. If so, I had a question about it.

Yes we use sand in the coop. We also brood exclusively on sand or dirt.

 

[LindseyC]

The soil in our yard is super sandy and we are building our coop where there will be plenty of shade for a lot of the day. I will definitely have a place to cool off and wade in and I will be prepared to have lots of cold water always on hand. I have my heart set on having Orps and I'm sad to hear that they don't tolerate heat well. The chart on here that I was referred to said they were heat/cold hardy. Poop. I definitely don't want them to keel over because of heat.

 

[Crow-ded house]

Hi from B’ville!! Just learned of this thread.

 

[dunnmom]

Yes we use sand in the coop. We also brood exclusively on sand or dirt.

My question is how deep should the sand be, and could I mix it with PDZ? Right now I use PDZ directly on the wood, then pine shavings on top. They poop a LOT in their coop, and I don't have time to clean it but maybe once a week. Would sand still be a decent option?