Texas

[yinepu]

Quote:
since i have hoop coops as the big coops we let them mow down the grass.. then added shavings plus composting mulch that we got from the power company. it was basically shredded and chipped trees with leaves (whatever they threw into the chipper when they were clearing around power lines).

after it started breaking down more we added more shavings plus some grass clippings.. then more of the mulch once the grass clippings were as much as gone.
Basically their coop is a giant compost pile.. lol.. they add the fresh chicken manure and we added the rest!

 

[yinepu]

I will take pics when I get a chance.. but we had a "micro" duckling hatch yesterday

he's less than half the size of a normal duckling... hatched out of an extremely tiny cayuga egg. I had a few reservations about setting the egg since it was so tiny. i figured it didn't even have a yolk since it was so small.

 

[Cockle-Dood]

leave it to yinepu to hatch a yolk-less egg!

 

[hoffmanc]

My eight chicks will soon turn in to 38. We have 8 Americauna's, but order 30 bantam's last night. They should be here in a few days. Going to be a little noisy for a bit. LOL! Can't wait.....this "chicken math" isn't working to well for me either right now!!! LOL!

 

[Texasmja]

Good morning! So I have a question.
My girls are getting older and we hadn't put any bedding in the coop except what's in there............grass. I was letting the girls do their thing and eat it all up before I put anything in there. Anyway, it is time to put bedding in there. I am wanting to use the deep litter method so I can have the nitrogen rich stuff next spring for my garden, but also sand sounds very appealing. Being in Texas it gets very hot...what do you guys recommend? I have looked at pros and cons on both from other threads, but I really want to know in Texas what you guys think. I know we're dumping sand into the run for sure. I'm just asking about the coop area. Thanks!

I don't keep any bedding in my coops. My chickens are only in there at night and they roost (and in the nest boxes I use large flake shavings).

 

[GFamily]

since i have hoop coops as the big coops we let them mow down the grass.. then added shavings plus composting mulch that we got from the power company. it was basically shredded and chipped trees with leaves (whatever they threw into the chipper when they were clearing around power lines).

after it started breaking down more we added more shavings plus some grass clippings.. then more of the mulch once the grass clippings were as much as gone.
Basically their coop is a giant compost pile.. lol.. they add the fresh chicken manure and we added the rest!

My husband has a wheelbarrow full of shavings from trimming our trees/neighbors trees/friend's trees (all oak trees we use in our fire pit.) I was thinking of using that in the nesting boxes since it's free, but then using the pine shavings in the coop.

After mine ate the grass down I started putting pine shavings down. I like the big flake kind. I wish I would have put sand down before the shavings because the dirt here is silty and turns to deep powdery, dusty stuff on the bottom. The next time I clean them out I'm going to put course sand down first. My coops are covered. If your runs are open I would suggest just the sand in them.
I put last years coop leavins in the garden this winter and my corn is doing twice as good as last year, tomatoes too.

I would have never thought to lay sand down then the pine shavings. The dirt would do the same thing here. Good to know how your garden is doing now with the nice fertilizer!

 

[GFamily]

I don't keep any bedding in my coops. My chickens are only in there at night and they roost (and in the nest boxes I use large flake shavings).

So what's in your coop, just the ground? How is your coop built? More detail!!!

 

[GFamily]

I will take pics when I get a chance.. but we had a "micro" duckling hatch yesterday

he's less than half the size of a normal duckling... hatched out of an extremely tiny cayuga egg. I had a few reservations about setting the egg since it was so tiny. i figured it didn't even have a yolk since it was so small.

Ohhhh so excited to see pictures!

 

[sanmar4chickens]

What brand of feed are you using for your chickens? I've looked some of the brands others use, but they are no dealers in Texas. Could you share the feeds you use? I have 4 red stars 4 weeks old, using purina medicated. I will also get meat birds in the future. as well as some other laying hens. thanks

 

[Little Wing]

What brand of feed are you using for your chickens? I've looked some of the brands others use, but they are no dealers in Texas. Could you share the feeds you use? I have 4 red stars 4 weeks old, using Purina medicated. I will also get meat birds in the future. as well as some other laying hens. thanks

I don't like Purina anything. I use M-G grower and Wendland's laying crumbles, medicated chick starter and scratch.