Texas

[jajeanpierre]

What a beautiful bird. Don't think I have seen one like that. I am just amazed at the varieties there are now. When I was a kid I just remember white, plymouths, red and the kelloggs rooster.

Thank you. That breed was the start of "Cochin Fever" in the Victorian Era, when poultry breeding and showing became really popular.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

I don't add shavings weekly. By adding it every week, you are going to run your expenses up. I add when I think it needs it. Like this past winter, if it was going to get down to freezing I just added more for the warmth. I start out with 4-6". I won't switch it out now until fall maybe later now that I have lost my flock.

Someone mentioned that DE made the DL smell funny. I have used DE lightly in the coop and it didn't affect the smell. Of course, my coop is very well ventilated. I hope this helps.

Welcome from Rosenberg!! O we are really good at enabling!!

Lisa

Thank you. I read through the shorter of the two DL threads you posted links for today and got more questions answered too.

Well I only have 3 things left to do on my coop and only 2 things that I have to do before the chickens can move in!! I need to paint the floor with the Rubber-Coat #57, I need to frame out the roost bars and poop board, and I need to put corrugated roof panels up. This weekend proved to windy for that job again!!! I have everything on site and I can smell victory.

Nice! I hope I can get a coop built in time.

windy and cool here today. this morning the sun came up and i thought it would be warm so i opened the windows on the brooder house . came in from church and it had gotten cooler and windier. had the close them back up. big news for me i have a dickey cabinet incubator holds 288 eggs. i have never hatched over 120 or so at a time but today i filled it up .. all 288 spots taken . i have heritage rir's , i bought some wellsumer eggs, some black copper maran eggs, i have a few experimental cloumbian rock hens with a wheaten ameracuana cockerel for red sex link ee's , ..i am going to have chicks running out my brooder

288!! WOW! You will have chicks up to your eyeballs!

Ok folks this will probably sound really silly...chicken psycology question. We know chickens aren't color blind because they like red and orange. I bought some ceramic eggs to try and encourage my girls to spread their "wealth" in different boxes. The fake eggs are white but my hens all lay red/brown eggs. Should I "dye" them with tea to make them brown? Will it make any difference? Will the hens notice? Will they even care? Just curious.

I would try them white, an egg is an egg. If it doesn't help, try dying them. I'm all about working smarter not harder, so try the easy way first.


This was a hard weekend for me. I'm glad it is over and things should return to normal tomorrow. I am glad for the rain. Hope we get more soon. We need the lakes to fill back up! So glad spring is coming back tomorrow too.

 

[hensfortherapy]

Ok folks this will probably sound really silly...chicken psycology question.  We know chickens aren't color blind because they like red and orange. I bought some ceramic eggs to try and encourage my girls to spread their "wealth" in different boxes.  The fake eggs are white but my hens all lay red/brown eggs.  Should I "dye" them with tea to make them brown? Will it make any difference? Will the hens notice? Will they even care? Just curious.

They won't mind. They will sit clutches with different colored eggs.

 

[tjo804]

these are pictures of the coop we have now. Thinking of fencing in the back of the coop to extend the run and use for introducing new ladies to the flock.

 

[magpiesing]

They won't mind. They will sit clutches with different colored eggs.

Ok thanks Will leave them white (however long that lasts) and see what happens.

 

[magpiesing]

I just wish some of my big hens would get in the mood to brood. Only my little bantam is serious about it and they're not even her eggs.

 

[Frances Salazar]

Hi,

From Brookshire, Tx ....near Katy!!

 

[lovingmyhens]

Hi,

From Brookshire, Tx ....near Katy!!

Hi Frances! We are close! What kinda chickens you got?

 

[Frances Salazar]

For now just white leghorns and production reds. I also have an unknown type Bantam Pair. I want more chickens now. I currently get about 6 eggs daily. I wAnt more. If u get a chance visit my website to see my little place. www.SmallWonderMiniatureRanch.com

 

[henless]

these are pictures of the coop we have now. Thinking of fencing in the back of the coop to extend the run and use for introducing new ladies to the flock.

Welcome to the Texas thread! More room for your hens is always great! In your last pic, I see you waterer is the one with the screw on lid that you don't fill upside down. How does it work for you? Is the lid hard to open/close? Some reviews I've read on it state that they have trouble with the lid. I'm still trying to decide how to water my chicks once they are out of the brooder.

What is that sitting behind your coop? Will you have to move it when you put in your second run?

I just wish some of my big hens would get in the mood to brood. Only my little bantam is serious about it and they're not even her eggs.

I hope some of your bigger hens get more "involved"!

Hi,

From Brookshire, Tx ....near Katy!!

Welcome to BYC! You have a very pretty roo!



We didn't get as cold as predicted this morning. Temp was 41 when we got up. It's supposed to drop to 37 by dawn. The wind has died way down, so that's an improvement! I went and checked on the chicks this morning. Most were under the heat plate, but a few were sitting out around it and one of my EE's was sitting on top of it.

The dogs have a coon treed in the backyard. Last time this one got away, we'll see how it goes this time. I assume it's the same one, but who knows?

Hope everyone has a great day planned. I need to do some housework since it will be chilly out today. The rest of the week looks like it will be pretty nice. Spring arrives this week. Late for Texas. Spring is usually here before the official day. It's been a long Winter for my part of the world.