Texas

[hensfortherapy]

Looks like Galveston is having their Chicken Shack Strut  tour today...I think Austin is having their Funky Chicken Coop Tour today, too.  Mostly it is all about urban coops, but I'm sure they will both have nice ideas.

I have been to the Austin Funky Chicken Coop tour. It was interesting. A lot of creativity. I did not have chickens yet when I went. Got a lot of ideas.

 

[Brookshire11]

Found my first earthworm in the yard today. I left the girls out of their run and called them over to check it out. They went NUTS..then realized they didnt know what to do with it..poor worm lol

 

[henless]

Can I join the Texas faction of Back Yard Chicken lovers??? I'm a Texas gal and I do love my poultry! I have 7 chickens (two Jersey Giant hens, one Silver Laced Wyndotte Hen, one Domonique hen, a bantam Bearded Belgium D'Anvers hen-- who is my favorite chicken in all the world-- an Egyptian mix rooster, and another cross bred (big) rooster). We also have two ducks (a very mean male "Black Runner" and a female White Pekin) and two Geese (they are babies, so I don't know the sex yet). Love to meet other chicken people!!!

TEXAS STRONG AND PROUD. I'm in a town inside of Houston called Bellaire. I'm new to chicken life but excited and ready to learn. I would like to know more about any Texas functions to attend and share info. Haha, I would mostly be listening right now. Is there a Texas group on here that chats and shares?
Robert

Welcome both of you to the Texas thread! Great group here, but they are oh so bad when it comes to enabling!

I said I would get some pics of the small coop I finished today. I did not get the pvc for the top today so I put a peace of plywood on top for now. Here are the pics.


I also went to Atwoods and picked up you guessed it more chickens I got 4 black silkies

Great looking little coop!!! The pics of your black Silkies are so cute! Hope the splayed footed one ends up ok.

I went to Horaney's today. They had a Silkie sign up, but had sold out already. Yay! LOL I left with NO chicks, only feed and heirloom veggie plants.

After much talk, but not much "doing," my coop is 90% done (I think). If all goes according to plan, I should get some pullets tomorrow!

The coop is 12'x8'x8'...in the open air coop/run combined style. We used all found wood or rejected wood (at a steep discount from the Habitat ReStore). We didn't have a saw, so used the dimensions available to us. The roosting bars are felled wood.

Still to be added: door, latches, more roosting bars, sand, waterer/feeder, and chickens! Also roosting boxes and ladder to the boxes in a few weeks.

Keeping in mind that my budget only allows me to spend $50 or less on the rest of this project....does anyone have any suggestions?

Good looking coop you've got going there! Looks like ti will give them plenty of air for our hot, humid summers.


Had a busy day the last few days. Made a run to Horaney's for feed and garden plants. Stopped by the farmers market to see what they had. Not much, but did pick up some tomatoes and got some grass fed beef. Cooking it on the grill tomorrow for Easter. Stopped by Lowe's and picked up some supplies to make a bucket feeder and waterer for my chicks. I'll post pics when they are done, hopefully tomorrow. Also picked up some more cinder blocks to finish my raised garden so I can plant my veggies.

Chicks are getting big. They are 7 & 8 weeks old now. I didn't realize how big they had gotten until I saw the babies at Horaney's today.

Yesterday, I cleaned out the coop brooder and locked it up. Put the big ladder up so they chicks can get up to their roost. They get up there during the day, but get confused at night and end up sleeping on the floor. I guess they will figure it out sooner or later, lol.

 

[ABlackDogRanch]

@ABlackDogRanch, if you don't mind taking a road trip to Waco, I've got a ton of sand in my backyard where a playground once was that you could have. Come haul a truckload!

Ha! Waco is a bit far. One measley bag at HD was $4....but 1/2 cubic yard was $12 at the local mulch/rock place. So glad we went the "truck load" route.

 

[ABlackDogRanch]

I finally got my chickens, all! The place I was going to was closed today, so I ended up taking a trip to Burnett's "Hill Country Hatchery." The drive was beautiful - 1.5 hour each way of gorgeous country living.

I'm all about the variety for my first foray into chicken keeping...here's the line up:

• (3) Rhode Island Red...born 3/12
• (3) Black Beauty Sex Link...born 3/5
• (3) Assorted Leghorn...born 3/5
• (3) Black Australorp...born 3/5
• (3) Barnevelders...born 3/5
• (1) cuckoo maran...born 3/5...Rooster

The chicken nipple auto-water my boyfriend finished up while I was on the road trip sadly had a malfunction, so for now they're drinking out of an extra dog bowl. I'm bummed we won't be able to get any appropriate supplies for the auto-waterer during tomorrow's holiday.

I went and checked on the girls at about 9:30 pm - they totally ignored the roosting branches and were huddled together. Was kind of cute.

Now, the only thing I have to do is figure out how to get my newest dog not to attack the chickens. I was hoping he'd be protective...but unfortunately is being a jerk.

Photos below:

 

[srosales1996]

Look great!

 

[RachaelS]

I finally got my chickens, all! The place I was going to was closed today, so I ended up taking a trip to Burnett's "Hill Country Hatchery." The drive was beautiful - 1.5 hour each way of gorgeous country living.

I'm all about the variety for my first foray into chicken keeping...here's the line up:

• (3) Rhode Island Red...born 3/12
• (3) Black Beauty Sex Link...born 3/5
• (3) Assorted Leghorn...born 3/5
• (3) Black Australorp...born 3/5
• (3) Barnevelders...born 3/5
• (1) cuckoo maran...born 3/5...Rooster

That is a GREAT set up! Congrats

 

[Ali707]

Helloooooo Texas!

I was wondering, one chicken person to another, does anyone here have an opinion about the best place to live around Houston?

My ex is moving to Texas shortly and for my daughters sake, I am considering moving there as well. His destination seems to be the Houston area.

You all seem to be a nice group of people here and maybe you would share your thoughts and opinions on if the heat is too hot for some breeds of chickens in Texas, or if they all seem to do okay?

Also, if you are willing to share, what would be a nice place to move outside of Houston, but still commutable, and away from the Coast not towards it. I think he is focusing on Katy, Magnolia, and Conroe areas. Any opinions, or pros and cons?

I won't be bringing the chickens I have right now, but once I get settled I will get some more hatching eggs and start all over. Hatching can be addictive all on its own.

Anyway, Hello from Northern California. Sorry to butt in on your group, but I might be joining it soon!

 

[srosales1996]

So did a lot of work outside today. Finally got the property cleaned up from winter! Sad I know... Hubby is a jr. High and HS coach & science teacher. Last sport of the year ended last Tuesday so this was our first free weekend as a whole family in a while.

Anyway I did get some things done around the chicken coop in preparation for expansion. The coop is actually an old kids playhouse that the man who lived here before us built for his daughter. Our kids used it some but not in several years and I decided they have more fun with the chickens than the playhouse so were expanding into the top half. The chickens are going to quickly need more space!

I've tried several times to upload pictures to this and keep loosing what I type so they will be in replies.

 

[TammyTX]

Helloooooo Texas!

I was wondering, one chicken person to another, does anyone here have an opinion about the best place to live around Houston?

My ex is moving to Texas shortly and for my daughters sake, I am considering moving there as well. His destination seems to be the Houston area.

You all seem to be a nice group of people here and maybe you would share your thoughts and opinions on if the heat is too hot for some breeds of chickens in Texas, or if they all seem to do okay?

Also, if you are willing to share, what would be a nice place to move outside of Houston, but still commutable, and away from the Coast not towards it. I think he is focusing on Katy, Magnolia, and Conroe areas. Any opinions, or pros and cons?

I won't be bringing the chickens I have right now, but once I get settled I will get some more hatching eggs and start all over. Hatching can be addictive all on its own.

Anyway, Hello from Northern California. Sorry to butt in on your group, but I might be joining it soon!

Two hours difference here and it looks like a lot of folks went to bed!

I'm just east of Austin but I'm sure some people around Houston will chime in.

I don't know of any birds that you cannot have because of the heat, I even have cochins and you can't get more feathered than that!!

...your will need a coop with plenty of ventilation. I like to give them more space than what "experts" say just to keep them cooler in summer and in my opinion, healthier.