Texas

[tjo804]

Sounds like a sheriff that doesn't know Texas livestock rules...you have the right to protect livestock in Texas; however with that in mind they have to "really" be in danger not just loitering around your property, I believe they would have to be attacking. I love animals, showed and rescued dogs and have owned so many different types of animals. If you want to free range your chickens the same rules follow as for dog people. Keep them in a fence, I'm tired of seeing chickens roaming all over a yard with no fence holding them in.

Do the chickens roam in your yard?

I let my Ladies out for 5 years to roam in my yard. they stayed in the boundaries set with them as pullets and have never gone in the front of my house or the neighbors. Until we got new neighbors who have trouble keeping their animals at home They were very happy. They have a coop and run for evening and were in the yard while I was home. no fence that is why we established boundaries early on.

 

[Rustys Girls]

I would not use hay, especially on a grass or dirt floor. Get a bale of shavings, cheaper than hay and way drier. rg's

 

[WldFlwrs]

I was just reading about how hay may breed some mold and be harmful to the respiratory system of Chickens because it tends to hold in moisture. it should be okay if you change it out often and keep it dry.

Good luck with your new venture you will not be sorry you entered the world of chickens!

For nest boxes I have found my hens prefer the nesting pads made of excelsior. So far they haven't pooped in those at all. When I put shavings in they would kick them everywhere and poop in there. Put the pads in, they made pretty little nests and quit sleeping in them. Not sure how long one pad will last yet, but plan to leave them until they look dirty/messy. They've been in there about a week now and look clean and fresh yet.

 

[TattooedKeeper3]

Hello,
I have been unable to be on the site participating for the past year and half. I am just now coming back.


I have 5 hens now, since I lost one to old age and stress recently. The recent bad storms really freaked them out last month. She just wasn't recovering. I miss her. Also I have two Indian Runner ducks. We are about to move to a new house down the road. Yay no more renting.

I am looking forward to building them a new coop. They share a coop right now due to space. The game cameras show there are a lot of dogs that run through our property in packs. Some of them are from the neighbors, others we have no idea who they belong to if anyone. We also have big cats and some coyotes and hogs that meander through the other lot we have backed up to the 14 acres. I was going to free range them. 14 Acres is plenty of room for that. Now I can't do that, and the hawks that nest on the property. When I put their area together would 16 gauge hardcloth wire be good for the run fencing around the coop and for the open air fencing in the outside run? I know I need it higher than 4 feet. One of my girls can catch some serious air when she is determined. I will be putting netting on the top of the open air run to keep the hawks from diving in. I was thinking about making interlocking runs to rotate them and use part of those areas for my garden. I have been itching to try that. Anyone know where I can look for that info on here?

 

[bnjrob]

Hello,
I have been unable to be on the site participating for the past year and half. I am just now coming back.


I have 5 hens now, since I lost one to old age and stress recently. The recent bad storms really freaked them out last month. She just wasn't recovering. I miss her. Also I have two Indian Runner ducks. We are about to move to a new house down the road. Yay no more renting.

I am looking forward to building them a new coop. They share a coop right now due to space. The game cameras show there are a lot of dogs that run through our property in packs. Some of them are from the neighbors, others we have no idea who they belong to if anyone. We also have big cats and some coyotes and hogs that meander through the other lot we have backed up to the 14 acres. I was going to free range them. 14 Acres is plenty of room for that. Now I can't do that, and the hawks that nest on the property. When I put their area together would 16 gauge hardcloth wire be good for the run fencing around the coop and for the open air fencing in the outside run? I know I need it higher than 4 feet. One of my girls can catch some serious air when she is determined. I will be putting netting on the top of the open air run to keep the hawks from diving in. I was thinking about making interlocking runs to rotate them and use part of those areas for my garden. I have been itching to try that. Anyone know where I can look for that info on here?

Netting over the top will not keep out climbers like raccoons.

Hardware cloth gets expensive quick. We use hardware cloth on small pens but not on the large ones. We also use hardware cloth on windows of the coops.

For the large pens, we use chicken wire (to keep chicken body parts mostly IN), and then layer on top of that with 2x4 inch holed welded wire fencing (to keep predators out). We usually run a 3 or 4 foot tall chicken wire roll all around the bottom of the runs and then the welded wire goes on top of that, all the way up and over, completely enclosing the pen.

We've had dog attacks and they have managed to bend the welded wire and chicken wire, but they did not break through it. Have had coons try to get unsuccessfully as well.

 

[NickyPick]

I use hay in my nest boxes - mainly because there's so much fall out around the hay stack in the barn, that it's not costing me anything.

Went out to to a chicken check after work today and found that Opal, one of my few remaining originals (5+ years) had died. Looked like her rear had exploded, but didn't look like anything had been eating her. Given her age and her lack of laying lately, I figure either she had a ruptured tumor or an egg/prolapse issue. Such a sweet hen. She would still jump on my lap and sit and coo while being petted. None of the other hens like to be petted; although 2 of the other originals will still get on my lap. Down to 4 (out of 15) now.

Opal:




Most of the original 15 at 9 months of age:

 

[tjo804]

Sorry for your loss

! Lost one of my originals last night

 

[kenmlang]

I would not use hay, especially on a grass or dirt floor. Get a bale of shavings, cheaper than hay and way drier. rg's

I have tried hay, shavings, and straw. I have found that straw works the best. You can get it at most feed stores for about the same price as hay, or even cheaper. It works really well at not absorbing too much moisture. Shavings are not good for run use, as they hold all moisture in. They are good inside the coop to help keep moisture from where it does not need to be, but in the outside run, I would use straw. The chickens don't try to eat it, and it stays fairly fresh longer than hay. Sorry, there is no 100% solution to the moisture problem.

 

[kenmlang]

I thank all that gave me feedback on the chicken swing. I have read all of them, and will be making a few tweaks to the design and will, again, make another plea for y'alls input. Again, thanks.

 

[kenmlang]

We live in Beaumont. We are also newbies to backyard chickens. We have 6 hens. Tractor Supply north of Beaumont has bailed hay. About $10 a bail. Hope this helps.

From Cut-N-Shoot!!