Texas

[tjo804]

Congrats on the new farm!

Hello everyone. We just bought 8 acres in Liberty Hill, TX, but we are originally from the Houston area. We are hoping to pick up a mixed batch of chickens today. I raised chickens for 4H when I was a teenager, but that has been some time ago, and is very different from what we would like to do now. Our land is fully fenced with barbed wire and we were hoping to free range our birds. Additionally we are wanting to avoid gmo feed, but I am even unsure how much they need with free ranging. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

You will find everything you need and want to know here. so stay tuned!

Free ranging is a choice make sure they know where they are suposto roost at night (keep em penned for a week or so or gather them up at night) If you ask my chickens they will tell you when they wake till they get tired is range time. However it is up to you if you do it daily or just on the weekends or even like me now only when I can be out with them.

If the new place hasnt been worked or occupied in a while WATCH WATCH WATCH! to see what comes across your property and at what times.The more you make your presence known to the wildlife the less you Might see as some will back off. Also keep your eyes out for Hawks! I have seen plenty this year I keep old dog houses in different places in my yard so the chickens have a place to hide if they see the shadow. I only have 1 acre but I walked it with my ladies when they were young looking for bugs and just playing you may be able to train your Ladies to stay in an area that doesnt take all of your space even without fencing it off for them. Mine stay in my yard.

As far as GMO free feed I am not sure where to get that.
Good luck and have fun with your Chicks

 

[Tmoorie]

Hello everyone. We just bought 8 acres in Liberty Hill, TX, but we are originally from the Houston area. We are hoping to pick up a mixed batch of chickens today. I raised chickens for 4H when I was a teenager, but that has been some time ago, and is very different from what we would like to do now. Our land is fully fenced with barbed wire and we were hoping to free range our birds. Additionally we are wanting to avoid gmo feed, but I am even unsure how much they need with free ranging. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

congratulations on the acreage! Welcome to BYC!

 

[needlessjunk]

Hello everyone. We just bought 8 acres in Liberty Hill, TX, but we are originally from the Houston area. We are hoping to pick up a mixed batch of chickens today. I raised chickens for 4H when I was a teenager, but that has been some time ago, and is very different from what we would like to do now. Our land is fully fenced with barbed wire and we were hoping to free range our birds. Additionally we are wanting to avoid gmo feed, but I am even unsure how much they need with free ranging. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Totally jealous! Welcome from Round Rock. My ducks and chickens free range but only working my fenced in back yard. So not quite the same thing. I think some game cameras might be good to figure out what is around when you aren't.

 

[Tmoorie]

If it comes down to that, I will call you. This is personal now. The pullet that was the victim was a bielvelder, a rare bird. Very expensive. I am ******. I have seen the snake. It is a very large rat snake and very fast. This is why he/she is not dead yet, but he/she will be. I am pretty sure I know where he/she is living, if this is the case, this is where he/she will die.

So sorry to hear about your pulley. :-(

 

[Tmoorie]

We had a great day out with the kids yesterday and came home to no AC. Yay! Plus my younger son came down with a fever in a super hot house. It was a long night and the AC guy should be here today. Having no AC in the summer in TX is horrible! Thank goodness it wasn't one of those 100+ degree days yesterday and our neighbor had a few box fans we could use.

Loosing ac is awful, especially in the summer! I've been in that boat before. I hope your son feels better soon

 

[Tmoorie]

What are ya'll doing about bugs this year. I went out to feed my girls this morning and came back with 4 bites. I was only out there about 5 minutes. I've tried sprays and oils. They even bite me through jeans and long sleeve.

 

[needlessjunk]

What are ya'll doing about bugs this year. I went out to feed my girls this morning and came back with 4 bites. I was only out there about 5 minutes. I've tried sprays and oils. They even bite me through jeans and long sleeve.

Thermacell and off deep woods. Costco sells the deep woods in the value pack. I've found anything less than 10% DEET does nothing. I hate using it all the time but the all natural sprays haven't worked and neither have any of the essintal oil mixes. We were going to try taking Brewers yeast but never got around to finding it in pill form. My son is doing better today

 

[tjo804]

Since my dog Viper died in May I decided to put his kennel to good use. I butted it up to my chicken run so the chicks can be exposed to my Ladies. I put the chicks out for a playday yesterday and they let me know how unhappy they were about coming in last night. Took about 2 hours for them to quit yammering.

These are my LF Cochin Pullets and the Blue Bantam Cochin roo.
they will join my flock minus a couple skittery birds there already.

 

[tjo804]

The *specials* got to play in the prefab grow up pen.




They too let me know they did not want to come in. I am still worried about neighbor dog since they are so little and I have not spent time preditor proofing these coops for night time. So inside they came.

 

[Fletch83]

Hello, all fellow Texans. I am hoping you may be able to assist me! First, my location - I am in the DFW metroplex, in Denton County. Due to my backyard size and town, I had a fairly small flock. This was fine and worked, chickens were wonderful and happy, and I have worked hard to be a good chicken mom. Sadly, I am now down to one lone EE hen. Her sister, who had been with her since they hatched, passed away last week. It was very sudden and she had been very healthy. As she died in the nest box, I suspect it may have been egg binding although she had been acting wonderfully healthy that very morning. She was around 4 years old and of course this was so sad, since they are beloved pets. I am very worried about my remaining EE hen being alone. I know they do not do well on their own.

I am not sure what route to go but I wonder if it would be best to acquire a young hen to introduce to her, instead of baby chicks. I do not want to order started pullets from a hatchery because of the beak trimming. Forgive my ignorance but I am not sure where to look in my area, since I originally got my birds as chicks. I was hoping someone in my area may be able to point me in the right direction. Secondly, eventually I may need to look into rehoming due to an impending move to California where the residential area does not allow for backyard chickens, although codes could potentially change. This wouldn't be for another year though, so I'm really not sure I want to rehome my remaining hen right now, I think that getting another one would be best, she seems so sad on her own.

Let me know if I should move this post but as this is a Texas thread I am hoping someone might be in my area!