Texas

[AuntGoose]

I like your idea for the chicken fortress. I have some extra cinder blocks sitting around, waiting to be put to good use

My hubby staggered them. He said that made them more stable. This is all new to me. I am just glad I have a hubby that is game for anything!

 

[Josie360]

You're lucky for a hubby like that. I get stuck building all my own coops

Quote:

 

[AuntGoose]

Well... I did have to help.

You're lucky for a hubby like that. I get stuck building all my own coops

 

[bj taylor]

just found this thread. glad to find Texans doing chickens. i have my first babies (four days now). so far so good. i'm glad for that. the coop needs some tweaking to fix my ignorance on roosts, but i think we've got it pretty predator proof. the run is another story. the corners are not secured from predators yet & there is no top. i'm sure we'll end up putting a top on. gotta get this all done before the babies get big enough to go outside.
i'm expecting predators & heat to be my biggest foes. i have electricity to the coop, so i can get a fan in there & i will fix up some kind of wading pool thing.

 

[coyotesmommy]

just found this thread. glad to find Texans doing chickens.

HE HE HE Sorry, this Texan doesn't "do" chickens.

But all kidding aside welcome!

 

[AuntGoose]

LOL! Welcome BJ! Nothing like a good laugh to break the ice!

 

[coyotesmommy]

Dang That is NICE!! Lucky chickens

 

[Zootopia]

I am so happy to have found BYC, no more google this and that when I have questions

I hear so much about predators on here and some folks close by who had tried to keep chickens (lost 7 to coyotes and/or bobcats, they ate the last 3). We have been here 8 years, lost 3 geese, 3 turkeys and 2 chickens to an Akita from up the road a year after we moved in. Made a deal with the owner (thru the Sheriff, I'd shot the dog with rock salt) pay for the birds and I'll use bird shot, no pay it's a slug. He paid and we never saw the dog again. Other than that we lost several to a GHO last spring before we figured out what it was. She landed on a power pole out front with a half eaten carcass and fried herself. Too bad, she was a beautiful bird. We have several (alarms) small Chi mix rescues and Large rare breed mastiffs that patrol and mark the property. We free range most of our 70 or so chickens with a few in breeding pens. We only keep LF due to the large # of hawks in the area and don't turn youngsters out until they are to big to be carried off. The roos sound the alarm and the hens duck for cover while the little dogs run out to see what's up. The big dogs mostly look up to see if the little dogs need back up, LOL they don't get up unless they Have to. All the local dogs that run loose stay away from our place. We find a BB gun is a "PC" way to teach them good neighbor manners, if they do come down into the yard the big dogs take care of lessons.

I haven't had time to navigate nearly as much of the BYC as I would like, there is ALOT of information here. Where do I find dates and locations for shows and/or swaps? I have a couple of "project" ideas and would like to see stock available in the area (TX), before I decide to ship in. I'd love to have a couple more roos but am very leary about bringing grown stock in, so I may resort to hatching eggs if I can't find chicks close.

 

[bj taylor]

woops, i see i need to craft my words more carefully.lol. since my last post yesterday about finding homes for the extras, my grand plan has changed. i am currently changing to free range idea if i can convince hubby to change beautiful coop that hasn't seen one chicken yet, knock out one wall & double the size. it's his fault. he's the one that doesn't want to get rid of any. he just didn't plan on his scheme morphing into more work for him. ha. i'm trying to break it to him gently. i'm also wondering what my chances are of convincing my two german shepherds to leave them alone.

 

[KatGold]

Hi,

I believe there is at least on Australian Spotted Duck breeder in Waco. If there is someone closer to Austin, I'd like to find you, but I'd certainly be willing to go to Waco.

I'm looking for a drake. Barring that, I'd buy some fertile eggs.

ASD breeders in Central Texas, are you out there???