Texas

[Cockle-Dood]

We have 2 golden sex links that are about 18 weeks. I know at least 1 of them is laying. She has layed 3 eggs all of which are a nice consistent brown. We have 2 barred rocks at about 16-17 weeks old. And 2 Easter Eggers at around 16-17 weeks old. My wife saw a barred rock coming out of the coop shortly before the egg was found but it had also been a few hours since the kids had checked the coop. So, unless I have Easter eggers that don't lay blue/green, I guess your choices are either barred rock or golden sex link.

Thanks for all the replies. I spoke with all the girls last night and thanked them for the eggs, but I did ask that they all make better choices with their color selections...we'll see how that goes.

good luck with a maroon egg...lol

 

[Rooster Don]

Austin here, new member, I joined a couple of weeks ago. Just starting finally on this fun journey. Picking up our new coop tomorrow and looking to start with a Specked Sussex, looking between here and Dallas (want a leg laying one). We live in Westlake and am glad to be part of this site and forum.

 

[back2simplelife]

Austin here, new member, I joined a couple of weeks ago. Just starting finally on this fun journey. Picking up our new coop tomorrow and looking to start with a Specked Sussex, looking between here and Dallas (want a leg laying one). We live in Westlake and am glad to be part of this site and forum.

Welcome!!! I am still trying to get my hand on a SS! I can't even find chicks around here.. guess we are going to have to wait until spring. Good luck on your search!

 

[RachaelS]

Austin here, new member, I joined a couple of weeks ago. Just starting finally on this fun journey. Picking up our new coop tomorrow and looking to start with a Specked Sussex, looking between here and Dallas (want a leg laying one). We live in Westlake and am glad to be part of this site and forum.

Welcome! I am in Austin also, half way between Oak Hill and Dripping Springs! Speckled Sussex are a GREAT breed. You will love them.

 

[showbarnmom]

Question for all of you who have mixed ages in your flock... what do you feed them?

I'm feeding fermented feed. Before that I was using Layena pellets for everyone. Pellets are too big for chicks to eat, so I would run a cup at a time through my food processor and grind them up. But FF turns everything into crumbles, so everything can eat it. I mix pellets, oats, and alfalfa pellets together.

 

[wlhtx]

I also feed the fermented feed. My mix changes periodically, but right now I have a 50/50 mix of starter/grower crumbles and scratch that I am feeding to the entire group of 45 birds - ages range from 4 weeks to 9 years. I only feed once a day, right before they roost in the evenings. Mine free range all day though.

I have fed them all fermented layer crumbles and scratch before. Some will vehemently argue that laying layer feed to roosters and non-laying chicks/pullets is really bad for them, but since I free range all day (and that is where they get most of their nutrition) I don't worry about it. What I feed in the evenings is really just a supplement for them to make sure everyone goes to bed with a full crop. I haven't lost a chicken yet from kidney failure due to too high calcium intake...

I have actually also tried to experiment this summer with not feeding anything at all (but table scraps) and just letting them be almost strictly free range - but when it got super got here I realized that they spent most of the day laid up in the shade instead of ranging for food. They were hot and I took pity on them, so they are back to getting some ff each evening.

 

[jockeyeba]

What are the laws in Texas about selling eggs?  Thanks.

I think I read that they have to be in unmarked cartons (no grade on the carton). The buyer has to come to your farm too. 
My husband would know for sure. 

The carton is supposed to state "ungraded." Yes, buyer comes to you to buy them. It's fine to sell a LOT of eggs that way per year and never have to have any sort of licensing or approval. Forgot how many exactly but it's in the thousands of dozens.

I've had no problem selling at the farmers market, I use cartons that friends collect for me & print my own label to put on top. In this heat eggs need to be collected & refrigerated but you don't want to wash them-it takes off the "bloom", thats what keeps them fresh. Sometimes I have to spot wash but thats it.

 

[jockeyeba]

Austin here, new member, I joined a couple of weeks ago. Just starting finally on this fun journey. Picking up our new coop tomorrow and looking to start with a Specked Sussex, looking between here and Dallas (want a leg laying one).    We live in Westlake and am glad to be part of this site and forum.

Welcome!  I am in Austin also, half way between Oak Hill and Dripping Springs!  Speckled Sussex are a GREAT breed.  You will love them.

 

[back2simplelife]

so you use a trough type feeder? What are the advantages to fermented? Will check more into it.. thanks!!

I also feed the fermented feed. My mix changes periodically, but right now I have a 50/50 mix of starter/grower crumbles and scratch that I am feeding to the entire group of 45 birds - ages range from 4 weeks to 9 years. I only feed once a day, right before they roost in the evenings. Mine free range all day though.

I have fed them all fermented layer crumbles and scratch before. Some will vehemently argue that laying layer feed to roosters and non-laying chicks/pullets is really bad for them, but since I free range all day (and that is where they get most of their nutrition) I don't worry about it. What I feed in the evenings is really just a supplement for them to make sure everyone goes to bed with a full crop. I haven't lost a chicken yet from kidney failure due to too high calcium intake...

I have actually also tried to experiment this summer with not feeding anything at all (but table scraps) and just letting them be almost strictly free range - but when it got super got here I realized that they spent most of the day laid up in the shade instead of ranging for food. They were hot and I took pity on them, so they are back to getting some ff each evening.

I'm feeding fermented feed. Before that I was using Layena pellets for everyone. Pellets are too big for chicks to eat, so I would run a cup at a time through my food processor and grind them up. But FF turns everything into crumbles, so everything can eat it. I mix pellets, oats, and alfalfa pellets together.

 

[back2simplelife]

Does anyone know anything about Blue Star Ranch? I am seeing mixed reviews on BYC and no other reviews that I can see elsewhere so I dunno!