Texas

[KatD]

I lived in San Marcos for a while when I went to school. I'm in Magnolia near Houston. I bought a coop kit from Tractor supply and have put up a 16 x 24 ft yard around it. I'm In the process of roofing an 8 x 16 end section to build in an 8 x 8 coop. The birds have out grown the kit coop. I am surprised at how big they are at 11 weeks. I thought they would take six months to get big since they don't lay til then. SURPRISE! I lived here when I was a girl and my father came in from north Louisiana to help me build my chicken house for FFA. It was done in a weekend and my Dad paid a fellow to install the yard later. That chicken house was successful. These days there are so many small coops that have runs in the bottom like rabbit cages which inspired me to place the windows at the floor level on the west and south instead of at the mid to ceiling level. I thought the North side should be solid to guard against wind and the upper south end solid as well with a platform under the roost. The boxes on the north, door on the east, vents or windows at the upper west and east for ventilation. I scrapped the Purina Mills idea of a sun roof, expecting too much Gulf Coast Texas heat in the summer and possibly Spring, Fall and part of the Winter. I planned to have a cat walk on the west side with a chicken board and the house is a split level open design. Here's my concern. Considering how hot it gets here and our mild winters, do you see any problem with the lower level indoor run area compromising the warmth or creating too much wind or weather exposure? The idea is to double the floor space and to allow for delays in yard time for the chickens, so that if I am un able to open the door in the morning or in poor weather, they still have ground to scratch, a view, and space to run around. I am basically securing the yard and the coop and allowing for a run within the coop that is loft style without closing off the roost and opposing nesting boxes at the center of the coop. Do you think the vents at the top will be enough to prevent excessive heat at the roost?

 

[GFamily]

Ok, so I need some help....
We switched from the deep litter method to sand inside the coop. The run was already sand, but it's so hot here in Texas that our girls just did not like the deep litter in their coop. I might go back to that in the winter, but not during the summer. Since we switched our girls have been knocking their food out of their food bucket (which is normal), however now they do not eat it off the ground. We used to close their feeders during certain times because they get to free range and we give them fruits, veggies, meal worms, scraps, etc. in addition to their feed and free range times. Before, with shavings they scratched and ate the food off the ground inside the coop. However, I am wondering if they cannot tell the difference between the sand and the food now that we switched to sand. It just doesn't make sense to me why they won't eat it now? They eat food out in the run that is on the sand. Can they not see their food now because their food is H&H Pelleted Layer and it's close to the same color as the sand. Any suggestions?

 

[Italia]

Ok.. you say "protect them from freezing" How do ya'll do this in Texas? In Wyo we used wall-o-waters for the most part.. would occasionally use blankets as well.

I put home depot buckets over the ones I left outside and had one in a pot that could be moved in. I kinda gave up on the ones outside though mid way through winter. We stopped eating tomatoes because they are highly inflammatory in the body so I really do not know why I still grow them at all. I still love them but they make my joints feel like I am a hundred ears old. All night shades can do this.
Texas winter freezes are generally pretty mild. Any cover protecting from frost will work fine.

 

[galanie]

I lived in San Marcos for a while when I went to school.  I'm in Magnolia near Houston.  I bought a coop kit from Tractor supply and have put up a 16 x 24 ft yard around it.  I'm In the process of roofing an 8 x 16 end section to build in an 8 x 8 coop.  The birds have out grown the kit coop.  I am surprised at how big they are at 11 weeks.  I thought they would take six months to get big since they don't lay til then.  SURPRISE!  I lived here when I was a girl and my father came in from north Louisiana to help me build my chicken house for FFA.  It was done in a weekend and my Dad paid a fellow to install the yard later.  That chicken house was successful.  These days there are so many small coops that have runs in the bottom like rabbit cages which inspired me to place the windows at the floor level on the west and south instead of at the mid to ceiling level.  I thought the North side should be solid to guard against wind and the upper south end solid as well with a platform under the roost.  The boxes on the north, door on the east, vents or windows at the upper west and east for ventilation.  I scrapped the Purina Mills idea of a sun roof, expecting too much Gulf Coast Texas heat in the summer and possibly Spring, Fall and part of the Winter.  I planned to have a cat walk on the west side with a chicken board and the house is a split level open design. Here's my concern.  Considering how hot it gets here and our mild winters, do you see any problem with the lower level indoor run area compromising the warmth or creating too much wind or weather exposure?  The idea is to double the floor space and to allow for delays in yard time for the chickens, so that if I am un able to open the door in the morning or in poor weather, they still have ground to scratch, a view, and space to run around.  I am basically securing the yard and the coop and allowing for a run within the coop that is loft style without closing off the roost and opposing nesting boxes at the center of the coop.  Do you think the vents at the top will be enough to prevent excessive heat at the roost?

They are generally just fine in the winter so long as they can get out of the wind. I'd not worry about holding heat - that's what their feathers are for. Plus snuggling together if it gets that cold, which it doesn't here. Since the winter winds normally blow from the north and west, those are the two sides to concentrate on for providing a winter wind barrier, be it upstairs or down, doesn't matter. Summer breezes are generally from the east and south, so those open plus ample ventilation at the roof are a must.

 

[back2simplelife]

I put home depot buckets over the ones I left outside and had one in a pot that could be moved in. I kinda gave up on the ones outside though mid way through winter. We stopped eating tomatoes because they are highly inflammatory in the body so I really do not know why I still grow them at all. I still love them but they make my joints feel like I am a hundred ears old. All night shades can do this.
Texas winter freezes are generally pretty mild. Any cover protecting from frost will work fine.

ok.. thanks! Mine are still hanging in there from the spring and I am moving my garden so thought about just propigating them and starting with good cuttings. but.. wasn't sure if I had time! I can def bucket them! And I SO hear ya.. sniff sniff.. When my RA flares up it just kills me to cut out firey herbs and night shades! Sigh.. I can sneak a small amount followed by some turmeric milk

 

[Italia]

ok.. thanks! Mine are still hanging in there from the spring and I am moving my garden so thought about just propigating them and starting with good cuttings. but.. wasn't sure if I had time! I can def bucket them! And I SO hear ya.. sniff sniff.. When my RA flares up it just kills me to cut out firey herbs and night shades! Sigh.. I can sneak a small amount followed by some turmeric milk

Hmmm... turmeric milk? I have capsules I wonder if that will work? I have tried taking MSM(sulfur) and that also helps a lot when I have a salsa attack. It makes sense that turmeric would help because of its anti-inflame properties. I stopped taking it after using bone broth and cutting out night shades just because I did not need it any more. And that was a very cool thing. Got a huge stock of it though.

Also this time of year on tomatoes you can also air layer them to the ground and they will start to root. I am not completely recommending that though because it seems to take sometimes and other times it will rot it. Cooler weather is on the way though and we only have a few more weeks before things will become more comfortable weather wise. Good luck

 

[Italia]

Ok, so I need some help....
We switched from the deep litter method to sand inside the coop. The run was already sand, but it's so hot here in Texas that our girls just did not like the deep litter in their coop. I might go back to that in the winter, but not during the summer. Since we switched our girls have been knocking their food out of their food bucket (which is normal), however now they do not eat it off the ground. We used to close their feeders during certain times because they get to free range and we give them fruits, veggies, meal worms, scraps, etc. in addition to their feed and free range times. Before, with shavings they scratched and ate the food off the ground inside the coop. However, I am wondering if they cannot tell the difference between the sand and the food now that we switched to sand. It just doesn't make sense to me why they won't eat it now? They eat food out in the run that is on the sand. Can they not see their food now because their food is H&H Pelleted Layer and it's close to the same color as the sand. Any suggestions?

Maybe they are getting more than they need and are being picky? Try cutting back a little so they work a little harder to clean up their mess. They can see very well.

 

[galanie]

Ok, so I need some help....
We switched from the deep litter method to sand inside the coop. The run was already sand, but it's so hot here in Texas that our girls just did not like the deep litter in their coop. I might go back to that in the winter, but not during the summer. Since we switched our girls have been knocking their food out of their food bucket (which is normal), however now they do not eat it off the ground. We used to close their feeders during certain times because they get to free range and we give them fruits, veggies, meal worms, scraps, etc. in addition to their feed and free range times. Before, with shavings they scratched and ate the food off the ground inside the coop. However, I am wondering if they cannot tell the difference between the sand and the food now that we switched to sand. It just doesn't make sense to me why they won't eat it now? They eat food out in the run that is on the sand. Can they not see their food now because their food is H

Maybe they are getting more than they need and are being picky? Try cutting back a little so they work a little harder to clean up their mess. They can see very well.

Making a wet paste out of it and giving it to them in a bowl cuts out the waste. Downside of this is that you can't just fill up the feeder and forget it. You have to feed them once or twice a day this way. But it does cut the waste almost all the way to zero and if you have wild birds getting in the food, they won't get in the wet food.

 

[Jungleexplorer]

Looking for member that live around the Abilene Texas area. I am getting out of breeding chickens and have some really nice stock that need to go to serious breeders.

 

[back2simplelife]

Hmmm... turmeric milk? I have capsules I wonder if that will work? I have tried taking MSM(sulfur) and that also helps a lot when I have a salsa attack. It makes sense that turmeric would help because of its anti-inflame properties. I stopped taking it after using bone broth and cutting out night shades just because I did not need it any more. And that was a very cool thing. Got a huge stock of it though.

Also this time of year on tomatoes you can also air layer them to the ground and they will start to root. I am not completely recommending that though because it seems to take sometimes and other times it will rot it. Cooler weather is on the way though and we only have a few more weeks before things will become more comfortable weather wise. Good luck

Humm.. it should! Turmeric is awesome for so many things!
I used some oh can't think.. root booster stuff this spring.. did an experiment with half the powder and half just a jar of water.. they both rooted about the same! I had planted seeds last winter and was being lazy about getting the plants in the ground.. then we decided to move so I kept them all inside! By moving time they were HUGE! I cut them all down and ended up with 20 plants! Between the grasshoppers, rabbits, cows and deer (I think that is what it was.. lol) I only have a couple left but they are healthy so I want to cut them and move them to a safer, less grassy area like in the yard! lol. At this point, they either take or don't.
Question.. do the yellows bother you as much as the reds? I have kept my own seeds for years now and haven't bought any new but have been thinking about adding some yellow just wasn't sure. The kids love them so we just HAVE to have tomatoes.. lol