Texas

[bnjrob]

I haven't gotten mine put up yet. Still waiting for it to get more wintery, lol. I do plan on using screws and washers to put it up though, to help keep it from tearing. I got the heavy duty shower curtains. I would like to use tarps, but I don't know if/where you can get clear ones.

There are some clear tarps out there and there are some places that will make you custom sizes. It is essentially greenhouse clear plastic that has reinforcing grid rope like stuff inside of it. I know of a couple people who use them in winter and they love them. You can find them by doing a search for things like reinforced greenhouse plastic, clear tarps, etc.

I hope to get some at some point, but because we have more than a dozen runs that need it, it is going to be pricey for us. So for now I just use painters plastic dropcloths and hold it in place by screwing pieces of 1x2s over the top of it to keep the south winds from blowing it off. The north/west winds are ok, but when we get the weird south winds it tends to rip plastic through the staples, so the wood pieces keep it in place.

 

[wday]

I know a lady in Simms that sells jubilee hatching eggs.  NPIP, and beautiful birds, beautiful farm.  I got mottles from her and 8 of 9 hatched.  She does not sell birds though.  PM me if you want her contact info.   there are people who will hatch eggs for you if you are interested in going that route.  Pickup is best, but she does ship too. 

Thx for the info really hoping to get chicks or even juveniles... But if all else fails I do have incubator...

 

[Greywolf1962]

Beautiful birds...what are they???
We have alot of different birds but none like those...can't let my hubby see them or he would want some for sure!

They are light Brahmas, they get really big roos 12 lbs hens 9 1/2 to 10 lbs. I'll be breeding them come spring.

 

[Greywolf1962]

Hello fellow peeper keepers  Welcme to all the new folks.  Greywolf...we are nearly neighbors.  We are 4 miles north of Willis.  Good looking birds you have!
Been crazy busy...putting in new cupboards where our old fire place was.  DH has been rebuilding the engine in our little Toyota truck...it died a couple of weeks ago...281K miles on it. No major damage just alot of wear and grundge in it.

Processed our first two birds Saturday.  The two worst of our roos...still have seven more.  Going to take two or three more next week after the rain is over.  DH dispatched them and I did the rest.  Kinda proud of myself...didn't get squimish at all.  Took me almost an hour to do each one. But then by the time we did the deed it was more about keeping peace and relief for my hens than missing the bully boys.  Been alot quieter in the henhouse too.
It was the last straw when they tried to gang jump my little bantam hens.  They are my best brooders.  It got so bad that the 4  bantams and two of my big girls wouldn't even go out in the yard.  I had to take them and put them in my garden just so they could have some outside time.

Going to keep the SLW roo, Pharaoh, since we have 3 SLW hens for him.  Of course will keep Abraham.  He was first and came with his ladies.  He may be a stinker to me but is a really protective roo.  Issac, the brown leghorn will stay for now unless he gets too rough.  He is so handsome and DH likes him.  Have an Aussie roo...was suppose to be a hen...oh well.
He can stay with his hen...for now.
Got the plastic up over the wire for winter...still rolling it up when it's nice.  Looking into getting a propane heater or wood burning stove for the chicken house for when it's really cold.
Still getting some eggs...between the moult and stress from too many roos...not getting but 4-6 a day from 18 hens.  I think they are laying every few days because the eggs are always different...
BTW...what color are SLW eggs? Getting several medium size white eggs...only have two hens that would lay smaller white eggs...
Anyway...y'all take care and get ready...they say winter is gonna be a bit rough this year.  Magpie

what kind of bantams do you have? I'm planning on getting some Dutch bantmas in the spring.

 

[Greywolf1962]

This is one of my buff Brahma's. They also come in dark. Very pretty birds.

 

[henless]

Yuck! I will keep that in mind... I wonder if it's true for ducks too? I feed mine feeder fish a few times a month. I did give my guys some leftover chicken and they wouldn't touch it. Go figure.

I feed my hens all kinds of leftovers. The two times I've fed them fish is the only time I could taste any difference in their eggs. I feed mine Texas Naturals, which does have fishmeal in it, but I can't taste it. My hens love chicken leftovers! lol

There are some clear tarps out there and there are some places that will make you custom sizes. It is essentially greenhouse clear plastic that has reinforcing grid rope like stuff inside of it. I know of a couple people who use them in winter and they love them. You can find them by doing a search for things like reinforced greenhouse plastic, clear tarps, etc.

I hope to get some at some point, but because we have more than a dozen runs that need it, it is going to be pricey for us. So for now I just use painters plastic dropcloths and hold it in place by screwing pieces of 1x2s over the top of it to keep the south winds from blowing it off. The north/west winds are ok, but when we get the weird south winds it tends to rip plastic through the staples, so the wood pieces keep it in place.

Thanks for the top on the tarps and on using 1x2s to help keep them in place. I've already bought the curtains, so I will try them this year and see how they do. The tarps would be nice though since I'm sure they would last a few seasons. I'll try to locate some and see what the price will be.

 

[Starfire669]

Sorry I have been off here for so long. I had a really busy summer.

Because of the storms the past few days and the fact that my goose nest flooded my geese and ducks decided that the chickens nest boxes would make a lovely place to lay and try to raise a family. I snapped this picture this morning.

 

[magpiesing]

what kind of bantams do you have? I'm planning on getting some Dutch bantmas in the spring.

Catalana and seabrite 2 each hens my avatar is Belle a Catalana, my best brooder. She sits the eggs from my RIR hens. They are small birds...maybe two pounds and very sweet. The seabrites are really show birds that came withthe rest of our flock but good brooders too. My egg layers aren't broody so must have "nanny's" if we want chicks.

 

[magpiesing]

They are light Brahmas, they get really big roos 12 lbs hens 9 1/2 to 10 lbs. I'll be breeding them come spring.

Wow! Those are some big birds. Some serious meat there...no offence...I know not everyone eats their chickens. We cull the roos and will the old hens much later on. We would be interested in a couple of hens come spring if you are successful at hatching them.

This is our seabrite Becka and her clutch from last spring...they are all PR and RIR mix chicks all are now way bigger than she is.

 

[magpiesing]

Sorry I have been off here for so long. I had a really busy summer.

Because of the storms the past few days and the fact that my goose nest flooded my geese and ducks decided that the chickens nest boxes would make a lovely place to lay and try to raise a family. I snapped this picture this morning.

Nice to see you! Haven't had much time for chatting myself....lovely hen....What is that funny looking chicken doing in MY nest???