Texas

[NagemTX]

Yep, mine have frozen for the last 3 years. This year wasn't all the way to the ground though. Another 18 months before possible bananas ripen, if we don't freeze next winter. They've spoiled me. Taste so much richer than store bananas.

I'd offer some banana pups but don't get to Angleton at all. I keep thinning these out and they come back for more.

I work at lowes so I get discounts on plants that are going clearance.

I'm also getting plantain plants from a friend this year!

 

[007Sean]

So, I thought winter was over....47*F this morning!could be worse, could be in the Panhandle and snow! or El Paso!

 

[Maddcatter]

So, I thought winter was over....47*F this morning!could be worse, could be in the Panhandle and snow! or El Paso!

Heh. Haha. MUAHAHAHAHAHA!

TBF none of the snow from yesterday stuck, and in Amarillo the sun is out, so it's a pretty 42⁰ right now...

 

[UrbanHomesteadTX]

You are building your run with pallets? That's ingenious!!! Please posts pics if this weather ever lets you get it finished, lol. I spent 3 hours on TSC last night reading reviews trying to find a run and coop big enough to put around one of our ponds yet still be safe for them to be in. Didn't succeed, so I guess I will have to hire a handy man to help me think up something to build for these ducklings. It gets too hot here in South Texas Hill Country so can't have tin for a roof. I read some reviews that the heat off the tin killed the flocks. Heartbreaking, but great reviews. My problem is I need a very strong run and coop to keep out predators. We have lots of mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and snakes that take our pets and livestock. We live on acreage out here so lots of wildlife. We have had several birds killed as well. Mainly our turkeys and chickens years ago that my ex took care of. Now I'm trying ducks as a 1st time learner. I want chickens too eventually. I'm learning a lot on here.

Yes! I'm always that person looking for cheap/DIY/recycled fix to any project. Pallets are free, so why not use em, right? And I'm mainly just having to build a roof and door, gonna use the preexisting fence in the area as the walls.

I've never bought any premade coops, but the ones I've seen kinda suck. Mainly way too small and over priced. Honestly if you need something smaller scale, you probably do good to build it yourself or find a handy neighbor, friend, family member you could pay some money to to set one up for you.

Tin isn't so much a problem if youre using it as a roof, so long as it's well ventilated. It makes a great shade for my run. If it's used as a roof of a coop you could also have shade over it (tree, shade fabric) and/or paint it a color that reflects heat well.

I also have to fight with predators (Feral cats and loose dogs) You mainly need to make sure you have a strong frame for your run and find some good wire or mesh to put on it.

The sunny day remains!! Now if only I can get home to work on the build Of course the first really nice day has me without a vehicle and places to go. Lol

 

[Honeybunny_3]

Yes! I'm always that person looking for cheap/DIY/recycled fix to any project. Pallets are free, so why not use em, right? And I'm mainly just having to build a roof and door, gonna use the preexisting fence in the area as the walls.

I've never bought any premade coops, but the ones I've seen kinda suck. Mainly way too small and over priced. Honestly if you need something smaller scale, you probably do good to build it yourself or find a handy neighbor, friend, family member you could pay some money to to set one up for you.

Tin isn't so much a problem if youre using it as a roof, so long as it's well ventilated. It makes a great shade for my run. If it's used as a roof of a coop you could also have shade over it (tree, shade fabric) and/or paint it a color that reflects heat well.

I also have to fight with predators (Feral cats and loose dogs) You mainly need to make sure you have a strong frame for your run and find some good wire or mesh to put on it.

The sunny day remains!! Now if only I can get home to work on the build Of course the first really nice day has me without a vehicle and places to go. Lol

Ha, now you sound exactly like me, lol. No car and places to go. My daugthers car broke down so she is using mine to get to work.

As for the coop. Yes, everything on any site is poorly made and expensive so my 22 yo son decided to start on one today as the afternoon was nice and he was off from work today. Rain starts tomorrow's for the rest of the week. I had already bought all the wood and hardy plank sheets I needed for something else I had built so he is using it he leftovers. He has the frame and wire mostly done. The floor in the nest box and inside the coop is hardy plank so I can wash it easy. It's just a temporary coop until we can figure out what to put around the pond to keep them safe. Then I may get some chickens to put in this one when the ducks are grown and in their new coop. This one is built solid. Nothing will get into it.

I'm still deciding on the roof though. I have leftover metal sheets from my new roof. There isn't a lot of shade where the pond is. Do you think metal would be OK. We get to 115° in the summer here. I don't want baked ducks, lol. If I were to paint the sheet metal what color reflects heat the best? I'm thinking of using hardy plank on the roof too but if something were to jump on it and break it I don't want my ducks hit with it. I will probably just put plywood, cover with tar paper and then the metal over it. If my son can't finish it soon then , yes, I have a handy man that I hire for my projects. He is my lifesaver in so many ways. I hope you got to work on your coop today. Post pictures please when you are done.

 

[Honeybunny_3]

Tin doesn't kill but the heat does. If you have adequate ventilation and a large enough coop, you can do it. Ventilation is the key, so don't make an oven.

My original birds hung out under the coop in the cool dirt. Then the bananas grew up and now they hang out in the banana circle in the cool mulch/leaves/dirt. The important thing is a cool, well ventilated space. Lots of shade.

You don't get much rain, so the dirt is dry and can be hot. A mulch pile will hold more water and be good for a garden. Chickens and mulch piles are great together.

Interesting info, thank you. I read on a few reviews that the tin roof on their coop reflected the heat and killed their flock. I have no idea how big the coop was but I need to build mine around and over a pond. It's about a 10' x 5' x 2' deep pond so it's not big. It's for my ducks not chickens. I don't have any chickens but after my duck are grown I may attempt chickens.

You are so right. We don't get much rain and have been in a terrible drought for the past 15 years or so. Our heat is horrible as well. Well over 100° starting in May until September or October so I am very concerned about my ducks staying cool. Do ducks like mulch piles too? I'm trying to decide what to put on the ground around the pond for them too. Any suggestions for a roof and ground cover would be appreciated please. Thank you!

 

[Honeybunny_3]

I'd suggest getting one of those pre-built sheds from lowes or home depot before getting a habitat from tsc. All the reviews on them say they fall apart in a year.

There's an article on BYC about building a hoop house for your chickens. I am pretty sure it'd work just fine for ducks. I have ducks, and mine are hardier than my chickens. My ducks also just spent time in my little duck ponds if they think it's too hot. (I got the concrete mixing trays from lowes, and they're my little ponds).

My ducks will alert me if they find a snake, but I don't have the other predators you have... So it's possible I'm wrong about the hoop house.

Thank you Maddcatter! You are right about TSC. I spent 3 hours reading reviews and didn't like what I read. Today my daughter was on Amazon. Same thing. I didn't know Lowes and Home Depot had them. My son was off of work today and came over to build a temporary coop for them. We spent all afternoon framing it and putting the hardware wire on it. It's solid, nothing will get in there now, but it's way too small for 11 ducks. I can put them in this coop once it's done for a few hours during the day just for the time being while they are young. In 3 months it won't work so I need to build something or find something that we can build around a pond and put them in by then.

I will look at these 2 stores to see if what you are saying about a hoop house, which I have never heard of will work. My main concern are the big cats. They kill everything out here. I don't leave my pets outside for a minute by themselves come dusk. Too many neighbors have lost their beloved dogs and cats just letting them outside by themselves for 5 minutes. Nope!!!! Not doing that!!!

 

[Honeybunny_3]

I’m in East Texas! Near Center Texas. We live on a huge ranch in the middle of nowhere! Nice to meet some fellow Texans!

Nice to meet you too. I'm in Bulverde Texas, the beautiful, but hot as he-l hill country, lol.

 

[Honeybunny_3]

I'd suggest getting one of those pre-built sheds from lowes or home depot before getting a habitat from tsc. All the reviews on them say they fall apart in a year.

There's an article on BYC about building a hoop house for your chickens. I am pretty sure it'd work just fine for ducks. I have ducks, and mine are hardier than my chickens. My ducks also just spent time in my little duck ponds if they think it's too hot. (I got the concrete mixing trays from lowes, and they're my little ponds).

My ducks will alert me if they find a snake, but I don't have the other predators you have... So it's possible I'm wrong about the hoop house.

Where is the article on the hoop house on this site, please? I can't find it.

 

[janiedoe]

Thank you Maddcatter! You are right about TSC. I spent 3 hours reading reviews and didn't like what I read. Today my daughter was on Amazon. Same thing. I didn't know Lowes and Home Depot had them. My son was off of work today and came over to build a temporary coop for them. We spent all afternoon framing it and putting the hardware wire on it. It's solid, nothing will get in there now, but it's way too small for 11 ducks. I can put them in this coop once it's done for a few hours during the day just for the time being while they are young. In 3 months it won't work so I need to build something or find something that we can build around a pond and put them in by then.

I will look at these 2 stores to see if what you are saying about a hoop house, which I have never heard of will work. My main concern are the big cats. They kill everything out here. I don't leave my pets outside for a minute by themselves come dusk. Too many neighbors have lost their beloved dogs and cats just letting them outside by themselves for 5 minutes. Nope!!!! Not doing that!!!

Consider a large dog kennel with chain link. Just cover the whole thing in hardware cloth, top to bottom and frame the door in so there are no gaps. Be sure and use hardware cloth on the top too. You can put a small shelter in the middle or in a corner.