Texas

[breezychick]

Hello my fellow Texans! I'm from Justin, near Texas Motor Speedway. Just got my first chickens in February.
I have 4 EE, two BO and 1 BA! So happy to see so many others near me.

 

[bartekcol]

I'm in Cross Roads, just South of Aubrey. Building my coop right now. Chicken tractor coming in Sunday. No Chickens yet---cuz here the Coop comes before the Chicken. My Heelers would have too much fun chasing them without protection.

 

[Tokemon]

I'm 30 miles west of Austin and 30 miles south of San Antone..Johnson City...Hill Country.

 

[boobooblueeyes]

Hey All, haven't been on in a while 'cause I've been student teaching over here in Conroe.

I set a whole bunch of eggs in March and then realized the eggs were set to hatch over Easter Weekend and then just the other day I saw the whole group that had set eggs to hatch for Easter on purpose. Well any way I set these eggs for my students but something (or a lot of somethings) happened and only 5 out of over 60 eggs hatched. So, now I have like 30 high school kids (who had no interest in anything I said or did until I said they could take home the chicks we hatched) that planned on taking home a chick and not enough chicks for all of them.

So now for the "real" reason I logged on today. I was just wondering if anyone close to me had hatched any chicks recently and if anyone has some "extra" chicks they may be willing to donate to these high school agriculture students. I have talked to them all about caring for the chicks and even sent home the "Backyard Chicken- Save a Chick" handout for their parents to read. If anyone is willing to help just let me know via e-mail and we can get together. My studens will really appreciate it and so will I and who knows maybe I can recruit a whole new generation of Backyard chicken owners.

 

[flowergirl60]

Quote:
I saw the segment it was great. I also went on the tour. That was great as well.

 

[allen wranch]

Welcome all !
Glad you enjoyed the tour.

boobooblueeyes
Sending kids, even teenagers, home with chicks is not a good idea. Despite the best intention of teachers and students, if the kids are not prepared for babies (what happens when the chick grows up?) nor have any experience with poultry, it is usually a disaster. Just like a kitten or a puppy, you have to be committed to the care of a BABY. The parents have to be committed along with the students.

Even if the students have the best set-up in the world and have studied extensively about Chickens, only one chick is not a good idea either. Chickens are social animals and do not thrive well without another chick for companionship.

How about keeping the five chicks in the classroom so that everyone can have a part in raising a "flock". They will have a better idea of how chickens interact with each other, etc. Have a contest about chick rearing and when summer break comes, let the most knowledgable student take the flock home for the summer (after inspecting where the chicks will reside). Next sememster, the students can design and build a coop for the school flock. A lot of schools do.

I never give hatching eggs to schools anymore. Most of the teachers are not as experienced as you, and have no idea what they are going to do with the birds when they hatch.

 

[hipeatall]

Quote:
I couldn't agree with you more... really great advice and such wonderful suggestions Allen Wranch!
I give hatching eggs to local schools "on loan" - - - meaning I bring them the eggs to hatch in class and then I go pick up the chicks a few days after they hatch.

 

[ROCKIN R FARM]

Quote:
I am not far from you at all. I am in Decatur off 287 and 407. Welcome to the group. I have EE's, Silkies, Silver laced Wydottes, Red sex links, Rhode Island Reds, Plymouth Red those are my large Fowl. I have cochins as well. Even a silkie Cochin, buffs, and a really pretty silver and gray bantam not sure what she is. These were given to my by my husband and he did not ask to many questions about them. And I have a silkie roo and 2 hens that I am going to get together here soon and hoping one of those hens is the one who just started laying eggs 3 days ago. And I have 9 babies out in their chicken tractor now they are A month and 2weeks saturday.
looking forward to hearing from you.
Deana

 

[ROCKIN R FARM]

Quote:
welcome to the group I am in Decatur not to far from you. Hubby and I built us a chicken tractor this weekend. So far so good. we did not get a chance to paint it as of yet. I thought I should paint it before we put the netting on but he said we can do it after. LOL
Let us know how your tractor turns out. I will be posting pics of mine as soon as I can figure out what my girls did with the cord I use for my phone to upload pics.
deana

 

[ROCKIN R FARM]

Quote:
HOW IS THE WEATHER YOUR WAY? I AM IN DECATUR TEXAS JUST NORTH OF FORT WORTH. WE HAVE BEEN UNDER STORMS FOR 2 DAYS NOW. THE SURROUNDING TOWNS HAVE BEEN GETTING HAIL DAMAGES,AND LOTS OF STRUCTURAL DAMAGES BUT SO FAR WE HAVE BEEN OKAY. JUST THE HIGH WINDS AND RAIN. WE DID LOOSE POWER FOR ABOUT AN HOUR YESTERDAY. I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GET SOME BAD WEATHER AT MY HOUSE BUT ALL WE GOT WAS JUST A FEW LARGE DROPS OF RAIN LOL. MY DAUGHTERS SAID IT REALLY RAINED IN TOWN AND THEY DID GET SOME HAIL BUT WAS NOT BAD. FROM MY HOUSE TOWN IS ONLY 15 MINUTES OR SO AWAY. HOPING YOU GET SOME RAIN.
DEANA