Texas

[KnobbyOaks]

This is what I've done with mine. I should add that the PVC feeder inside didn't work and I added a couple vents on the north wall that I'm able to seal in really cold temps. Good luck with yours!
http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab207/slick4591/Chicken House/

Slick, that's a great looking coop with many good ideas. Like your working shutters.

 

[slick4591]

Thank you. I put a lot of thought into it and looked at many designs before deciding what would work for us. I may end up insulating it and covering with inside walls, but haven't made up my mind. I also have a three bay aviary that works well.

 

[texasmomma]

I just found this thread. We are in the DFW area. Our neighbor gave us her chickens in August and I've been buying chicks ever since. we have a variety of breeds, and I keep wanting more. My dh is busy making me a mobile coop, but is working on finding ways to keep the raccoons out of our current coop. We lost a Pullet this week and the 'coon was back last night. Didn't get anybody, but it was sure trying. I have some eggs in an incubator and plans for more when they are done.

We are really enjoying the chickens and my kids are, too.

 

[LightningTFarm]

I just found this thread. We are in the DFW area. Our neighbor gave us her chickens in August and I've been buying chicks ever since.

we have a variety of breeds, and I keep wanting more. My dh is busy making me a mobile coop, but is working on finding ways to keep the raccoons out of our current coop. We lost a Pullet this week and the 'coon was back last night. Didn't get anybody, but it was sure trying. I have some eggs in an incubator and plans for more when they are done.
We are really enjoying the chickens and my kids are, too.

If you want to keep the coons out you will have to use welded wire on your coop, not chicken wire or cyclone fencing as they can reach right through those and grab a chicken. Also, do you lock your chickens up in the coop at night, or let them stay out in the run?

 

[jockeyeba]

Hi, I live in the community of Sheridan, about 70 odd miles west of Houston.  This is a great site.  I like to look at everyone's coops.

Welcome Kathy

 

[jockeyeba]

Hello from Orange Grove (1 hour North of Corpus).

I moved from North Idaho to South Texas in October of last year.  I didn't bring any of my birds with me :-( but we had purchased 5 guinea keets a while back cause the ticks are HORRID!  Unfortunately, dummy me forgot to put them up last week and I lost all 4 of them :-(  They were my little buddies and the only birds I am allowed to have till I get my coup built are guineas. 

If ANYONE has 3-5 guinea keets in the area that they are willing it sell - please let me know.  I will be traveling to San Antonio the first weekend in November for the festival and could pick them up on Sunday on the way home. 

thank you

allison

 

Hi live on the edge of San Antonio & I know a place where I've seen a whole lot of guinea's, I'll check to see if they have any for sale if you haven't already found some....

 

[bnjrob]

I should add that the PVC feeder inside didn't work

What was the problem with your PVC feeder? We're using them for grit and oyster shell and are planning on using them for feed inside small breeding coops. Ours have worked fine - only problems have been with the chickens playing rough with them and knocking the bottoms of them off occasionally since we didn't want to glue them together.

 

[slick4591]

What was the problem with your PVC feeder?  We're using them for grit and oyster shell and are planning on using them for feed inside small breeding coops.  Ours have worked fine - only problems have been with the chickens playing rough with them and knocking the bottoms of them off occasionally since we didn't want to glue them together.

Friction. I couldn't find the correct angle to evenly disperse the feed through the tube. It would either all collect at the end and be at the overflow point or just get to the second hole and stop. Ended up hanging a purchased one from the rafter.

 

[bnjrob]

Friction. I couldn't find the correct angle to evenly disperse the feed through the tube. It would either all collect at the end and be at the overflow point or just get to the second hole and stop. Ended up hanging a purchased one from the rafter.

That's weird. Sometimes I'll get a hang-up coming out of the fill tube but I just have to stick my finger into it and that will release the grit/shell to fall into the trough. We cut rectangles into the pipe to make an open trough, rather than just putting round holes into the pipe. We used two 45 degree elbows put together instead of one 90 degree elbow to make a slightly less angled bend going from fill pipe to trough pipe.

Nothing like a little trial and error to try to get things to work. Have to see how they work in the new breeder houses we're getting ready to start on since we haven't tried feed in them yet.

 

[KnobbyOaks]

Does anyone on this thread have chickens AND leaf cutter ants? I am having a royal battle with them hauling off the chick starter. Suspending it doesn't help, greasing the chain doesn't help, turning duck tape inside out doesn't help. How do you manage it?