Things you wish you knew starting out?

[Parront]

Oh yes I agree I am trying to get my sumatra hens, Ideal says order Jan pickup in Feb, a private breeder of SQ LF in north texas I offered $20 for their cull hens no idea if they will take me up on it told em all I care about is yellow feet. I want Texas reared hens as some of the Meyer's(OH) ones are constantly looking heat stressed. I feel I need approximately 10 fowl to help keep the natural nasties eaten or deprived of a food source. As soon as I can get those pullets sourced from somewhere they are going to be segregated(if private aquisitions I trust Ideals to not require isolation) until I know they are good then integrated to the flock.

If you can't find any, some local sex-links would be OK with the rooster!

 

[AllenK RGV]

In shopping for a place, I came across this one, and saved a photo since it approaches what I want to do for next chicken set-upView attachment 1160313
I like the shade and different runs, just need more access to the grass.

Those look to dark and lacking for ventilation to be proper chicken coops, you would probably need shade cloth as well over those metal cooking boxes in AZ, that is just my opinion ill give ya a shot of my idea of a coop in a photo in just a sec............

 

[Parront]

Those look to dark and lacking for ventilation to be proper chicken coops, you would probably need shade cloth as well over those metal cooking boxes in AZ, that is just my opinion ill give ya a shot of my idea of a coop in a photo in just a sec............

It was a hot summer day in Prescott, ~ 90. Not hot inside, they had vents on the sides that don't show in the photo. Not the sheds so much as the layout is what I liked. Liked the movable shade cloth they were using. The place had it's downsides, reasons we did not buy it, but the chicken yard was not one of them.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Even with all this ventilation and it being Oct it is still too hot for my guys, I still have to take apart another pallet to finish up my rat proffing this structure before I can roll the 2x4 fencing back over the face of the coop as well. Also I really need to mow I have stands of johnsongrass that is 4 feet high but the chicken love dirtbathing in that grass and riding out the noon to 5pm sunlight.

 

[AllenK RGV]

 

[AllenK RGV]

Being in Arizona, I see a few people here have heat hardy breeds. I am leaning towards some Naked Necks from Desertchick she has been breeding them to lay colored eggs. Big enough to eat, and pretty eggs. Not for show or anything fancy like a Sumatra, since I have a parrot for that!

But those Sumatra are so sweet and when the environmental conditions are right greet me with so much enthusiasm they are almost doglike

 

[Parront]

Even with all this ventilation and it being Oct it is still too hot for my guys, I still have to take apart another pallet to finish up my rat proffing this structure before I can roll the 2x4 fencing back over the face of the coop as well. Also I really need to mow I have stands of johnsongrass that is 4 feet high but the chicken love dirtbathing in that grass and riding out the noon to 5pm sunlight. View attachment 1160372

I like to be able to control the light in the house. I want at least one house that I can black out, even if I have to install a swamp cooler in it. Some people might think it is not OK, but the commercial chickens are raised with controlled lighting for a reason. Parrots also benefit from a lighting program.

 

[Parront]

But those Sumatra are so sweet and when the environmental conditions are right greet me with so much enthusiasm they are almost doglike

LOL

 

[Parront]

But we want to eat our chickens!

 

[AllenK RGV]

But we want to eat our chickens!

Well the hardest thing about rearing these things is getting your vegan wife to go along with you when discussing culling the flock for realistic reasons. I was watching the youtube video on the t-bar method for beheading then mentioned the direction the flock was going. Told her realistically I will try to list them on craigslist, but if I get no takers I will be slaughtering them. Her first response was "I will divorce you!" but you have to plant the seed of an idea and after she sleeps on it my reasoning usually makes sense to her. I used the word RAPE too when discussing what those roos will do and gladiator games when discussing the maiming of each other we will see. She will understand in the morning I bet.