TULSA area Cluckers

[lonnyandrinda]

Here Merlin is today, with our 10 year old aussie mix Izzy. He was born in June so he's... 7 months old.


He has the most gorgeous piercing eyes.

 

[miohippus]

Here Merlin is today, with our 10 year old aussie mix Izzy. He was born in June so he's... 7 months old.


He has the most gorgeous piercing eyes.

so pretty(handsome) love the blue eyes!!!

 

[spunkychickenmomma]

Rinda~

What kind of new breeds do you have?

 

[lonnyandrinda]

...

Rinda~

What kind of new breeds do you have?
[/quote


Reaching maturity are double laced barnevelders (black), exchequer leghorn, and jubilee Orpington. Next behind them are croad langshans. Then still very young are Swedish flowers, gold-laced brahmas, and more baronies in blue, black, splash. I also have 3 silver spitzhabens 2 weeks old from eggs given me at the Shawnee show, we will see if I get at least a pair. When you have 9 acres how can you say no to one more pretty breed? ;-) gotta get some of them laying to sell eggs and chicks though or the feed bill is going kill me!

 

[Mattok1]

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum and just spent the last oh... 6 or 7 hours reading through this thread? Haha.
I grew up on a farm in Collinsville but have been away since I was 20 and have even lived in the city (Tulsa) in an apt (something I said I would NEVER do) for the last year. Now that I'm settling down a bit (at 26) I think I'm ready to start looking at something a bit more permanent. Since I'm a teacher in an inner-city school I am looking at houses in town but I want enough of a backyard to keep my allotted 6 hens, a garden, and possibly some bees (my dream). After reading through this I REALLY want some BCMs and I had a flock of buff orpingtons growing up so I'd like to try some blacks.
I'm going to search this but maybe you all can answer it. What size lot should I be looking at for what I'm thinking about? I think a quarter acre is too small but I could be wrong. I don't want more than 1.5 or at the VERY max 2. I had 2.5 at one point and it was way too much for me. Plus, that's not a realistic lot size for in town and my price range.
Anyway, thank you guys for all of the insight I have already gained and everything I look forward to learning from you!

 

[lonnyandrinda]

First off make sure you know the zoning rules. Avoid Rogers County; except for Claremore city limits they are VERY unfriendly to poultry. Many people have chickens but if a neighbor complains you will not have a legal standing to keep them.

Same thing for bees. City of Tulsa allows you 4 hives legally. You need to read the requirements to be sure but I remember they had to be 20 feet from the property line and you had to have a screen, hedge, fence, or break in the direction of the hive opening (so the bees fly up and out, not low across your neighbor's yard). You also must provide a source of water to they don't become a nuisance at birdbaths and pools. If a neighbor complains (they may even call the police) as long as you only have 4 hives you are well within your legal limits and they can do nothing. We find sharing honey goes a LONG way with neighbors.

As far as size, we had 2/3 acre and it was way more than enough for the 30-ish chickens we had. I'd say you will be most happy with 1/2 acre. If you wanted a few fruit trees too or something you might go for more of an acre, but 1/2 acre should be more than enough for what you are wanting to do.

 

[Mattok1]

First off make sure you know the zoning rules.  Avoid Rogers County; except for Claremore city limits they are VERY unfriendly to poultry.  Many people have chickens but if a neighbor complains you will not have a legal standing to keep them.

Same thing for bees.  City of Tulsa allows you 4 hives legally.  You need to read the requirements to be sure but I remember they had to be 20 feet from the property line and you had to have a screen, hedge, fence, or break in the direction of the hive opening (so the bees fly up and out, not low across your neighbor's yard).  You also must provide a source of water to they don't become a nuisance at birdbaths and pools.  If a neighbor complains (they may even call the police) as long as you only have 4 hives you are well within your legal limits and they can do nothing.  We find sharing honey goes a LONG way with neighbors.

As far as size, we had 2/3 acre and it was way more than enough for the 30-ish chickens we had.  I'd say you will be most happy with 1/2 acre.  If you wanted a few fruit trees too or something you might go for more of an acre, but 1/2 acre should be more than enough for what you are wanting to do.

Thank you! From reading through all the history on this thread I figured you would be the first to give me some help You have helped a lot of people on here.
I have read through and feel I have a pretty good idea of the rules (which I think may make my realtor crazy haha especially the privacy fence or hedge for bees since I'd RATHER it already be there) though the one about the coop having an easily cleanable floor (don't remember the exact wording)... Is the ground considered an easy-to-clean floor? Or maybe wood chips that I can scoop and replace every so often?
Thank you for the lot size suggestions. I was hoping I could get away with half so that's great
Starting to get excited! I have no idea when I'll be ready but do you still sell Marans? And do you sell yours as chicks or only hatching eggs? Either way is fine as my mom has an incubator I can borrow.

 

[jaudon77]

Just thought I would pop in and say hello! I am all the way up in South Coffeyville, OK

I'm new to all of this and have been following along in the other Oklahoma forum.

Does anyone have any experience with shipped eggs?

I bought some off EBAY and the lady wants to ship out today. We just got hit with a cold front. Do you think they will be alright in these temps? They are coming from Texas?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Thank you! From reading through all the history on this thread I figured you would be the first to give me some help

You have helped a lot of people on here.
I have read through and feel I have a pretty good idea of the rules (which I think may make my realtor crazy haha especially the privacy fence or hedge for bees since I'd RATHER it already be there) though the one about the coop having an easily cleanable floor (don't remember the exact wording)... Is the ground considered an easy-to-clean floor? Or maybe wood chips that I can scoop and replace every so often?
Thank you for the lot size suggestions. I was hoping I could get away with half so that's great

Starting to get excited! I have no idea when I'll be ready but do you still sell Marans? And do you sell yours as chicks or only hatching eggs? Either way is fine as my mom has an incubator I can borrow.

You are very welcome! I should have mentioned too that on that 2/3 acre we also had about 10 beehives. We were outside Tulsa city limits so we just tried to be kind to neighbors. And those were are small hives that needed nursing, the big hives are out at our other locations.

I have eggs and chicks in all my breeds. Come summer I should also have young pairs and trios. The first batch of Marans are set to hatch in about 10 days, but there are only 3 eggs in there. I have 4 or 5 hens but only 2 are laying so far. I just set my first "big" batch of eggs this weekend, 94 eggs.

Mostly Cream Legbars, but also BCM, barnevelder X BCM, Isbar, and a few Sapphires (Cream Legbar X White Leghorn). I'd better get the brooders set up this week....

Easily cleanable floor- no don't use the ground/open floor pen. Eventually it will start to stink especially if you ever keep your waterer inside the coop. The easiest floor to clean is to buy a remnant of linoleum and tack it down onto the floor (boards or plywood) since you can scrape it with a shovel or spatula when needed and then use either shavings, straw, wood chips, etc. on top. A lot of people love using sand and scooping the poop out each day with a cat litter scooper.

Just thought I would pop in and say hello! I am all the way up in South Coffeyville, OK

I'm new to all of this and have been following along in the other Oklahoma forum.

Does anyone have any experience with shipped eggs?

I bought some off EBAY and the lady wants to ship out today. We just got hit with a cold front. Do you think they will be alright in these temps? They are coming from Texas?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

I've shipped eggs for about a year. I should ask first did you pay for the more expensive, faster Express shipping or is she shipping them regular (priority)? If she does Express shipping they will probably be OK as they should arrive Thursday. If she does regular shipping no they will not be OK, it's supposed to be well below freezing on Thursday night which will severely affect your hatch rate.

 

[Mattok1]

Ohhh ok those floors make more sense.
Will be driving around a couple houses today to see what the neighborhoods are like and, if they are possibilities, looking inside later this week. Fingers crossed!