Posted on 02/17/2009 11:58:23 AM PST by Marie
I need some advice on chicken breeds. Where I live in Central Texas, in the summer it’s not uncommon for us to have a 6 week run of high temperatures going over 100’. So here’s what I’m looking for in my dual-purpose hens:
- I want girls that are temperature hardy that can handle the heat. (I know that I’m going to have to help any chicken survive a severe, prolonged heat-wave, [fresh water, misters, shade, etc.] but I don’t want to suffer 50% losses just because I was stupid enough to get birds which were never bred to handle it in the first place.) They also have to be able to survive a cold snap. (I’m not as worried about the cold. We’ll have a very well constructed coop with electricity.)
- I’m looking for decent layers who would average 80-100 medium eggs a year. (An egg every three or four days. Not asking for much there.)
- Good brooders/excellent mothers. Forget any breeds which are non-setters.
- Friendly enough to be approached by humans. (I’d prefer more docile birds, but I know that we can’t have everything we want. I’d rather have tough birds that live than sweet birds that can’t survive.)
For my roosters, I’m considering getting a completely different breed than that of the hens. These guys need to be just as weather-hardy, but MUCH friendlier and size-compatible with the hens.
Just in case there are others with a similar question, I discovered that our local university has an extensive ag department and is an excellent resource for all things farming.
Also see this chart Henderson's Chicken Breed Chart
I am also in Central Texas (Waco) and have a small flock of Rhode Island Reds. They are pretty docile (even the roosters) and a couple of mine went broody last spring (although I didn’t let them keep the eggs). I’m going to let one of them raise some chicks this year just to see how it goes.
They seem to do ok in the heat as long as they have some shade and plenty of water. I bought a waterer like this at the local feedstore.
http://www.strombergschickens.com/images/founts/FT2500_L.jpg
It’s easy to clean and works well except when it gets too cold, then I have to shut it off and use a gravity type waterer.
One thing I would mention is to make your chicken house and run into Fort Knox. A few years ago, over a period of about 2 months, we lost a flock of 2 dozen chickens to raccoons, dogs, and hawks. When we bought more chicks again this spring, we built a very secure house and run and I now have the bravest chickens in the west. My irish wolfhound jumps at the fence and barks at them and they just look at him. Sometimes if he gets too close they peck his nose and he gets his feelings hurt.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Good luck!
I would suggest Buff Orpingtons - I have them and not only are they a larger bird, but they are very family friendly.
Mine are averaging 80% laying an egg a day right now - and increasing as we approach spring.
Oh, Central Texas does get colder in the winter too - they can handle it.
You might be interested in a couple of FR threads on this type of subject, including gardening, chickens, goats, recipes, and lots and lots more...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=1
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2181392/posts?q=1&;page=1
nice site bump for later....
I just read an article in Hobby Farms magazine on chickens. The article is not on line yet, but here is the issue.
http://www.hobbyfarms.com/hobby-farms-table-contents/hobby-farms-march-april-2009.aspx
Black Australorps is what I raise. Just got 100 from Ideal Hatchery. Big calm birds, lay big brown eggs (I like brown eggs). Laid all summer until Ike hit us. Good around children, the roosters are calm.
www.backyardchickens.com
www.homesteadingtoday.com
B.A.’s “are” what I raise.....
Wish my boss would not ask questions during my break.
Work always getting in the way!
The particular chicken ranch I was referring to was just outside of Brenham ... ZZ Top did a song about it
You know what I'm talkin about ...
I would suggest Buff Orpingtons - I have them and not only are they a larger bird, but they are very family friendly.
Mine are averaging 80% laying an egg a day right now - and increasing as we approach spring.
Oh, Central Texas does get colder in the winter too - they can handle it.
You might be interested in a couple of FR threads on this type of subject, including gardening, chickens, goats, recipes, and lots and lots more...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=1
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2181392/posts?q=1&;page=1
Oh, that kind, yes, I know exactly what you are taking about it.. we had a Chicken Ranch steak house right outside of Longview about ten years ago.. the Baptists ran it off..
Oh, I remember getting behind one of the trucks from a chicken plant one time. Oh, I thought I would die of the smell!!
Goats are also on the list. I was raised around goats and it’s sort of the family “thing”. :-)
At least with the goats I’m not starting from scratch!
Thank you!
I was leaning toward the Australorps already. I’ll look into the Buff Orpingtons.
Thank you for the advice.
We’re starting out small. I’ve NEVER dealt with chickens before so I’m sure I’ll have a lot of questions in the beginning.
Goats, dogs, cats, snakes, rabbits... those I can do. I’m sure it will be an interesting first year with the birds.
My DH is all over the coop and the chicken run plans. He’s going to start with a foot deep trench filled with concrete with barbed wire running beside it. Two layers of wire fencing. A roof on the run (for protection and shade). Misters on the roof of the run to keep them cool in the summer. I have a feeling that our chickens won’t have much to worry about! lol!
Do you have any idea about how many square feet per chicken is required for the run?
Marie darlin’, you just started one of FR’s famous thousand post threads. Sit back and enjoy the show, these are always a lot of fun.
I don’t know if there is a rule of thumb for the size of the run, but my chickens stay outside at least 90% of the daylight hours, so I’d say to make it as big as you can.
We have a chicken yard for 22 chickens that is about 20x20 feet, which is plenty big. My husband is a fence builder, so he built a yard out of 8’ tall chain link fence sunk 1 foot in the ground in concrete with a chicken wire top. They have shade from nearby trees. If it rains, they go inside.
Something I wish I had given more thought to is mud. Chicken yard mud is disgusting! This weekend I’m going to rake all of last year’s elm leaves and put them into a pile to use as litter in the yard because it’s getting too slimy gross with the recent rains. I use hay in the chicken house, but it would be too expensive to use in the yard!
Wasn't it a little closer to La Grange?
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