I have a couple of questions. OK, remember all the years I've been blogging I've been saying that "when I get moved out to the farm permanently I'm gonna have me some chickens"??? Welp, it's time. We have officially moved full-time out to the farm and I'm now calling it home. It'll take some getting used to but we are so excited!
We are walking around boxes and trying to find more little cubby-holes to store stuff. The tin garage is full, and the barn is taken up on one wall with our remaining furniture that we didn't sell. We found a rat out there that will have to move on. Stocked up on traps and poison last night. You know what's bugging me the most? My darling daughter's prom and pageant dresses. WHERE IN THE SAM HILL AM I GOING TO STORE THAT STUFF? I think I'm going to just get some big plastic bins and put them in there but then where am I going to put those bins? I told her if SHE didn't take them to a resale shop, then I WAS.
OK, back to chickens.
Question #1 -- When is the best time to get chicks? In the spring? Then you have to keep them warm and stuff. How do they do if you get them in the summer? Probably too dad-blamed hot right now in Texas, right?
Question #2 -- I don't think I need a whole gob of chickens - just enough for me & Tony, my folks and maybe a couple more people - neighbors. What do y'all think? Maybe 5-6 hens? I don't want a rooster to start with. Maybe later.
Question #3 -- Do y'all prefer a coop that is big enough for a human to walk into or a small one to start out with? Is it easier to clean a big coop than a small one?
Question #4 -- I probably need to put wire over the top of their run, right?
Question #5 -- How do you convert penned chickens into free range? Just start letting them out? Will they automatically start putting themselves back in the coop in the evening? Need to wait til they're large?
Question #6 -- What is y'all's favorite feed for them starting off? I know I can look all that stuff up, but I know that real people have special things that they like to feed.
Question #7 -- What are your favorite breeds to start with - easy, healthy, can take the Texas heat? I WILL have an Ameracauna for sure, because there's just something I love about the green eggs. You know I had a stray one come to my house and stay for 6 weeks before something got her. She laid me a green egg just about every single day. I even fixed her a box with a nest in it on my front porch. One day, she was just gone...
OK, that's enough for now. I hope to be swamped with all kinds of good chicken info - I've visited Backyard Chickens' website and a couple of others. That's a good site and I've enjoyed it. And all of you that have chickens, I've probably read all your posts on chicken upbringing over the last 3 years - just cuz I was so looking forward to having some of my own.
Now, ya wanna see sumpin funny?
CAN YOU BELIEVE ALL THAT HAIR? 1980's hair AND Southern AND Texan to boot! And all naturally curly. I used to fight it tooth and nail!!! Found this as I was moving and cleaning. Thought you might get a great laugh!!! (by the way, that's NOT a beer mug - I don't drink - my momma used those for iced tea...)
OK, that's all I can think of right now. Thank you so much! I'll be looking forward to hearing from you!
