A day in our lives with our chickens and a garden update

[@dailynature3712]

In my childhood I had read three days to see. This video take me back to the past that how much is precious every single day of the life. Your spending one day with chickens means that you really love nature.

[@artushgukasyan3229]

The sand part is smart 👍💯thanks for that 🤔🙏🌞🌝

[@polavink2184]

very healing video

[@zochin5024]

Нямбай цэгцтэй харагдаж байна. Сонирхолтой видео оруулдагт баярллаа. Амжилт хүсэе ээ

[@victorflores9790]

Thank you for the video

[@carmalitayanock9584]

Howdy neighbor! We live in east Texas too. Between Warren & Woodville.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Awesome 👍

[@phuongvo3051]

I love the inside chicken coop , it’s like their fancy hotel , I just love it 😍

[@magpie5710]

Your chicken coop is beautiful. Your housekeeping is to be commended. Lucky birds.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 🙂

[@ivi122]

That is one beautiful coop and run! Great job. Those chickens are spoiled 👍🏼😊

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks 👍

[@dutralens4822]

good job!

[@ronkane4426]

You and your dear wife do such a wonderful job of keeping your homestead beautiful and neat. You're an inspiration! Your chicken coop is awesome. Thanks for the tour. Ron and Gloria

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you, I really appreciate that.

[@A_Yankee_In_East_Texas]

Great idea you have with the platform under the roosts. It seems to help keep the entire area cleaner and localizes the manure for easier gathering.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@Phuongmy16]

Love this coop very nice 👍 thanks 🌹🌹

[@alenewalker2372]

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us. I love the chicken coop--now I have to remodel mine with your great ideas. I love your clean an ordered life style. I get so involved in your videos that I have to pull myself away to do MY chores! I think your chickens live in a palace!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you, now I have to convince my wife that I have a clean and orderly life style. 🙂

[@susanknaebel2124]

Thanks Pete! Got baby chicks a month ago, the coop built , about to fence around it and know how we want it after watching this. Being able to see it with your chickens living happy and healthy makes it clear. Now we know exactly how we'll finish ours.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@WeepingWillow422]

I love sunflower seeds, too! I love when they are added to multigrain bread. Can I stop by sometime and snack on some seeds with your chickens? 😉😉😉

[@jamesbond1519]

I'm going to copy your method. I really like the cat litter scope. Cleaning up the poop is the part of raising chickens I don't like. But your methods makes it so easy.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks, catching the poop under the roosting bars is the key. I have tons of it to put into compost piles or put in my back to Eden garden this fall.

[@maryisabell8760]

It is ALWAYS a ‘Hit or Miss’ with gardening . People don’t realize there is many things that have to fall in place . It depends on wild animals , disease , bugs , and the weather to have a successful garden .

[@michaelpalosaari9460]

This is such a cool video. Besides building that awesome run, its fairly easy to care for chickens it looks like. Who knew that the weeds from your old garden would be great for your fowl! How cool. I echo what Ron Kane shared about your property. Looks great and I am excited to watch more of your videos. Oh... really appreciate the ideas of REALLY weather proofing your posts (for the run and the fencing). Oil, diesel fuel and the tar. I have learned some about charring the wood as well that helps harden it and preserve it. Old timers really knew what they were doing!

[@CountryLivingExperience]

I like the new camera work Pete. It helps tell the story. Nice.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you my friend, I'm trying.

[@ms.guiiabrooks2782]

I am new to Lufkin... Thank you for your great tips. Our babies Come in April.

[@Goldi-Luc]

Very enjoyable :) mine love home grown sunflower heads too. I even grew some smaller sunflowers that make small seeds for my corturnix quail. Such an easy great treat for the birds.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Awesome 👍

[@zlifehomestead9772]

I love this video. Great job and thank you for sharing! :)

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 🙂

[@ritamccartt-kordon283]

Your dogs are nice! My Sister and her Husband have a Doby! Great dog! I really like your chicken run!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you

[@cheryldahl9192]

I've had chickens my whole life. I only buy eggs when we don't have chickens who are old enough to lay and/or when they are molting (and not laying) and I was shocked at how pale the yokes are! I couldn't believe it was normal for store boughten eggs. I'm used to bright orange (pumpkin shade) yokes! chickens are awesome.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@vforsejrv7801]

It look sooo fine but you just need some environment in your run. Some stones, some small hills, some plants, some nature branches, a sandbox ect. The hens will be so happy and it will look even better 😊 Thanks for sharing👍🏻😊😊

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you, I did put a natural branch in there. Thanks for the ideas 👍

[@VIVAFPV]

rooster is a lucky guy :)

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@evelynrogers7145]

That’s a really nice coop

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you

[@rfoehn5215]

I love dobies! Best dog I ever had!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Yep the are awesome and act like little spoiled kids 🙂

[@roflstomps324]

I love your setup. I am doing much the same but, for the roost, I am doing a straight drop through. I will basically have it plastic sided (so the poop doesn't stick so easy and is easier to wash off). I will wire up the bottom with half inch fencing to keep the pests out. Putting a little door on there will allow me to pick the poop up when it gets to where I want it in the compost pile. Again, love your setup. I especially love how you are bringing the pasture to them. A different thing I am going to do is have a setup, much like yours, but with a second run. I will keep them in one run and use their own poop to seed the other run. Once the other run gets all weedy and full of grass, I will open another door and let them run there until the first run is weedy and full of grass. Basically, free range without the murders.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you, and you have some great ideas. 👍

[@davidvelen9835]

Sprinkle some yellow sulfur powder on your feet , ankles, around the top of your waist and it will repel the chiggers. You can order in now on Amazon. I grew up on acreage in FL and we used it all the time it really helps as the chigger bites are no fun at all. Your coop and run look really nice.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@RiverPlaid]

Great video, love the channel. 🌸

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 🙂

[@jameshack485]

I saw your earlier video about the clay soil you have there. It will take years to improve but you are on the right track. I agree you should have your chickens scratch through the garden to manage the bugs and weeds. I would also suggest starting some compost piles in that overgrown garden. Get all the leaves you can in autumn and just pile them up. By spring you should have some usable compost for your orchard garden. Good luck

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Good idea, thanks

[@aaronwilkinson8963]

I have seen on KZbin some people get Gini fowl if they have problems with ticks and mites because apparently they eat them. You can keep them out side because they are more weary of predators as they originate from Africa

[@chanamoriel8696]

If you run your chickens thru your garden that will fix the bugs. You can use a portable chicken tractor for their safety and move it once or twice a day. Just a thought. Also, use Vick's vapor rub on chigger bites. It kills the larvae and stops the itch in its tracks.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@KrysDuh904]

Love your content! Just got chickens ourselves only 4. Building our coop now. Just want to get all the info I can get for raising our ISA browns!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@ritabrunetti381]

Hello Pete & family. Just started watching some of your old videos. I've subscribed and hope to see how you're doing.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks for subbing. We've made a lot of mistakes in our older videos but that's how we learn.

[@ritabrunetti381]

@@petebeasttexashomesteading We need all the help we can get!

[@lucywellman9988]

Great video. Love the black rooster could you tell me what breed he is

[@michellecross1810]

Hello I'm from southeast Texas, was that litter under where they Roost, and Love Their Hen House do you have a video of it, more of it.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I have a platform under the roost bars with sand on it and scoop the poop out with a metal kitty litter scooper. I have some videos on my chicken coop build here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpC0Yo2IodeHZrc

[@georgesmith7773]

6 mil black plastic sheeting lasts pretty good. i got a roll from Lowe's two years ago. wrapped my water cubes and put it under some bins in the yard. have had to mow and haven't had any green stuff in the water. also saw it at home depot, and mccoys was cheaper. comes in 20'x100' rolls. haven't seen it at TSC.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks

[@rebeccareser4824]

you have to burn the holes in the garden weave if you cut it it will ravel just burn holes for each plant.

[@cherylangel1714]

If you are afraid to pick them up, how do you eat their eggs? I love petting mine. It makes them friendly.

[@StarShine-Ranch]

I hope you are giving them grit and oyster shell for good digestion, preventing egg binding, and strong egg shells! Nice coop, but I don't think they like swings. Try solid perches instead!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks, yes they have access to oyster shell grit and I did build them a solid perches too.

[@kaseycasece1340]

young man, best thing u can do about your old garden let your chickens go into your old garden / this way every thing will be clean up

[@okgentfarmer]

Really well done video Pete. I took several screenshots of the coop. The one I built about 10 years has held up well, keeps my hens safe and comfortable but it's part of my barn and I want to move them closer to the garden. Planning to build a new one this summer and got a lot of great ideas from yours, thanks for sharing. How you keep their water from freezing in the winter?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you, The winters here are mild and we don't have to worry about water freezing.

[@eddielane9569]

I used chicken manure in my garden when I was a kid and my okra got over 7' tall. In fact I had to use a ladder to pick the top few feet of it. We got so much okra that we had to give it away. It continued to produce way past it's time but we weren't bothered by that. The rest of the garden did great too. Chicken manure is one of the best fertilizers going. What kind of chickens do you have?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Yes chicken manure has lots of nitrogen and will make veggies grow but don't use fresh chicken manure on root veggies because of nasty bacteria's it carries. The chickens I have are Rhode island reds and blue Andalusian.

[@nickmcneal727]

What is that black box in the coop, next to the feed bend.?

[@carolineshomestead2560]

Pete, what kinds of chickens do you have? Looks like Rhode Island Reds.? I have Golden Comets, ISA Browns and White Leghorns. Love them! Also; I work at TSC and I use Dumor Organic. It’s made by the same company as Natures Best by Kreamer Feeds out of PA. Same stuff. It’s a great feed. Dumor is our house brand.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I have 11 Rhode island reds and three Blue Andalusian's but the blue Andalusian hens are not great egg layers.🙁 Thanks for the information too. 👍

[@doubleg8928]

Dumor aka Purina?

[@carolineshomestead2560]

Double G so the yellow bags of regular Dumor is Purina. The organic green bags are made by Kreamer Feeds who makes Natures Best organics.

[@kevinxero]

Any luck with those swings you made? Many people keep telling me that they need to be thicker and attached on four corners for stability otherwise they fall off. I've yet to place any in my run area. Just curious

[@claytonmorris9938]

How many times a week do y’all feed da chickens

[@aaronwilkinson8963]

I used to work on a farm that bread pheasants and when I go into their pen to collect eggs you would just find them and they look like they are asleep then you touch them and they are stone cold dead. Healthy fat birds just die in their sleep sometimes.

[@brianwhite9555]

Since it's already fenced in, your overgrown garden might be a great place to raise a couple of feeder pigs. They would would root up and eat all of the grass and weeds in one season, then you could butcher them. Then you could rake everything smooth, lay down that black plastic landscape fabric, plant your garden. No need to move everything to the orchard area. Just a thought! Also, did you cut open that dead chicken to check for problems? Egg bound? Parasites?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks for the garden idea, I didn't cut the chicken open. She was fine the day before but yeah she was probably egg bound or had parasites.

[@mberry6025]

Hi Pete. My husband and I love your videos and have watched them all while building our coop. What kind of sand do you put in the tray area under the roosting perches? I think you mentioned it in a video but I can’t remember which one.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you, I use an all purpose sand or paver base sand that might have very small pebbles in it.

[@jackicomber8534]

Run some chickens through your garden it will help with bugs and weeds

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I would do that but I'm worried that the chickens would be dinner for a coyote or a raccoon.

[@stantheman5163]

Dobermans? Are they just for petting? :-)

[@sqwrrl]

Pete B. Putting your chickens in that garden means with electric fencing, I think, and putting out some low shelters every so often, that they can run under in case of aerial threat. I have read that you do lose one every now and then when you free range. It’s not if, but when. So it’s a risk but mine are so much happier.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

They would definitely do a very good job of keeping the coyotes and other pest out of that garden.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I thought about it but I would hate to lose a chicken after all the work and time raising them. I would also have to either raise the fence a bit or clip their wings.

[@sqwrrl]

Was that a new garden this year? First year garden for us was mediocre, second year it went gangbusters, and this third year it was marginal again. It seems the cold persisted early in the season and I couldn’t set out my plant starts and they got lanky and languished indoors. And the weeds wouldn’t stop. I worked so hard at the weeding and it was constant. Yes it is so much work.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

It was our third year and we had nitrogen issues with it last year. The weeds kept getting worse every year too until we just couldn't keep up any more.

[@tonysheppard8634]

Yeap Run your chickens there all day and they clean up it in a week ,no need to give up Siggy

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@lynnfox5108]

Pete, I am really impressed with your chicken run. Can you tell me roughly how much it would cost to build it?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you but when I was building the chicken run I mix up all the receipts with the receipts from the chicken coop, so I really don't know.

[@ericcasarez1003]

You ever been told you have a slight Polish-American accent. I live in south Texas with mainly Polish-American and Mexican-American folks and you sound like you are from around these parts.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

People always say I sound like someone they know. 🙂

[@fairy_3535]

Work Smarter not Harder use a flathead shovel sharpen the edge and you can scrap off the weeds do it 3 or 4 times most weeds will die the stubborn ones pull by hand

[@rondaadams1967]

Hi ,I love your coop could you give me dimension of coop and run. And height from ground to floor of coop. I have a cheap China coop and want to build one . I live in the city limits so I can only have 10 hens no roosters , but I have one he looks similar to your handsome boy.

[@lunaflamed]

Ever seen Justin Rhodes KZbin channel? He uses a LOT of Premier 1 Portable Electric Poultry Fencing. He has inspired MANY Homesteaders to use Premier 1. I will be buying the extra tall fencing that is meant to stay in place for a long time.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Yes I have and I was going to buy that fencing but it won't stop the birds of prey. 🙁

[@lunaflamed]

I’ve heard that randomly strung easily seen light rope/ cordage above the chicken area deters raptors as they are afraid of slamming into and getting ‘clotheslined’ / tangled up in the cordage.

[@roflstomps324]

@@lunaflamed Nah, not really. If the bird wants the chicken, it will take it. Crows especially will get your chickens. I've seen hawks swoop down into and onto netting on fruit trees to pick off a bird that was eating fruit within reach. Many a times have I flung a netting back over a tree for this reason.

[@jerianobebebe7499]

That is a ten thousand dollar chicken coop; does it have central air?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

😂👍

[@barbjanderson7559]

Hi, I'm new to your channel and enjoying learning about raising chickens for future reference. Question is how healthy or unhealthy is it to have been eating eggs from chickens that die the next day. Chances are something unhealthy was going on with a chicken that looks healthy but dies.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Most likely if the hen dies the next day they are egg bound, I had one die that way about a year ago. As far as it being healthy or not, I wouldn't worry about it. Do some research on hens being egg bound to learn more.

[@cheryldahl9192]

What is the litter stuff you use? is that dirt or something else? Nice idea. Nm, you say it's sand eventually :)

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I use sand under the roosting bars so it's easy to collect their poop and wood shavings on the coop floor.

[@robindevellen7038]

Put a chicken tractor in your garden. Let them chickens work.

[@Jonzuber]

Do you ever feed your chickens crack corn or meal bugs?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

We give the meal worms and chicken scratch for treats almost everyday.

[@mmws.....makingmoneywhiles6181]

Is the that play sand your cleaning

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Play sand or paver base sand is good.

[@heystarfish100]

Hello Sir, I’m new to your channel and have been binge watching your videos on the chickens. You seem to take great care in their raising. Question; Why don’t you wear a dust mask when sifting the manure. Not doing so seems it might put you at a health risk. I have no idea, I never owned a chicken. What say you?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Yep, a dust mask is a good idea.

[@Jonzuber]

If you had a greenhouse for your chickens l’m sure the critics would complain about that as well?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@judygagnon3553]

Diotomacious Earth in and around your garden. Do you give your chicks squashes and stuff from your garden? I didn't see any calcium for your chicks...have you thought about giving them some of that. You might want to check with people in the know about possible reasons your chick died, to see if you should treat others. You and your wife are amazing and I only wish you every success.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you, yes we do give our chicken calcium from both crushed egg shells and oyster shells and we also give them all the plants and weed from our garden. Someone commented that the chicken could have died from being egg bound.

[@judygagnon3553]

Oh wow, yes I've heard of that happening. Any idea how or why that happens?

[@ivyandroses4373]

What size of wire do you recommend for the walls ? Thanks

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I have 1/2 inch hardware cloth on the walls of the chicken run.

[@markmccaffrey6434]

Pete where did you get those two waterers? I like those.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Tractor supply has them.

[@numptyjames1]

they will clear that garden in a few months

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I would love to do that but unfortunately the hawks would get them 😞

[@MyChannel-wn1it]

Burning roasted coffee. Put it in burn coal the smoke off it drive away flies and bugs etc which is make it easier to live the re

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@walterrussell7584]

Was it egg bound

[@MauiGecko]

Who built your coop?

[@ivi122]

I believe he did

[@unicornbunny6190]

Chicken manure r best for beet root, carrot n peppers family. At least thats where we use our chicken manure compose. Cheers... You seem to have big area... Why not grow corn( NOT GMO type) for chicken feed..

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Non GMO corn would be a good idea. Thanks

[@agmefaquino3260]

You have biggest property and you get more animal like horses or cow or goat Or more dog

[@agmefaquino3260]

Do you kids with your wife is helping each Other will have more Vegetables some will grow your garden and fruits

[@mirzashahzaibmumtazbeg306]

What are the dimensions of your run??

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

10' x 24' feet

[@craftingwithnathalie74]

What kind of sand did you use?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

It's a general purpose sand, you could use play sand too.

[@chickenheavenonearth9430]

Your chicken might have died from Coccidiosis. I had several chickens die from Coccidiosis when I was using galvanized metal waterers and feeders, after changing my water containers to 55-gallon food grade barrels with automatic fill poultry cups and changed their feed containers to stainless steel pots and ceramic baking dishes, I have had no more chickens mysteriously dropping dead. Galvanized metal deteriorates and gets in the birds system. This also significantly reduced my work load as well. Hope this helps.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Never heard of it, but I'll check it out. thanks

[@gateway8833]

I see it’s been a year, but there is a much cheeper way to install a weed barrier by using News Paper.

[@markpieklik8246]

Sudden chicken death syndrome heart mostly quit.

[@jonathankerner2094]

I'm surprised you do not compost the manure. Why save it?

[@Julie10201]

For planting

[@amyjacob2100]

Plant beans with your potatoes to prevent potato bugs. Also let the chickens roam in your garden. They do wonders in keeping down insect population.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I tried that with peas last year but it choked out the potato plants and was invaded by aphids. 🙁🙁

[@amyjacob2100]

@@petebeasttexashomesteading Try bush beans. I'm thinking the vining nature of peas would likely choke out the potatoes. You could alternate rows of potatoes and bush beans. I haven't seen a potato bug in years and haven't had issues with aphids. My dad has also planted bush beans sporadically into the rows with potatoes with success as well.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

That actually sounds pretty good, I'll probably try that in the future. Thanks

[@rickfarrell610]

Roof your run.

[@jakeschisler7525]

I bought 2 big rolls of that material, from a place on-line, they charged me shipping double amount. So the shipping cost more than the material. No more dealings with that company.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Yeah I always try to find the best deal with free to low shipping, but yeah shipping really hurts sometimes.

[@garvinotts7398]

put you some guineas in that old garden they will get rid of bugs

[@mmws.....makingmoneywhiles6181]

How big is your lot

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

My property is 20 acres

[@ivi122]

@@petebeasttexashomesteading wow that’s awesome. I wish I had even 5 acres. We have a bit less than half 😔where we rent but I guess is better than nothing

[@evelynrogers7145]

What kind of rooster

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

He's a blue Andalusian.

[@tracykeenan4449]

You should feed them egg shells too full of calcium and no onions

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Yep thanks, they have crushed egg shells in a small feeder and oyster shell in another feeder and I never feed them onions.

[@rosesmith6208]

pretty much what I do everyday, cleanthe coop of poop everyday most is on the poop boards and I use kitty litter and I want to get sand, I put food in different locations because I just integrated a small flock with my new one and they are still ironing out their issues. chiggers are mites? yuck!!!!!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@unicornbunny6190]

Man.. chicken prefer to sleep behind darker n where they feel more secure n away frpm wind draft. So better close/darken that window ventilation behind their roost. If chickens r stressed out at night they WON'T lay eggs regularly. Oh! Give them grid n small chip n pebbles to scratch n eat... or just buy oyster shells. They need them to help digestion.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@MarkoDeLaVoota]

disease? what disease?

[@ivi122]

I want to know too. I know they can get disease but I don’t know much about them