Why chickens are your best bet on your homestead

[@jonesfamilyfarm9230]

We moved from Houston to N. Texas on 15 acres and like many newbies I started with 4 chickens I was warned they’re a “gateway animal” I was like oh no these are good for us we are city slickers. Fast forward 12 mos later I have 4 Kunekune pigs, 4 Nigerian Dwarf goats, 11 ducks and my 4 chickens are now 19 hens and 2 roosters. Every time I collect those beautiful eggs I thank God for his animals He made us stewards over and you immediately appreciate the circle of life I love it!!! 👩🏽‍🌾

[@AFloodofSolaceJohnWhigham]

That’s amazing. And hilarious.

[@PudgyPastures]

@jonesfamilyfarm92 We also just left Houston about 3 weeks ago! We moved to our 10 acres just across the state line into Louisiana and love it! My niece gave us her goat that she was raising for school and just yesterday I ordered our first batch of 10 laying hens!

[@jonesfamilyfarm9230]

@@AFloodofSolaceJohnWhigham ☺️ thx

[@jonesfamilyfarm9230]

@@PudgyPastures amazing life to have been blessed with 😊🙏

[@AFloodofSolaceJohnWhigham]

@@jonesfamilyfarm9230 you’re welcome

[@garysmith4311]

Thanks Pete, we started with chickens and I totally agree they're great. We added coturnix quail in 2021. They start laying at 6 weeks and the Jumbo Browns we have lay around 320 eggs a year. Great source of meat and eggs. God bless Texas and long live the Republic....

[@goldengryphon]

Where did you get your quail? I'm looking at finding some quail eggs and meat to try - I've heard all kinds of good things and found cocturnix quail at many hatcheries, but I always want to hear from people with experience. By trying the meat and eggs first, I get an idea of what direction I want to go with them. Trying to find that is curiously hard.

[@ThatStevenLouis]

You have jumbos that lady over 300 eggs in a year? 👀 That's impressive!

[@CS-ui4qj]

What is best (cheapest and healthiest) way to feed so many chickens? Feed from stores is convenient but what if you want to be completely independent?

[@belyndasonger7574]

I worm my chickens with black sunflower seeds coated with sunflower oil and cayenne pepper. It also keeps them laying all winter.

[@markthomas2651]

Chickens are the gateway drug to farming.😁😁

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

😂👍

[@limitless007]

We have a dozen hens and nothing beats the fresh eggs we get from them. $8 a dozen at the store for similar eggs. We just added a couple pet bunny rabbits to the family and we are using their poop for compost. :) turning into a farm and garden

[@jamescraddock468]

In va at Kroger the jumbo eggs are 1.84 a dozen. Why should eggs cost 8 a dozen?

[@limitless007]

@@jamescraddock468 at 1.84 a dozen you're eating abused chickens eggs , most likely they never get out of a cage their whole life and see real sunshine and eat real bugs....

[@lorirode-off]

@@limitless007 right, sweat shop eggs. 😭

[@claytonmorris6669]

Thanks Pete

[@druemiller3111]

Excellent advice, Pete. Animal husbandry is a serious commitment regardless of the choice of livestock. I've done it all in the past 20 years. Poultry, swine, goats, cattle, and even rabbits. That was my younger years. Your advice for beginners is spot on.

[@SmallOklaFarm]

We moved from DFW to the country last year. Six barred rocks for us in September (great birds). This Spring, we added australorps and Easter eggers. We love the chickens! Appreciate your channel...new subscriber.

[@GregLopez75]

Thanks for your content Pete. My wife and I have been raising backyard chickens for almost a year now. We're in Dallas, TX and the ladies have been laying eggs. We no longer have to buy them from the grocery stores and the fresh ones taste way better. Thanks again for your help.

[@markcroucher3977]

Pete, Just a suggestion. If you use the same bedding (pine flakes) in your nest boxes and your floor of your coop, your hens will continue to lay in the corner. We use wheat straw or hay in the nesting boxes and the same flake shavings as you on the floor.

[@NancyBryantIdeas]

I have tried bermudagrass hay and that makes a very good nesting material. It is soft and does not poke as much as straw.

[@goldengryphon]

I've found it doesn't matter. The hen is going to lay wherever they want to lay. My hens have their favorite places and are hard to budge.

[@audreyvann5336]

We have a few suburban Black Australorps, and we just got our first egg! I have been really pleased with their temperament. Despite being plump and having clipped wings, one did manage to jump the 6 ft fence to the neighbor's dog. Fortunately, she was ok, just missing some feathers. For someone with no livestock knowledge at all, even getting a few chickens made me pretty nervous. There's a lot to know, even for "easy" animals. If I ever move to a larger property, I would definitely want to take it slow, just so I felt like I could responsibly care for the animals and be aware of possible problems/solutions ahead of time.

[@ritabrunetti381]

Thanks for the advice for anyone wanting to start a homestead with animals. Be well.

[@rosea830]

Yeah, Andalusians are more decorative. They don't like the cold, they don't like the heat. We keep a flock of guineas with the chickens and they keep the hawks out. They guineas will launch themselves at the hawks when they fly over. Don't expect them to guard until they are grown, though. Guineas are different and a bit annoying, but useful.

[@pamcarter6595]

I just subscribed ☺️ great info. I have 5 girls and live in city. I put clothes line wire up high all threw my back yard, and then every 3 inches I put reflector tape on it. We have hawks but so far so good, cause I let them free range everyday.

[@jackbettygilbert7917]

Hello Pete, my Hubby & I so enjoy your Videos, & you do a great job in caring for your chickens, I even had my coop & run patterned after yours..

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Awesome, thank you 👍

[@billydawson229]

I just found you iTunes videos central Texas homesteads for more than 40 yrs. We use to order start run dual purpose birds now we hatch our own but the roosters use to be put in freezer now we are trying to get away from dependence on freezer. You video was great for new homesteaders. We also have rabbits with our chickens.

[@AllintheSoil]

Great video. Your videos have been helping me before moving to the country and after I have made the move to Van Zandt County. Appreciate your content, my family benefits greatly.

[@bobbyjuice3935]

I grew up having Rhode Island Reds, great egg layers and great all over bird.

[@TheTramm]

Pete, you need to get a couple chicken saddles for those girls that have bare backs. Roosters will also rip the hens side open and the chicken saddle will help your hen heal. btw, my BestNestBox they stopped using when I gave them another place like you have.

[@naturegirl2873]

I had to put saddles on several of my girls, and they worked great.

[@southernboyprepper3252]

Thanks Pete. Yes we love our chickens. We beleive in renewable resources as we incubated and even let some hens brood untill chicks were born. Stay safe

[@barrysinclair7023]

I live in east Texas too, bought 36 acres, all grown up since a timber company stopped planting pine, I have deer and wild hogs, so I will be trapping as many hogs as I can and feed them out, as well as raising chickens again, great video and very informative

[@Desirfarms]

Thank you so much for mentioning our heritage Breed, from Nigeria West Africa

[@MynewTennesseeHome]

I tried the free range thing too, lost two hens in one day to hawks. I also have Nigerian Dwarf goats now. I raised several breeds of goats in the past and agree the ND's are hands down easiest to keep. Actually goats do better on brush and scrub than pasture...another reason I chose them, I have lots of brush. And I've raised hogs in the past and am helping my daughter with some at her place... if you're getting feeder pigs and growing out to butcher are really easy too if you build them a sturdy pen.

[@Coastal.Redwood.Homestead]

I too have many different animals and I am a goat lover and I raise LaMancha goats getting a Nigerian buck so I can have mini LaMancha

[@themyrtlewoodshomestead9371]

Thank you for the video. Personally I’m team meat rabbits but I love my chickens and ducks as well!

[@lorenmeyer5290]

Thanks Pete! I enjoy my chickens, alot of fun to have around and alot of good eggs

[@pierreramos8018]

A Goose should help with free range. Added one to the flock, and never had a problem. As a bonus they are a great at night vision and will warn/scare off any unwelcome visits, predators or trespassers.

[@amberamodei484]

What a fantastic vlog! I really really needed the info you've provided because I know I need to get chickens as my first homestead livestock but I'm still nervous as heck about it. Really appreciate the predator info.

[@Happy2Run4Me]

We plan to raise chickens after we finish building our home (hopefully by later this year, but we’ll see). We’re in East Texas too! Very helpful information. Thank you! We started raising egg laying birds back in our old house but there were too many coyotes there we couldn’t protect them well enough. We will try again! We definitely want more overall protection for them (sky and ground predators) this time.

[@lorirode-off]

Yes. I got so tired of feeding my precious organic chickens to the local coyotes. 😡😭

[@ronshook5194]

HI, Pete, GREAT video,... Ron here, from the ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS OF UPSTATE N.Y. way different management, and cold issues... Retired zoo keeper, give my ROOSTERS away, I could eat yours, or other people's, but not mine. Lol. I get way to attached. Lol anyway,... lots of new poultry owners.... I'm sending them your videos, as I get to anxious, and tongue tied explaining.... lol. YOU ARE great at explaining...! THANK YOU. We have every preditor here...... I have used night eyes, solar for years, at first was sceptical, but, they help. I HAVE had hoofstock in the past. HAY was $1.00 bale... raised LLAMAS, angora goats..... after leaving zoo. Could go on and on. Lol Ok, keep up the great advice.....many new owners need you, and I'm still learning 72, had CHICKENS ETC. Since 8yrs old. But, A Blessing Lead me into getting a degree in zoology/ biology. And a job as a zoo keeper, at the ROGER WILLIAMS PARK ZOO, Providence, Rhode Island.... The VERY BEST TO YOU

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you so much I really appreciate that 👍

[@addieanderson2043]

I live in a subdivision that allowed chickens. I have had raccoons,possums, cats,haws and even a bob cat. I have never lost one ad I have a 2 ft. Barrier of wire around the coop. I have another coop that has hardware cloth on all sides including the bottom of the run. You have a beautiful area gor your chickens. On the first run over the wire I made a concrete block garden. On the area I have to walk on I just put pavers on top of the wire.

[@maceel4255]

I so appreciate everything you covered in this video! You fit in so so much info, thank you ❤️

[@seansbackyard8212]

It so nice to see many chickens. Thank you for this great video. I got some ideas for my backyard chicken.

[@barefawker33]

Coturnix quail are the new chicken. I added some to my city property. Less space and my neighbors had no idea. Great duel purpose bird.

[@jvelezfam]

Wife and I are retiring in six to eight years and moving to Florida from Alaska. And our goals are to open up a little farm. With chickens and a few roosters (2) and maybe a couple of goats. But I agree the chickens are going to be first. Thank you, I will be following from now on.

[@kdegraa]

That is a big move, from one corner to the other.

[@bobbyburch8155]

Hi, Pete! Just now found you, subbed immediately. I live between Tyler and Lufkin, so we might be neighbors. I am seriously planning to have chickens come spring. I'm thinking 6. So, I am devouring all the info I have time for. Looking forward--. BTW,do you know about Texas Pepper 2? He lives in Lindale, grows berries, U Pick. Check out his channel!

[@mylittleruralhomestead]

Hi Pete. Looking forward to the day when I can have my own fresh eggs every morning.🦃🐔🐓

[@victorflores9790]

Nice nesting box. Thanks Pete

[@manuelojeda9144]

Thank you Pete. I feed my ten hens flygrubs, some winter scratch too, and non GMO pallets. Thank you for the tips.

[@bennywalsh2038]

Hey Mr. Pete. Have you ever watched Edible Acres and how they built a system for feeding the birds for almost free and produce tons of great compost in the process for their garden? Cool ideas.

[@Spiritualsimplicity]

The rooster was surely entertaining thank you

[@fraydnot]

I had problems with hawks and rat snakes. Thanks for the upload

[@graceandfire]

New subscriber. Great tips! I love my chickens. They’re so easy to care for.

[@thomasmcnab5068]

Hi Pete...enjoyed the video & tks for all the advice % tips!....Tks for sharing!

[@gilbertlopez8285]

Hello I just came across your video. I thought l would tell you about a friend who grew up in the Chicago area in the Great Depression. They never money for anything let alone food. A uncle who had 60 acres farm about 50 miles from his home. The uncle had chickens, cows, and raised 🌽 corn plus had fruit trees. What happened to have 20 acres of wooded area. Ever year his uncle would release 4to 6 baby pigs into the woods and the next year would go collet the full grown hogs. He wouldn't have to worry about food or water. Oh the woods had a fence around it. Think if you can do the same? Until later take care from Southern California.

[@stevebillow395]

I been waiting for a chicken video. Thanks pete

[@beigebiscuit8081]

Great Vid plenty of personality that was funny. Learned somethings too. Straight into it style thank you.

[@annalynn9325]

Thanks for the helpful info!

[@diraentertainment21255]

Thank you for sharing my brother.. Saya suka sekali dengan video anda..semngat dan sukses selalu salam dari Indonesia 🇮🇩🇮🇩

[@vladimirpopovic8136]

I have blue Australorps, they lay 3-4 eggs per week, some birds lay pretty big eggs

[@jhersonmarcellano8773]

Hello sir im me your new subscriber from your channel from the phillippines....im raising chicken2 i hope that i wil learn a lot from ur channel...happy farming sir....

[@ritabrunetti381]

My daughter has hens that have been pecking each other for some time. I shared with her, after watching your videos and others, that their habitat is too small. Both the coop and run. Because her hens were severely pecking each other. I can only hope for the best. Be well.

[@CamilleTylerbrand]

Looking great

[@johac7637]

Try raise your laying boxes up, for some reason they like it up, we have a double decker, and mostly they lay up high. Not sure if you garden, peat moss is a great bedding, as well as a great garden amendment later, cost wise it evens out, but garden wise it gains.

[@paulapjclark8928]

Thank you Pete! Good sound advice 👍

[@gerardhoward1652]

Thanks for sharing your experience very helpful….

[@mylovebelf]

Get a guard goose. They'll protect the chickens when they free-range.

[@2007KB]

Good advice Pete. Hey your closing in on 100k subscribers! 👏 Karen

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

KZbin has not really been promoting my videos much for whatever reason but hopefully I'll hit 100k this summer.

[@2007KB]

@@petebeasttexashomesteading hope you do!

[@joepeeer4830]

Ty

[@lynnbetts4332]

Definitely do your research on goats. Goats get an intestinal parasite called barberpole, and that nasty thing LOVES wet areas. You do not worm regularly, or you will encourage resistance to the wormers (any worms not killed will complete their life cycle and become more resistant to the wormer). And, if you are looking at a dairy breed, remember, they have to have kids to come into milk, so you need a buck or access to a buck. And you have to have a milking station and be willing to milk every day. Same with a milk cow.

[@mulph7738]

Best channel. Love it

[@thevikingwolfpack836]

😂🤣 she was telling you lol

[@laura-leemurphyuta78]

I had hawks around and foxes. Even a bear but I never had a problem. Don’t now. Nice video btw. There’s a special way to prepare the goats for milking. Had a big herd and made cheese commercially from their milk.

[@SaloniesSimpleKitchen]

I'm with you on the free ranging. Did it before, don't think I'll do it again. Loss a lot of chickens and eggs from mongoose, dogs, and human.

[@rudylinn9020]

Great video. We just got some hens. In regards to compost, would you create a separate pile. And how long would you wait to place it into the garden. I have read about 6 months. Would you agree. Plus do you have to compost the poop from the run.

[@gingerparr277]

We have hawks, but have lots of shrubs that the chickens can get under to flee from the predators in the air. We haven’t lost a single chicken due to this, and we’ve had as many as 14 out and about on an acre. The roosters are very vigilant and alert the hens if there is a threat from the sky

[@danielleterry180]

I can’t free range either raccoons,possum,dogs,cats,bobcat, everyone coming to lake and wants to get rid of pets seem to dump them here around our subdivision not realizing we have goats, chickens, cows for our homestead and the animals they dump usually get dispatched to keep them from killing our livestock.

[@andrewsteele7663]

Thank you, excellent video, I have gotten so many ideas off the one video. I have subscribed as well, cheers

[@karolryba121]

You have exelent setup. Black Astrolorp is my no1 chicken. Lamancha is my no1 goat. Check ND. goats negative side. If Lamancha is to big for you look for cross with ND. Goat. Good bless.

[@MyPietroC]

Pete, do you have a link for the boxes? If not, would you please post the manufacture. Thank you and I have been enjoying your videos for a long time.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

The links are in the description under the video. Click show more.

[@terrireddish2522]

Was that nastaranium plant (sorry I probably didn't spell it properly) I grow it every year and my chickens and ducks love it and something I don't have to worry about cleaning up afterwards as rodents don't bother with it (that I know of-please correct me if I'm wrong) I also give them marigold plants as well, supposed to be great for yolks x

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

The plants I was throwing in the chicken run were sweet potato vines.

[@ajalicea1091]

We also have a artificial owl whose head moves. We move it around in the chicken area so that they think that it's the real deal. It keeps not only the Hawks away but also real owls. We compost are chicken manure due to the fact it can burn your vegetables and fruit that you have planted. I like to keep my garden as healthy as possible so I do not want to burn everything due to chicken manure. Each year I try a new breed of birds to see how well they do in my area. We just get rid of the ones that we don't like or the excess roosters.

[@mattpeacock5208]

What about rabbit? You should try them. They make a lot of meat for a cheap amount of feed, and the return is fast. They can breed 6 sets a year.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I don't eat rabbits, but their manure would be good composted for the garden.

[@mattpeacock5208]

@@petebeasttexashomesteading true story, it doesn't burn like chicken dook can, you can use it right away. Slaughter your rabbits and sell em at the market.

[@HomeEF]

Thank you I am totally agree with you, chicken are wonderful, eggs and to eat their meat, hey that’s awesome and delicious!!! Chicken 🐓 🥚

[@olga9270]

Very good video

[@RelentlessEnigma]

903 here glad to find this channel

[@kl1958]

Pete you have a really nice looking flock. I have heard that Rhode Island Reds tend to be very aggressive(mean) but yours seem very content. May I ask what hatchery you purchase your chicks from? Really enjoy your channel, too. Have a great year!

[@suecollins3246]

Kevin, they _are_ aggressive. I had a rooster when I was a kid (bought it for 10cents from the local pet shop!) and it was hardly halfway grown when my sister came to visit with her toddler son and the bloody thing attacked him. I gave it to the park keeper of the park that ran alongside our house. Funnily though the same thing happened when my sister was a kid. We had a stepbrother from my mom's third marriage and they had chickens on their plot. And a big Rhodes Island Red attacked my little stepbrother. My mother chased him around the entire plot until she caught him (barefoot according to my sister!) and wrung his neck. Just got him by his neck and _crank-handled_ him. Liz - that's my sister - said the bird was so big they ate off it for a week. So, yeah - aggressive.

[@kl1958]

@@suecollins3246 OK Thanks for the information.

[@isapsa45]

Consider getting pigs they do well in wooded areas they also do well in semi flooded areas

[@fred2791]

Another great video, you seem to be very good at editing what program do you use?

[@ScotWalt858]

Very nice!

[@romethagentleman]

great video! Thank you for your advice..I subscribed to your channel and will check out your other videos. My family and I are looking to relocate to Texas. My wife and family are from there. We are currently in California.. I know Texans don't want anymore Californians there but we are conservative and don't want to change your beautiful State. lol

[@desiraeandchrisrichardson5977]

Roosters I let roam free.. Hens I have penned up

[@bluegorillacookies]

Homestead chickens: How to pay $8 per dozen if you do all the math :)

[@albertod4161]

If I had that many roosters there going to freezer camp yum 😋

[@javaman8895]

Chickens are the gateway drug for new homesteaders

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍😂

[@moyarborough]

If you have not covered this in the past; I am a new viewer to your channel - How do you keep a chicken from eating eggs?

[@tomjones4318]

Haven't tried yet I'd like to. Saw for meat chickens every pound of meat takes three pounds of feed. Wouldn't running a chicken tractor over good grass and lots of garden scraps reduce the feed cost?

[@billydawson229]

Before they get to old kill and cook for chicken broth . Cook real slow in oven debone use meat for meal and cook bone for broth with onions and other veg. We canned dual purpose roosters in qt wide jars. I hatched out sex links and sold pullets we didn’t need. Love chickens

[@Coastal.Redwood.Homestead]

I currently have 60 chickens and waiting on 22 to hatch and 5 of them are roosters

[@j0505galvez]

I live in east tx, and we have hawks and owls and I have never had trouble with them killing my chickens.

[@paulbrawn9063]

Get you some Dexter Cows...great for small farming...and they are tasty

[@paulsherrod1365]

Best breed ever black australorp

[@ecobluefarms223]

Hi Pete we have Quail and now We are wanting to start with chickens 2 -3 questions if you don’t mind 1-our land when it rains in the winter it’s super WET not flood just wet we are in Walker County TX so if we did a setup like yours we would use mulch for the flooring in the winter do you agree (I’m going to look back at your videos) 2-We can’t free range either Mostly be cause of hawks and our dog CLEO which we are considering rehoming because she does an excellent job EATING predators so we are just not sure if we can train her now at just over 2 years old unfortunately we were not in a position to get chickens when she was a pup but her service here is INVALUABLE tough decision any thoughts on that ? 3- this is more a THANKS my husband has said he is going to get 4 chickens and I will have 4 chickens LOL he will create an environment for his TEST and I’ll have an environment for my TEST lol we still help each other we just are not sure how to raise chickens SAFELY AND HEALTHY on our wet land and I’m thinking I’ll use your setup so again thanks for the content Stay tuned as we start adding to our kinda new channel how we actually do this

[@matttavarez3361]

Hello there sir very good content I live in East Texas and hopefully this summer I'll get into raising chickens do you have the website where you order your black bird's Thank you

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I get my chickens from www.idealpoultry.com/ they are out of Cameron, TX. The chicks would only spend a day in the mail.

[@viewandsoundsofnature]

Good idea friend!!!

[@EHSTexas]

What County are you in? I'm in Sabine County.

[@530eman]

We’re in the Pacific Northwest and Orpington’s are boss… no roosters 😑

[@rv442conv]

Good video Pete. Why would you have so many roosters? Is just one ok for the amount of chickens you have?

[@tonymalaluan]

Subbed, for Pete's sake!

[@Trumptrain2024Vance]

Omg I love chicken baby

[@nicholasnapier2684]

Get a pair of pliers and remove those spurs they grow back just like when you trim your fingernails you just take a pair of pliers and you turn them back-and-forth you take the spurs right off and then start growing another set have some Iodine with you just to tidy up things..