How-to: Laying hens

01 Quick spec

12–15

Point-of-lay pullets

~10/day

Eggs at peak lay

3 days

Behind the cattle

Why this size: a dozen-plus hens covers a family with eggs to spare, yet stays small enough that one mobile coop and one nightly lock-up handles them. Buy point-of-lay pullets (~16–18 weeks) and you skip months of feeding non-layers — eggs start in a few weeks, not next spring.

02 Getting started

Follow the cows

Run a mobile coop (chicken tractor or eggmobile) roughly three days behind the cattle. By then fly larvae in the manure are at their fattest — the hens scratch the pats apart, eat the larvae, break the parasite cycle and spread the fertility. That's the regenerative engine: cows mow, chickens sanitize.

North Texas / Zone 8 setup

Heat is the real enemy here, not cold. Choose heat-tolerant breeds (ISA Browns, Australorps, Leghorns), give deep shade and constant cool water through the 100°F summer, and orient the coop for airflow. Mild Zone-8 winters mean no heated coop is needed — dry and draft-free is enough.

03 The year

When	What
Spring	Bring home pullets; eggs begin within 2–4 weeks of settling in. Peak lay through the season.
Summer	Heat slows lay; prioritize shade, cool water and electrolytes. Move the coop every few days, 3 days behind cows.
Fall	Strong lay returns in the cooler weeks. Watch for a short molt — birds drop feathers and pause eggs while they regrow.
Winter	Shorter days cut lay. Add a timed light to hold ~14 hrs/day if you want winter eggs, or let them rest naturally.
Year 2–3	Lay tapers with age; cull or rotate in new pullets so production stays steady.

04 Problems & what to watch

Predators — the number-one killer

North Texas has it all: coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, possums, hawks and rat snakes. The rule is simple — lock the flock in a hardware-cloth-secured coop every single night. Use ½" hardware cloth, not chicken wire (raccoons reach through it), bury an apron or skirt against diggers, and use raccoon-proof latches. One missed lock-up can cost the whole flock.

Heat, pests & biosecurity

Hens can die in extreme heat — watch for panting and provide shade and water. Dust-bathing controls mites/lice; check vents monthly. For biosecurity against avian influenza, discourage wild waterfowl, keep feed covered from wild birds and rodents, and quarantine any new birds for two weeks before mixing.

05 Costs & beginner mistakes

Item	Cost
12–15 point-of-lay pullets	$25–40 ea
Mobile coop / tractor (DIY)	$300–800
Feed (pasture + scraps + grain)	~$20–35/mo
Bedding, grit, oyster shell	$10–15/mo
You need: hardware cloth + secure latches	see Animals

Beginner mistakes to skip: using flimsy chicken wire instead of hardware cloth; forgetting the nightly lock-up; no shade or water plan for the Texas summer; starting with day-old chicks when pullets get you eggs in weeks; overcrowding the coop (≥4 sq ft/bird inside, 10+ outside); and feeding only grain — let them work the pasture and scraps for cheaper, richer eggs.