Arizona Chickens

Lots of shade; lots of water.  Install an automatic waterer.  Miss water one day, and you are out of the chicken business.  Put a lawn sprinkler in the chicken yard on a timer so that it goes off several times a day.

The rains we have had in the last couple of days produced a bounty of grass and weeds.  Chickens love dandy lions, mustard weed and winter grass.  Let them go at it.

Rufus

I'm in the Verde Valley.  It's nothing to hit 110* in July/August up here. 

Make sure the chickens have lots of shade and fresh water.  As Rufus stated, mist the run several times a day.  I even keep ice blocks, frozen milk jugs, or 2 liter bottles to put in the hen house and coop for them.  They'll stand on the ice block and peck at it.  You'd be suprised how much they will cool the area.  I also freeze 16 oz water bottles and make sure to keep them in their water during the day. 

Restrict their scratch.  It's a "hot feed" and increases their metabolism to digest, causing their bodies to heat up.  I also keep lots of watermelon, canteloupe, grapes, etc around for them during the summer months. 

With a little additional effort on your part, they'll make it through the heat just fine.

I'm in Az too. What great advice.
We got our first chickens ( 3 Silkies) in Oct of last year so, they haven't had to deal with the heat yet. We have since added 4 more Silkies to the family and have 6 eggs that are do to hatch on tuesday. : )

I also live in Mesa! I have raised healthy, happy chickens without ever having even THOUGHT about misting them or supplying ice.
I do live in central Mesa with mature trees and grass in the backyard, but I know my friend in AJ raised happy chickens and he just made sure they had water.
Right now I have 3 6 week old chicks, this is the first time I have raised chicks w/out a dog and I am worried about the neighborhhod semi-feral cat!

I live in the Verde Valley about 15 miles from Chicken-mama.  It does get hot up here but my coop is always in the shade as is half the run all day.  Never had to mist or provide ice yet but I will if they look distressed.   
  Plenty of water and no cracked corn!

We have a whirlybird on the roof of the coop and that draws a lot of the hot air out.  I make sure all the doors (3) to the coop are open and both windows for cross ventilation.

I have a friend who has had chickens for years in Peoria and they only thing she does is keeps the mister going during the day. 

Jacie

HI everybody. I'm in Glendale just down from the Mother Ship. I got my chicks in Aug. I have a tractor kind of thing and they free range in the yard. If I put a misting system in there will it mold the straw? Should I worry about it? I do have a waterer that I fill but I also have a hose that leaks that they like drinking from. My girls like digging holes in the yard to roll in also. Keep up on the tips.

Hi Everyone-

I am in Tucson.  We just became chicken owners in November for my son's 4-H project.  So, we haven't had to deal with summer yet, but I worry about how the heat will affect them.

I've heard a lot of people put frozen water bottles out so the chickens can lay against them when they get hot.  So, I am planning on giving that a try, as well as, lots of water. 

I've also heard that a lot of people put a box fan in the coop to get some air moving.  I like the water sprinkler idea, I will have to consider that.

If you come up with any other ideas that work, be sure to let everyone in Arizona know.  I've kinda grown fond of these little feathered friends of ours, and would hate to lose any of them.