Arizona Chickens

[Gallo del Cielo]

My coop is on a hill slightly higher than the rest of the yard, I do not have any standing water in the run but it still gets muddy until it dries. Maybe that is ok and normal for them. I was not sure. I could add more dirt. Any ideas on where to get it cheep? I love the sod idea. I am going to try that. What is a flake of alfalfa? I have added sand before under the coop but it just disappears after they scratch in it. I have some spots that are softer that they like for a dust bath but it is not great. I need to make a dust bath area maybe. I do have some rocks mixed in with the dirt from our landscaping. I need to get those out. I do not compost but my mom does. I will get some from her. Maybe I will take the compost and put it under the coop where it stays dry so they have soft dirt for dustbaths and to sit in. What about adding leaves? bugs like to hide in the leaves.

Your situation sounds pretty normal. I was envisioning chickens wading in mud. I'm not sure where the cheapest place is to get sand; I suppose it depends on how much you are getting. You can get 50lb bags at Home Depot for a bit less than $2.50 (located near the cement). I get alfalfa in bales and when you cut the strings off, it can be easily separated into smaller compressed chunks that are called "flakes." Compost or peat or anything that adds some organic material to the soil will help keep it from compacting. Your birds will definitely appreciate a dust bathing area that remains relatively dry and the spot under the coop sounds perfect. My chickens have a favorite dust bath under an overturned canoe. We periodically add ashes from the fireplace and DE to help keep the soil fluffy while inhibiting external parasites. Leaves are fine too for giving them something to scratch among, especially if your birds spend most of their time confined to the run.

 

[City farm]

Good luck on the blue!

She is beautiful!

 

[parentwarrior]

Your situation sounds pretty normal. I was envisioning chickens wading in mud. I'm not sure where the cheapest place is to get sand; I suppose it depends on how much you are getting. You can get 50lb bags at Home Depot for a bit less than $2.50 (located near the cement). I get alfalfa in bales and when you cut the strings off, it can be easily separated into smaller compressed chunks that are called "flakes." Compost or peat or anything that adds some organic material to the soil will help keep it from compacting. Your birds will definitely appreciate a dust bathing area that remains relatively dry and the spot under the coop sounds perfect. My chickens have a favorite dust bath under an overturned canoe. We periodically add ashes from the fireplace and DE to help keep the soil fluffy while inhibiting external parasites. Leaves are fine too for giving them something to scratch among, especially if your birds spend most of their time confined to the run.

OK, good. I do not let them out top free range. They stay on the run for now. It is a good sized run for 4 chickens. I have lots for them to climb and sit vertically on but I need to work on the ground. There is no standing water, just mud when it rains. It is always dry under the coop though. The coop and run is tucked in the corner of a block wall fence on two sides in the SW corner of our yard and it is the highest part of the yard. It has trees all around it. That was where we put the dirt from the pool when we built our home and pool. Come winter I am thinking the block wall will add some warmth and protect them. The run is big enough in the summer to have a lot of air flow and for them to get away from the block wall. I will look for the dirt and get some alfalfa. Maybe I will make a dust bath area and a leaves area to give them different places for things to do. Do I need to make sure the leaves are OK to eat or will it matter? I have lots of Sissoo trees and my mom has a bunch of leaves but I am not sure what kind they are. Maybe I will put a bunch of pine shavings under the coop where it stays dry.

 

[Di Gibbs]

less than 24 hours old


1 month old

thanks, so beautiful!!!

 

[Di Gibbs]

around the edges of the coop and garden... not inside the coop or run.

doesn't the spray hurt the chickens?

 

[AZBootsie]

Any one else being overrun by Caterpillars?? Last week we had a HUGE Caterpillar invasion. Sphinx moth if this website is correct. http://www.royalalbertamuseum.ca/natural/insects/bugsfaq/whitesx.htm You couldn't walk anywhere in Congress without stepping on these buggers. They seem to like the purselane and aren't doing much damage to the garden. I tried to feed them to the chickens, but they weren't real interested. Today 2 little cockerels decided they couldn't eat enough of them. They are so happy running from caterpillar to caterpillar gulping them down as fast as they can. The rest of the chickens haven't discovered the joy yet.

 

[AZBootsie]

Quote:

Your situation sounds pretty normal. I was envisioning chickens wading in mud. I'm not sure where the cheapest place is to get sand; I suppose it depends on how much you are getting. You can get 50lb bags at Home Depot for a bit less than $2.50 (located near the cement). I get alfalfa in bales and when you cut the strings off, it can be easily separated into smaller compressed chunks that are called "flakes." Compost or peat or anything that adds some organic material to the soil will help keep it from compacting. Your birds will definitely appreciate a dust bathing area that remains relatively dry and the spot under the coop sounds perfect. My chickens have a favorite dust bath under an overturned canoe. We periodically add ashes from the fireplace and DE to help keep the soil fluffy while inhibiting external parasites. Leaves are fine too for giving them something to scratch among, especially if your birds spend most of their time confined to the run.

My chickens in Golden Valley loved the alfalfa flakes. It was so much fun to watch the Rooster attack a flake. He would jump in the middle, feet flying and scatter it everywhere. The whole time clucking like crazy for his girls to come eat. My chickens now scratch at it a bit, but don't get too excited. These guys must be too domesticated. Honestly, it took them days to decide to eat a caterpillar??

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: I've seen several Giant anteaters up close and personal in the wild in Central and South America. They are awesome ant and termite eating machines. Apparently, they're pretty dangerous since they can't see well and have tremendous claws with which to defend themselves, so probably not suited to backyard ant-eating duties. I wonder if, historically, there were similar ant eating creatures that roamed the southwest?

A few years ago we got a private tour of parts of the zoo, and one of the enclosures we were allowed into was the anteaters. We got to hand feed them. Not sure exactly which species (I assume there are several?) of anteater, but these were super gentle. Yes, they have huge claws that are capable of plowing deep furrows into nearly rock hard ground, so yes, they could do a lot of damage to flesh--if they had any desire to do so--but from what we were told.they are very mild mannered and gentle, have a huge taste for sweets such as the bananas we hand fed them, and are affectionate to their zookeepers.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

A few years ago we got a private tour of parts of the zoo, and one of the enclosures we were allowed into was the anteaters. We got to hand feed them. Not sure exactly which species (I assume there are several?) of anteater, but these were super gentle. Yes, they have huge claws that are capable of plowing deep furrows into nearly rock hard ground, so yes, they could do a lot of damage to flesh--if they had any desire to do so--but from what we were told.they are very mild mannered and gentle, have a huge taste for sweets such as the bananas we hand fed them, and are affectionate to their zookeepers.

That's great! I had no idea they would relate to their zookeepers that way. In the wild it's fairly easy to sneak up on one if you're quiet, but they seem very wary of humans once they detect you and flee. I always wanted to touch that giant tail. There are really only about four species (Giant anteater, Silky Anteater, Northern and Southern Tamandua). The Silky Anteaters are especially cute.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Any one else being overrun by Caterpillars?? Last week we had a HUGE Caterpillar invasion. Sphinx moth if this website is correct. http://www.royalalbertamuseum.ca/natural/insects/bugsfaq/whitesx.htm You couldn't walk anywhere in Congress without stepping on these buggers. They seem to like the purselane and aren't doing much damage to the garden. I tried to feed them to the chickens, but they weren't real interested. Today 2 little cockerels decided they couldn't eat enough of them. They are so happy running from caterpillar to caterpillar gulping them down as fast as they can. The rest of the chickens haven't discovered the joy yet.

Wow, that is a striking larvae! I've never seen that species before. It's definitely a type of Sphinx (Hawk) moth. That's funny how they can turn up their beaks at food they'd find perfectly delicious and then change their minds later. I guess it takes a leap of faith to gobble something like that down for the first time.