Arizona Chickens

[Mikey D]

Quote:
Beautiful coop! Thanks for sharing!

I agree- beautiful! And I showed my DH some of the features you have- the next day he added circle doors to our nest boxes- now one hen actually uses them sometimes instead of laying in the dirt under the coop like the rest! And we will be working on a better water system- really like your setup.

Gallo,

How long did it take for those grape vines to establish and how did you keep the birds from killing them?

Mikey

 

[annekaelber]

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As I've said, I'm learning, so please forgive the "newbness" of my questions....

Do you clip wings if you have a full enclosure?

Anne.

 

[annekaelber]

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Is there a "square feet per chicken" rule for the space of the run? Again, I'm just diving in and learning, so please forgive me for asking "newb" questions.

Never mind. I found the answer here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/cgi-bin/faq/mojofaq.cgi?cat=102#mojo3

FAQ>>General Coop Information :

Inside a minimum of 2 square feet of floor space. Outside, a minimum of 10 square feet in the run per bird (some say 4 sq. ft., but that's only 2x2, and I personally think that's restrictive).

Anne.​

 

[turkeybreeder]

Quote:
Went by today....

Layena is 14.99 a bag.
Scratch is 11.99 but it's a 45 lb bag.

if you get the layena pet club brand is 50lbs bag
for 12.99 and
the scratch if you get the pet club brand
its 11.99 and its 50lb bag
its the pet club in mesa az
1st ave and country club

 

[nurseshelly]

Quote:
As I've said, I'm learning, so please forgive the "newbness" of my questions....

Do you clip wings if you have a full enclosure?

Anne.

I clip my hens wings, they have a 6 foot wall, but they could probably fly up if they weren't clipped.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

mclevinson, the Kombucha arrived!

Once again, thank you so much.

Arizonachicken and CaroleW, thanks for the compliments on my coop!

Mikey D, I planted the vines almost three years before getting chickens. I could have planted them the day I got chickens, it really didn't matter because the canes were already about 4' tall when I got them. Since the new vines grow from the top, they were well out of range of jumping chickens. If you're interested, check your local nursery for varieties suitable for our climate and choose one that is tall enough to escape snapping beaks.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
I agree- beautiful! And I showed my DH some of the features you have- the next day he added circle doors to our nest boxes- now one hen actually uses them sometimes instead of laying in the dirt under the coop like the rest! And we will be working on a better water system- really like your setup.

Gallo,

How long did it take for those grape vines to establish and how did you keep the birds from killing them?

Mikey

I'm not Gallo, but if you don't want the birds accessing a plant, to allow it to develop, put it inside a larger tomato cage or even a round pen of 2"x4" openings. Line the interior of the cage or pen with shade cloth, plastic hardware cloth or something similar, or make the pen large enough that they cannot reach the plant in the center. I have round pens like this around young apricot, nectarine and avocado trees, and a lines tomato cage around a small chinaberry tree. The china berry has finally outgrown the plastic hardware cloth, and is beginning to get nibbled on, so I need to get more of the plastic, or find something else to keep the geese from accessing it (too tall for the chickens). My grapes they have never tried to eat, unless I pull leaves or fruit and give them, but it is planted in a very large pot. A couple of years after I planted it, I decided to put it into the ground, only to discover that it had grown through the bottom of hte pot, and IS in the ground. This year was the first that the caterpillars have not eaten almost all the leaves. But now it is covered in whiteflies :rolleyes

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
Went by today....

Layena is 14.99 a bag.
Scratch is 11.99 but it's a 45 lb bag.

if you get the layena pet club brand is 50lbs bag
for 12.99 and
the scratch if you get the pet club brand
its 11.99 and its 50lb bag
its the pet club in mesa az
1st ave and country club

I got the pet club brand. 45 lbs.

Didn't buy the pet club brand layena because I didn't feel it was up to Purina's standard.

Called the feed barn. Egg maker is running $15.50. guess I won't be buying that.. of course I only spoke with the guy.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
As I've said, I'm learning, so please forgive the "newbness" of my questions....

Do you clip wings if you have a full enclosure?

Anne.

I personally would not clip wings. If the wings are clipped, it limits the bords ability to attain ehight in getting away from a grounded predator. If they cannot get over the top of a run or pen, there is no reason to clip. Also, if you plan to show birds, clipped wings are a disqualification.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
if you get the layena pet club brand is 50lbs bag
for 12.99 and
the scratch if you get the pet club brand
its 11.99 and its 50lb bag
its the pet club in mesa az
1st ave and country club

I got the pet club brand. 45 lbs.

Didn't buy the pet club brand layena because I didn't feel it was up to Purina's standard.

Called the feed barn. Egg maker is running $15.50. guess I won't be buying that.. of course I only spoke with the guy.

Are you aware that Manna Pro has a rebate going on? http://www.mannapro.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/2011ChickDaysRebateOfferForm.pdf It amounts to a $1 per bag in $5 increments. The form asks how many rebate checks you are requesting, so there does not appear to be a limit. Hope not as I have a whole bunch to send in.