Arizona Chickens

[LarryPQ]

Rufus- It wasn't the feral cats I was worried about, but my 1-year-old in the yard. One neighbor breeds Papillions...go over there, ya coyote!

Becky- You coop looks great! It looks pretty solid---you know, assuming you'll be putting in hardware cloth and all.


Good morning all! This was in another topic, but I thought you might enjoy it.

http://www.realnicerugs.com/chickenrug.aspx

I bought two.

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

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[LarryPQ]

Quote:

Don't Laugh! I need one for the back door, so people put the baby gate back up, and one for the MIL's door, because the roos will run through her room, into the next bedroom, down the hall, into the entryway, then into the kitchen to look for treats...That is like 200 feet of possible pooping!

(the house is a big circle)

 

[mahalo4]

I love it Laree/ my darn chickens follow me everywhere so if i am carrying bags I can't go in the door or out the gate without them following me my wife cracks up!! because I smoke my cigars when it cools down and i have 2 JG's that like to sit on my lap or the back of my chair also!! Funny Birds!

 

[AkTomboy]

LOL I need one of those! When we were having our house built the carpet ppl left the doors open when they went to lunch. I then came find my chickens and turkeys thinking they had the best coop ever!!!

 

[a2ms4chickens]

Is anyone else's chickens taking a long time to get over their molt?

I have 12 layers and 9 showbird hens and I am only getting 2-3 eggs per day.

I took an egg carton out to the pen the other day, and asked if they would please fill it up and start earning their keep.

I've decided that they listen to me as well as my DH and DS's, because I'm still not getting any more eggs.
Most of them have grown their feathers back, but I still have a few who seem to be taking their time.

My pullets haven't started laying yet, hatched at the end of May, beginning of June. Only 1 or 2 have a little pink tinge in their combs,
so there may be hope, yet.

Thanks for your input.
Angie

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

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I am not expert, but this looks like a great start to me. If you want to see what others are doing, there is a thread called hot weather coops. Well, I couldn't find that one, but here is the thread showing ArizonaDesertChicks coup:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=111571

I am sure she will comment on her experience with it.

I looked some more and failed to find the hot weather coup thread. I really enjoyed it. It was nice to see so many "relevent" designs.

Your coop looks very nice - should protect them from the weather just fine.

I found one more thread on hot weather coops for you:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=163417

You can see pictures of my coop after adding the nestboxes here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=19548

Our entire coop/run area is 18' x 7' (3 sided section is 5 x 7, open area is 13 x 7), and we let our chickens out into the backyard every afternoon for about 3-4 hours. Once the chickens grew up, I felt that our pen was just a bit too small for the 13 full-grown hens (most people here recommend 10 sf per standard size chicken in the run). For more space, we ended up adding another 6' x 10' run onto the side of their original pen (no pictures yet) AND getting a few more chickens

For even more pictures of nice desert coops, try clicking on the BYC pages of the members here on this AZ thread.

As for putting your 4 week old chicks outside - I think it would be fine, as long as you hang the heat lamp out there for them to get extra warmth. At 4 weeks, they still need 70 degree temperatures and here in Phx/Glendale it's getting down to about 61 degrees (still too cold for 4 week olds). It'll be even colder by the end of this week - 49 on Saturday.

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

Quote:
I am not expert, but this looks like a great start to me. If you want to see what others are doing, there is a thread called hot weather coops. Well, I couldn't find that one, but here is the thread showing ArizonaDesertChicks coup:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=111571

I am sure she will comment on her experience with it.

I looked some more and failed to find the hot weather coup thread. I really enjoyed it. It was nice to see so many "relevent" designs.

Your coop looks very nice - should protect them from the weather just fine.

I found one more thread on hot weather coops for you:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=163417

You can see pictures of my coop after adding the nestboxes here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=19548

Our entire coop/run area is 18' x 7' (3 sided section is 5 x 7, open area is 13 x 7), and we let our chickens out into the backyard every afternoon for about 3-4 hours. Once the chickens grew up, I felt that our pen was just a bit too small for the 13 full-grown hens (most people here recommend 10 sf per standard size chicken in the run). For more space, we ended up adding another 6' x 10' run onto the side of their original pen (no pictures yet) AND getting a few more chickens

For even more pictures of nice desert coops, try clicking on the BYC pages of the members here on this AZ thread.

As for putting your 4 week old chicks outside - I think it would be fine, as long as you hang the heat lamp out there for them to get extra warmth. At 4 weeks, they still need 70 degree temperatures and here in Phx/Glendale it's getting down to about 61 degrees (still too cold for 4 week olds). It'll be even colder by the end of this week - 49 on Saturday.

Thanks for the links!
It looks like we are on the right track. We will probably add a yard to the side of this one eventually. Right now we're just trying to get it done so they can go outside soon.
They spend some time each day outside in a dog exercise pen. We run back and forth moving them all out and then again back and forth moving them in. I don't leave them out there unattended yet.
We planned to have the coop done a couple of weeks ago, but then my hubby had to have hernia repair surgery and we got behind schedule.

It probably won't be done for at least a week or two so I'll check back with you on temps and ages then if that's OK.

AZDesertchick, I noticed on your page that you homeschool your 2 girls. I have 3 girls and we homeschool. They are helping to build the coop which is another reason it is taking so long. It's hard to get our schedules in sync.

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Quote:
I looked and looked for that thread. I have no idea why I couldn't find it. I think I'll bookmark it for future reference! Thank you for tracking it down!

 

[Enjaytoo]

G' Morning everyone! And a warm WELCOME to all the new folks, so glad to keep seeing more chikie farmers

I see the talk has been about coyotes, I know they run in the wash behind the house, hopefully with the dogs out there every few hours they will stay away. On the same note, ITS WAR OVER HERE......"Roof Rodents" have discovered the spilled grains (although I pick up bowls ever night) and they told all their friends. I have never encountered such SMART little creatures....I have, to date, tried (and still trying)....Plaster of Paris/Peanut butter balls, sticky traps in every imaginable position (in the trees, in bait buckets, on the roof of the aviary (caught a black bird before I realized I had to cover it with wire..oops...I got him off and cleaned though

, plaster of paris/powdered sugar mix, a live trap, and snap traps. It seems aver a few catches, they "notice" and the rest refuse to take the bait/go in the traps. Any suggestions? Blow gun? (seriously...its war

And I wont use poison, just cant risk the things croaking in my yard and the dogs getting to them. Very frustrated over here, they are driving me bonkers.

On a fun note, I'm expecting eggs and going to experiment with a dry hatch...good times

Hope everyone is doing well, and again, welcome to the newer folks!