Arizona Chickens

[Novaleigh]

maybe a clever cat?

A cat would have no interest to break into a chicken feed dispenser. A raccoon would though! A skunk would too. Perhaps an Opossum as well.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Anyone have trouble with something breaking into your treadle feeder? My hubby made it so the lid has to pulled up from the feed side to the back. It's tricky for me to even remember how to get the lid off sometimes. Anyway, something is knocking the lid off. It was on last night but then it came off sometime before the rain, as my feed is all wet now

We live in suburbia so I can't imagine what it is and why the girls aren't freaking out about it. They free range btw-so I don't have their run & house fence burried at all & most of the time the 4 ft door is open.

That sounds like raccoon to me. But it also could be skunk or maybe even squirrel (less likely). I know it doesn't seem likely, but you undoubtably have all three where you live. Are the chickens secure at night?

 

[hemet dennis]

Put the feeder where it wont get rained on and put talcum or baby powder on it and get prints.

 

[noodlegirl]

That sounds like raccoon to me. But it also could be skunk or maybe even squirrel (less likely). I know it doesn't seem likely, but you undoubtably have all three where you live. Are the chickens secure at night?

We live in a "Block wall lot" in suburbia. No "wild animals" here...we have a queensland heeler, so cats should know better. I can't imagine she could figure out how to get the lid off and would she even want to eat their food? I am sooooo lazzzzzy lately and haven't been closing their door at night and they've been fine all summer. But now, I'm definatley thinking I should! It's just so weird because the lid is on top of the treadle so that the feed "drawer" is open. I need to install a hidden web cam out there.

I do have a garden, so maybe I've invited some unusual non-suburbian animals...

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Does anyone know where to get a sheet of thin tempered glass or plexiglass? I was cleaning the fridge, and while it was drying on the counter it got knocked off. I'm going to call and see about a replacement shelf, but I wonder if it might be cheaper to just have one made.

Home Depot and Lowe's sell sheets of both items. It varies largely in price depending on thickness and what you are getting, but it may be cheaper than online. They will even cut it for you if you ask them, so take the exact dimensions with you. Alternately, you can use that PartSelect.Com website. They are not necessarily the cheapest around, but I have used them. They were the only site I could get all three items I needed, so it came out cheaper in the long run, compared to adding shipping rates at the others. The catch here is that they probably won't sell only the glass, so you'll end up getting the shelf frame, too.
I've never seen TEMPERED glass at either; plain glass, yes. However, not all stores will cut glass or plexiglas any more. The ones near me (both Home Depot and Lowes) do not.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote: I hate to tell you this, but you most definitely have coyotes, raccoons and skunks where you live. Just because you don't see them, doesn't mean you don't have them. They tend to be more nocturnal when living among people. I live in the center of Tucson and we regularly see coyotes and I've seen both skunks and raccoons. My in-laws live in the center of Peoria and we often see coyotes while visiting there (in part due to their proximity to a golf course). Your block wall may help somewhat by providing a visual barrier, but it would be little hinderance to a determined animal.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: When I lived in Glendale and had chickens they didn't even have a coop but just a yard for themselves. Not to many coyotes or foxes in Glendale unless in the outer parts and bet you have a block fence surrounding the yard right. You should be fine with chicken wire.
In Wittmann we had a nice rain.
Just because you did not see coyotes does no mean that they are not there. I live in a very urban/suburban neighborhood in the midst of Tempe; coyotes are seen on a regular basis by people in our neighborhood and in several other surrounding non-agricultural neighborhoods as well. Kit foxes are about the only ones in this part of the state, and they tend to prefer lots of open land. Coyotes are opportunists and will take whatever they can get. They also have a VERY large range per animal.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: We have block walls too. Racoons are notorious climbers, and coyotes can jump/scale a 6' fence with absolutely no problem. My neighbors saw a coyote jump their fence--not sure how tall it is, but over 6'. Thinking that block walls will protect your animals from predators is wishful thinking. It MAY deter some animals if there are other yards with "dinner" that they can access more easily, and see what threats are/are not present on the other side, or that have no barrier at all, but it will not prevent a hungry predator from your yard.

 

[itsredcandy]

The coop we are building will be fully enclosed. We will probably let them free range when they're a lot bigger. They are 2 weeks now, they just seem bored in the brooder box. They try to escape every time I take the top off. It will probably be a week or so before we get the coop/run completley done. We're making good progress but it's so hot out there, we end up taking a lot of breaks.. lol

I kept mine in a large dog kennel (inside) until they were about 6 weeks old. I put a branch in there for them to jump on and off. I got mine in January so they had to be inside (IMO).

 

[ChelleBelle]

Just because you did not see coyotes does no mean that they are not there. I live in a very urban/suburban neighborhood in the midst of Tempe; coyotes are seen on a regular basis by people in our neighborhood and in several other surrounding non-agricultural neighborhoods as well. Kit foxes are about the only ones in this part of the state, and they tend to prefer lots of open land. Coyotes are opportunists and will take whatever they can get. They also have a VERY large range per animal.

I have dogs that would keep any coyotes away. I have a 120lb Black Lab and a 95lb German Shepherd, they would chase any away. My german shepherd thinks the chicks are her "babies".. lol We used to live in Buckeye and I regularly saw and heard coyotes, my dogs chased one out of our backyard then. We were dog sitting a friends terrier mix puppy and one jumped our fence and our dogs went crazy. I've never seen a animal jump a fence faster than that coyote did.. lol So I'm not too worried about that.