Arizona Chickens

[pollyg]

I am so sorry for your loss. Must have been devastating for you. Take care

 

[parentwarrior]

Question, do I need to cook the carrots first to feed them to my chickens or do they eat raw carrots?

 

[Demosthine]

Well, my wife went off and did it. She bought two chicks today. I really didn't think she would follow through, but she has. And she caught the "crazy chicken lady" bug already. She picked up the black one and it immediately snuggled in to her hands and fell asleep. So she named it Sleepy. The second, she chose because she "was the shortest and smallest," so she would stay a chick the longest. Or so she thinks. She turned out to be very talkative the entire trip home and my wife was going to call her Loudy. She decided on Sunshine instead. I have no idea what breeds they are yet. I figured if she was willing to follow through with buying them, I'd let her get whatever she wanted to get my foot in the door. Woohoo!

So right now, they are sitting there chirping in a large Rubbermaid clothing container with the heat lamp on. We keep the house at 80*, so I know I need it. The seller thinks they are from the freshly hatched group that came in on Friday, so they are within the first week. It's mounted to a camera tripod, so I can change the height very easily. They seem good so far. I'll watch them tonight each time my daughter decides to get up and feed. She usually sleeps all night, but was up every two hours. I guess another growth spurt is coming.

So the required pictures are below. Sorry for the bad quality, but it's late and dark in the house. More to come in the next few days. Hopefully at least one with my wife holding them.

 

[kukupecpec]

Well, my wife went off and did it. She bought two chicks today. I really didn't think she would follow through, but she has. And she caught the "crazy chicken lady" bug already. She picked up the black one and it immediately snuggled in to her hands and fell asleep. So she named it Sleepy. The second, she chose because she "was the shortest and smallest," so she would stay a chick the longest. Or so she thinks. She turned out to be very talkative the entire trip home and my wife was going to call her Loudy. She decided on Sunshine instead. I have no idea what breeds they are yet. I figured if she was willing to follow through with buying them, I'd let her get whatever she wanted to get my foot in the door. Woohoo!

So right now, they are sitting there chirping in a large Rubbermaid clothing container with the heat lamp on. We keep the house at 80*, so I know I need it. The seller thinks they are from the freshly hatched group that came in on Friday, so they are within the first week. It's mounted to a camera tripod, so I can change the height very easily. They seem good so far. I'll watch them tonight each time my daughter decides to get up and feed. She usually sleeps all night, but was up every two hours. I guess another growth spurt is coming.

So the required pictures are below. Sorry for the bad quality, but it's late and dark in the house. More to come in the next few days. Hopefully at least one with my wife holding them.

Congratulations!!!! Oh they are so cute! I am jealous... I want little baby chicks!

 

[notinoz2007]

Question, do I need to cook the carrots first to feed them to my chickens or do they eat raw carrots?

i have had them eat raw carrots but its not easy for them so i either cook/half cook or grate the carrots before i toss them in the run. btw, mine LOVE grated carrots or squash, or just about anything really.

 

[notinoz2007]

congrats demosthine!!! how exciting for you!! you will both love your chicks

 

[Tanichca]

Gosh, it's cold up here on Mt. Fagan! Is the Tucson valley chilly as well?

The chickens seem to be enjoying the changing weather, however, since all the wild wheat and other plants are fully ripe, and there are buggies everywhere to eat. Happy chickens, not happy Tanichca. Those big black grasshoppers give me the creeps!

Congrats Demosthine! Those chicks are ADORABLE!!!

 

[Mahonri]

I'm guessing Barred Rock and Production Red... but I've been wrong many times before.

 

[Drjennidvm]

Well, my wife went off and did it.  She bought two chicks today.  I really didn't think she would follow through, but she has.  And she caught the "crazy chicken lady" bug already.  She picked up the black one and it immediately snuggled in to her hands and fell asleep.  So she named it Sleepy.  The second, she chose because she "was the shortest and smallest," so she would stay a chick the longest.  Or so she thinks.  She turned out to be very talkative the entire trip home and my wife was going to call her Loudy.  She decided on Sunshine instead.  I have no idea what breeds they are yet.  I figured if she was willing to follow through with buying them, I'd let her get whatever she wanted to get my foot in the door.  Woohoo!

So right now, they are sitting there chirping in a large Rubbermaid clothing container with the heat lamp on.  We keep the house at 80*, so I know I need it.  The seller thinks they are from the freshly hatched group that came in on Friday, so they are within the first week.  It's mounted to a camera tripod, so I can change the height very easily.  They seem good so far.  I'll watch them tonight each time my daughter decides to get up and feed.  She usually sleeps all night, but was up every two hours.  I guess another growth spurt is coming.

So the required pictures are below.  Sorry for the bad quality, but it's late and dark in the house.  More to come in the next few days.  Hopefully at least one with my wife holding them.  

                            

Congrats on your new babies, they are adorable! Maybe a Black sexlink and a Gold sexlink? At least that way you are assured of having girls! Keep us updated with more cute pix

 

[Demosthine]

I'm guessing Barred Rock and Production Red... but I've been wrong many times before.

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone. I could live with those two breeds, Mahonri. They weren't one of my choices, but are probably close enough. I wanted a Silver Laced Wyandotte and a New Hampshire. Yeah, I'm sure these will be just fine.

Now on to planning and designing the coop and run. I want them to free-range during the day. I'm putting it underneath the new playground that I just finished this weekend, so recommendations are appreciated. It's so big that I can't do the stand-alone coop with the run that I had been planning. I have a tetherball pole to the left of this that needs a clear 10' radius around it and I'm hoping to find a Funnel Ball to put in, too. You can tell where my priorities are... My kids and them playing the old-fashioned way!

​

So, I will be digging out the dirt underneath the monkey bars between the left tower and the back tower (with the tic-tac-toe), to put in a good sized sandbox. It's easier for the kids to land in than the dirt and is an excellent area to play. I was thinking about enclosing the back tower for the coop and putting the nesting boxes on the back corner. That area gets a lot of shade all day from the 20' oleanders. If I put the door on the left side, leading in to the sandbox, it'll provide very easy access. Then, under the bridge that leads to the right tower, I was going to enclose for the run, maybe even going under the right tower, too. That'll give them a 4'x4' coop and a 4'x5' run. It would be a 4'x9' run if it goes under that extra tower. The section under the bridge can sport a fold-up side giving me extremely easy access for cleaning the entire area...

Well, my Baby Girl just woke up, so I have to go for now. Happy feedings, ya'll!