Arizona Chickens

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
After your post this morning I went and took a look where the coyote crosses our wall. There in the mud from where I watered a tree yesterday afternoon were fresh coyote foot prints. Now that I'm paying attention, I think that thing regularly comes into the yard and we rarely see it.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote: The image did show up at first. Are you incubating eggs now? Did I miss something? What are they?!

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

Hello hot temp coops! Has anyone had experience with installing swamp coolers in the coop? Just curious...thinking about doing it, if the results are positive.

I think it would be a good idea, there are all kinds now. My nephew has one in the garage for one of his projects, Plants? Worms? Maybe both. Trouble is when the monsoon hits swamp coolers do not work very well. I have a very smal A/C unit I was thinking of putting in mt coop. Changed my, mind, trying air circulation and mister for right now. I may make an area in the basement of my coop were I can add my old A/C unit, despite cold is heavier the hot. It should be in the roof. You can make a ruff evap with a box fan, a evaperative pad and a irrigation drip line. I made one the first year I was here, could not afford to run A/C unit. Was able to keep one room cool enough to sleep. ...................... Everyone is make progress on their coops. Spent the day putting hardware wire on half my r unn door, and making the chicken door in the run door. Had to throw the first one way, I broke it. On to a simpler design. I'm not that good to do anything fancy. Tomorrow I will have no time to work on my projects. I have to make space for my boat. Taking it out of storage, can't afford it. I have a couch and two recliners I have to get rid of. The couch is like new but way to big.

the matching recliners are white and need cleaning. I kept the couch covered the whole time I used it. No one has been interested. I will have to call Goodwell to pick it up. don't know what else to do. Can't use it, can't sell it, one option left. My nephew said I should burn it or send it to the dump it is so ugly.

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

I joined the Arizona Backyard Farmer on facebook a while ago. 2 weeks ago this guy had an emergency situation. His broody hen was out off the nest and apparently the rooster tried to mate with her and broke her neck. She died almost instantly. He needed someone close that may have an incubator or a broody. My Silkie gal had just gone broody again. I volunteered my gal and there are 5 more eggs to go. What fun!!!

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:

I joined the Arizona Backyard Farmer on facebook a while ago. 2 weeks ago this guy had an emergency situation. His broody hen was out off the nest and apparently the rooster tried to mate with her and broke her neck. She died almost instantly. He needed someone close that may have an incubator or a broody. My Silkie gal had just gone broody again. I volunteered my gal and there are 5 more eggs to go. What fun!!!

OMGosh!! What a story! That just makes it extra-special.

 

[Demosthine]

Whew, the girls are in the new coop. They didn't take to roosting, despite me setting the majority up on the roost. Instead, all but my two Barred Rocks are snuggled together in a corner. Once daylight hits tomorrow, they'll have more time to play around in there and such. Do you all think I should leave them in there for a day or two so that they know it's their new home?

So, all I have to do is add three small panels to the center of the roof, design the exhaust vent for the remaining panel, add the nesting box doors, add the door to the chicken's entrance and plumb in the watering system. Oh, and find a way to secure the door. It is pre-drilled for a sliding closet door, so I may finish the hole and try to get a dead-bolt lock installed. There's a bit too much of a gap between the door and the door jam for a regular door knob to secure. Over the next few weeks, I have some spare roofing paper and need to find about a pack of roofing shingles. I want an tan color to somewhat match the house, but I won't be picky if it's free or cheap. Craig's List has been a failure on that so far.

We opted not to put the youngins in the "new" brooder tonight because it was a bit wet under the nipple system. There really isn't a way around that, ever, since the girls will always drop some when they go to drink. I've watched it quite a bit and they don't leak at all. It's just from the girls drinking. There's ample solutions for ensuring it stays dryer in the large coop, so we'll do that tomorrow, too.

Everyone is make progress on their coops. Spent the day putting hardware wire on half my r unn door, and making the chicken door in the run door. Had to throw the first one way, I broke it. On to a simpler design. I'm not that good to do anything fancy.

Doors in general are not easy to do. I took a regular panel door apart today so that I could resize it. I was amazed to find out that the outer shell was just the really cheap pressed cardboard! And to make it worse, the inside reinforcements were just regular cardboard pieces. I'll have to post a photo tomorrow from the piece I have left. The door isn't as sturdy and secure as I'd like, but I tend to overdo all of my work. I mean, you saw how massively sturdy the small coop was on the back porch. It's a bohemoth and isn't going anywhere at all.

Besides, if it was that easy for you to break, it probably would have been awfully easy for the coyotes to get through. Consider it a blessing that you found out now, rather than after the loss of the flock!

Look what I found this morning

What I found when I got home tonight. 2 babies and 5 to go.

Seems I can't get the pics from my phone to byc

That's exciting news, Mama Hen! Hopefully you'll get some more photos tomorrow. You always post the some of the best.


It's beyond time to shower and get to bed. I hope everyone else had a great day.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

Here are some idea's found on YouT.

 

[MaddBaggins]

After your post this morning I went and took a look where the coyote crosses our wall.  There in the mud from where I watered a tree yesterday afternoon were fresh coyote foot prints.  Now that I'm paying attention, I think that thing regularly comes into the yard and we rarely see it.

No sign of digging. The way I buried the hardware cloth and lined the whole outside with cinder block, digging could be quite a chore. I have some 4x8 sheets of laser drops from a local fab company. If I cut them on half lengthwise I could "armor" the bottom 2' of the entire run.
Hmmm

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

Look what I found this morning

What I found when I got home tonight. 2 babies and 5 to go.

Seems I can't get the pics from my phone to byc

The top chick looks like it has some curled toes.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

After your post this morning I went and took a look where the coyote crosses our wall.  There in the mud from where I watered a tree yesterday afternoon were fresh coyote foot prints.  Now that I'm paying attention, I think that thing regularly comes into the yard and we rarely see it.

No sign of digging. The way I buried the hardware cloth and lined the whole outside with cinder block, digging could be quite a chore. I have some 4x8 sheets of laser drops from a local fab company. If I cut them on half lengthwise I could "armor" the bottom 2' of the entire run.
Hmmm

You buried hardware cloth around your coop? Laser drops? Are you referring to what is left after lazier cuts? I'm not familiar with laser drops. How deep did you go? I'm putting cinder block around my run. My nephew thinks I am foolish to worry about coyotes. Just because we're I am. WHERE AM I? In coyote county. . . I haven't seen or heard one for some time, but I know they are around. They haven't found my girls yet. I like the idea of hardware cloth under the ground. How often do you need to replace it? Our soil is hard on metals. What I wanted to do is put a 18" footer under my run wall. That is not going to happen, but that is much more doable. I like it.