Arizona Chickens

[Gallo del Cielo]

Oh, this morning I had the chickens out while I was doing my morning chores. Watered the dogs, came back into the garden area, and the chickens were under Big Red (this big red table I have). Something caught my eye, it was a hawk flying out from my palo verde tree--must have been checking out the chickens. I'm pretty sure it was only a cooper's hawk, which seems way too small to be going after a chicken! We have a couple of pairs that hang out around here. Maybe my little bantam Polish/silkie mixes were looking particularly appetizing this morning.

We live off a natural wash, and have tons of coyotes and several bobcats roaming through. So far, no issues with coyotes jumping over the wrought iron fence, but we have seen them staring in. We have 3 big dogs, so that might be a deterrent (we also have 1 small dog, a tasty coyote treat). I've found a couple of small dogs in the wash, partially eaten, so I know it happens. A bobcat will probably be the most likely thing to get my chickens. Their coop and run is predator-proof, but one of these days a bobcat is going to slink in while they are roaming in the garden and snatch one away. I'm out in the yard a lot, but not always, and even so, I've heard many stories of a bobcat getting chickens with the owner mere feet away.

The Cooper's are generally O.K. as long as you have LF and they're fully grown. They will try to take smaller chickens though. Weirdly enough, last week one flew in and grabbed my FBCM (fully grown) by the back but didn't latch on well. I was standing just 5' away! It made me wonder if the hawk was testing the chicken to see what it would do. My wife has a friend/co-worker who lives here inside Tucson and had a bobcat take a chicken right in front of her. She tried to chase the bobcat away, but it was so bold, it wouldn't budge and ate the bird right there, growling at her whenever she got too close. She got it on video too, it was chilling to see.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Question for the desert dwellers/no lawn folks here... Is it possible to let your chickens forage in a suburban (ie smallish) back yard and not need to supplement much if any feed? Just wondering if it's possible to grow/salvage the bulk of their food and let them forage their own garden area/compost pile for bugs and other vegetation in such a non-lush environment. How much forage space does each chicken need? (I'm planning to rotate them to different areas of the garden so when they decimate one part they'll have more green space elsewhere while the first area regrows. Is this even possible in the desert without a larger amount of land/lawn?

Not in a small yard. Even in my very large yard my birds need feed or they would starve.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

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The mean elevation of Phoenix is 1117, quite a bit less than 2000.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

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Yeah it could be the wine? I went to traders Joes. The wine expert said
"I think you will like this" on the 2ND bottle.. Do not trust them.. Really
2ND glass.. my dearest friend is popping on over to help me with my problem..
" of not wanting to waist the bottle" I like SMOOTH semi-sweet with a good
smell, is that to much to ask for?? It could be that I am not feeling %100?

The temperature makes a big difference in taste. Try chilling for 20 minutes and se if that helps it taste more like you'd prefer. We got a wine chiller a few years back as a present from the kids and I can really tell the difference between it and either room temperature (too warm) and the fridge (too cold). I will say that for white wine the fridge works fine--I prefer it colder.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I haven't had a chance to get out there yet. I want to get some Orpingtons too. Check this kid out. He has some nice Orpingtons. http://www.padillas-peeps.com/theorpingtons.htm It might be a good place to get eggs to hatch. I think that is what I am going to do with a few of them. I can't wait to go see what they have.

The Padillas have excellent quality birds.

 

[pipemum]

The Cooper's are generally O.K. as long as you have LF and they're fully grown. They will try to take smaller chickens though. Weirdly enough, last week one flew in and grabbed my FBCM (fully grown) by the back but didn't latch on well. I was standing just 5' away! It made me wonder if the hawk was testing the chicken to see what it would do. My wife has a friend/co-worker who lives here inside Tucson and had a bobcat take a chicken right in front of her. She tried to chase the bobcat away, but it was so bold, it wouldn't budge and ate the bird right there, growling at her whenever she got too close. She got it on video too, it was chilling to see.

Wow, BCMs are big birds! And double wow, must have been one hungry bobcat.

 

[notinoz2007]

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ohhhh, that must have been what i saw! i mostly saw fluffy butts and feather legs so didnt inspect them well. lol. i have brahmas. my sweet rooster is silver laced and i havent seen another out here so i got really excited about your sl cochin, lol. then i have a light brahma female and 2 brahma/? mix chicks. no pics of my current flock since i did a major overhaul and rehomed just about everyone. but i think i might have one of him...nope. they must all be on my phone still. will try to post some later.

 

[kpgoldstar]

RIR chicks are adorable! My daughter's favorite chick was Rosie, our only RIR. Unfortunately, Rosie turned out to be Willie Nelson (have no idea why she named him Willie Nelson) and Willie Nelson ended up in the crock pot.

Yep, same here! If our newly named Lazy Lucy turns out to be Lazy Larry, we'll be introducing him to Mr. Weber on the back patio!

 

[kpgoldstar]

They can have it right away as long as they have access to grit. Congratulations on the new chicks!

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but at 2 weeks old what would be considered grit? Is that a purchased product? My coop and brooder box are construction sand and they scratch and peck at it, is that considered grit if they eat it?

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but at 2 weeks old what would be considered grit? Is that a purchased product? My coop and brooder box are construction sand and they scratch and peck at it, is that considered grit if they eat it?

It's a perfectly good question for a new chick owner to ask. Grit works in the gizzard to grind their food. It's usually just small or tiny pebbles that they eat, construction sand might be a bit too fine, depending on what it is. You can buy grit specifically for chickens or you could simply get a shovelful of dirt from your yard and put it in a shallow dish for them.