Arizona Chickens

[roostereggs]

I made my waterers...5 gallon buckets with 4 nipples in each and they stay relatively clean with the lids.

Then for the summer, I took some empty gatorade/powerade bottles and inserted a nipple into each lid. I plan to fill them 1/2 way with water, put on a regular lid, and freeze them laying down. Each morning I will fill the other 1/3 with water, put on the nipple lid, and place upside down into cones I am making out of silver reflective bubble wrap so they have cool water to drink throughout the day.
Also installing misters, but will need a pressure regulator because our hose bibs by the coop are at 115.

We had to do the same thing with the house pressure when we moved in.

Whenever I get old produce for free from the market, which by the way is usually nice produce with a few bumps and bruises, I chop it up and put it in the freezer. I have at least a bushel of apple cubes and oranges cut in half frozen and ready to go.

 

[pastrymama]

FWIW, I always have brahmas. They are probably one of my most favorite chicken breeds. There will always be a few of those running in my flock. Oddly enough, I have not lost one to heat stroke (knock on wood). I have lost all other sorts of other breeds but not my brahmas. They are big, calm, gentle giants. They lay terribly but I don't care. I love me some brahmas!!!!!

 

[alohachickens]

Aloha I am in Tucson but I am willing to add a new coop and raise some for you if you want. I would love to keep what you don't want back. I so love unusual breeds. I have mostly ameraucana and turken/ameraucana mix, and silkies and crested. I know very odd mix but we love them. Let me know if you want me to help out.

That would be awesome! Will be sending you a PM.

 

[alohachickens]

I am just north of Tucson, and would also be interested in raising a batch of chicks, especially the ones fathered by that Cinamon Sussex roo! Would love to be able to keep a few of those for my own backyard menagerie. I am not restricted in how many chickens I can have here, so I could realistically take a much bigger batch of chicks than 8 or 10. Whatever works best for Aloha Chickens, I guess. Not sure about how to get them down here to Pima County, but between "a little chiken" and myself, it may be worth a drive down here from PHX? I could meet you/somebody right off I-10 at exit 242.

I do have some friends from Tucson that will be up here in Phoenix for a show on May 10th. I wonder if they would be able to transport? It may be late in the evening on Sunday before they would be heading back, though.

I'll just go ahead and plan on hatching some out for that weekend, and if we can't get them down there, I'll find another home for them somewhere? And of course if you or anyone else wanted to drive up they would be available.

 

[azelgin]

We have our first local forest fire. A little early this year. They called in the "big guns' and are flying a DC10 retardant plane. Pretty impressive to see a 500,000lb aircraft flying at tree top level.

The fire is about ten miles away and not a threat. The winds don't usually blow towards us, from the direction of the fire.
Sorry about the picture quality, but it is ten miles away.

 

[pipemum]

Ours run from 1-3 pm.There is shade cloth on the the run as well.

This year I purchased a Brite Tap waterer and 5 gallon cooler (I bought from Lowe's) for the girls. This will keep their water cooler and dirt free. I will see how that works in the heat. So far the water stays cold during the day. I purchased mine at the Western Ranchman for $33. My girls took to it right away. I noticed that the water does stay cleaner and no mold grew inside. I keep a regular 3 gallon plastic waterer out as well and it started molding in the heat we just recently had.



http://www.chickenwaterer.com/BriteTap-Automatic-Chicken-Waterer-p/bt100.htm
shipping is $6.85 to Scottsdale

This sounds bad, but I have a 2-gallon bucket with nipples, and didn't check it for at least 6 weeks. Nasty, right? I don't feel too bad, as my chickens never ever drink from the dang thing. Anyway, no mold, no weird pink slime, no rotten smell, nothing. Just water. I'd put a slash of apple cider vinegar in it to see if it'd stop mold. Guess it did. The 2-gal bucket/nipple set up in the meatie coup has mold growing after 2 weeks, no acv in the water.

I've had water nipples and the regular waterer for the chickens and they prefer the regular waterer. No matter how I set up the gravity waterer, they get so nasty and gross and sometimes tip over. I'm done with regular waterers! My chickens will have to deal with a nipple system only. I'll be going out of town for 2-weeks this summer, and need to make it as easy as possible for whomever is going to watch my chickens. I'm thinking of setting either the BriteTap up, or this--I have most of the parts already:

The 5-gallon buckets, or cooler, would be set up outside of the coop.

 

[pipemum]

FWIW, I always have brahmas. They are probably one of my most favorite chicken breeds. There will always be a few of those running in my flock. Oddly enough, I have not lost one to heat stroke (knock on wood). I have lost all other sorts of other breeds but not my brahmas. They are big, calm, gentle giants. They lay terribly but I don't care. I love me some brahmas!!!!!

That's good to know! Thanks!

 

[pipemum]

I think I'm going to get some of these cup waterers from Beaktime:

I KNOW the chickens get plenty of water from nipples themselves, but I feel more comfortable with them also having some sort of cup for them to drink from. Though, ugh, these cups can probably get filled with debris and grossness too? And nipples are so much less expensive.



eta: just ordered the Beaktime cups. I'll have enough cups to set up a system in both coops. I think using adapters and fittings and such, I should be able to use an old cooler for one water bucket and I have a regular 5-gallon bucket for another. I like to have backup water available, so the hanging 2-gallong nipple waterers will stay in the coops. Good bye with the gravity waterers!

 

[Arizona Son]

I do have some friends from Tucson that will be up here in Phoenix for a show on May 10th. I wonder if they would be able to transport? It may be late in the evening on Sunday before they would be heading back, though.

I'll just go ahead and plan on hatching some out for that weekend, and if we can't get them down there, I'll find another home for them somewhere? And of course if you or anyone else wanted to drive up they would be available.

I would be happy to meet your friends late in the evening on Sunday the 10th, if they can make it. Really i can make myself available anytime & I will adjust my schedule to meet up with them at their convenience, whatever the day or time. Heck, anything to save myself from making a drive to PHX & back, LOL!

 

[Macboat]

I would be happy to meet your friends late in the evening on Sunday the 10th, if they can make it. Really i can make myself available anytime & I will adjust my schedule to meet up with them at their convenience, whatever the day or time. Heck, anything to save myself from making a drive to PHX & back, LOL!

Lol, I am the same kind, will do anything as long as I can avoid driving....