Arizona Chickens

[kevs-chickadees]

Wow 85 is still borderline to high but I guess if you haven't had any problems with appliances/faucets yet then you probably won't. I'd keep a close watch on the R.O. system though if you have one.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:

She's on her way to China!

 

[a little chiken]

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.

Maybe we can meet up and go meet them together?

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.

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 think May 10th is great maybe Arizona Son and I can meet somewhere and go meet your friends to get the chicks. I do not have a restriction on amounts either as I live out of town on property. I am excited to help you in this project and excited to add something new to my crazy flock. lol

 

[a little chiken]

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.

We have a gravity fed waterer with the cups not the nipples and I swear by it. no mold no algae no nothing just water. My chickens learned in 3 days. I only add water to their cooling off pan in the middle of hot days. They all are doing amazing on it. My husband is going to make more for the other pens. Ours is a really simple gravity system. 5 gallon bucket and pvc pipe hose and cups. I like the cups so much better than the nipples myself.

 

[a little chiken]

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!

mine do not get dirty. i swear by my cups. i plan on adding to all my coops this summer. love love love them !!!

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

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.

Looks like something I will need in my travels. When I am moving my girls will have water. I will have to make one up soon.

 

[Sill]

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.

I got some of the BriteTap nipples but have yet to set them up. I have some regular nipples that the hens don't seem to get enough water out of though I have a couple set up in the run and they do peck at them. They do prefer the gravity waterers even if they are dirty by the end of the day. As long as they have a couple of sources of water in summer I feel better if I have to leave them in someone else's care. You can buy the Brite Tap nipples at Western Ranchman here locally and they sell them individually or in an assembly to screw into your water source.

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!

Please let us know how you like these. I'm thinking about using these for my quail and maybe a few for my chickens too.

 

[Demosthine]

Does anyone need egg cartons? I have a rather large stack I was saving, before I lost my flock, and don't need them now. I thought I'd offer them here, first, before I throw them in the recycle bin on Thursday. Message me and let me know.

 

[pipemum]

Looks like something I will need in my travels. When I am moving my girls will have water. I will have to make one up soon.

LKD, for on the move traveling, it might be useful to have a simple liter soda bottle with a nipple clamped in the cage/coop. There'd have to be a small hole at the top of the liter bottle, but there should be very little spilling while on the road. The pvc line would work while you're stopped and have a larger source of water.

A little chicken, thanks for chiming in on the cups. So glad they are working well for you!

So....now I really want 3-4 midget white turkeys! I absolutely can't get any new critters till fall, so I wouldn't be able to have my own delicious turkey for this T-day or xmas. It would mean no cornish cross for the fall. Does southern AZ have a problem with blackhead? I know turkeys can get it from chickens. The turkeys and chickens wouldn't be housed together, but they'd be hanging out in the yard for a few hours a day.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
You know, I was thinking the exact same thing. It'd be perfect since it'd stay vertical and not spill.