Arizona Chickens

[Gallo del Cielo]

I have a question. Should I turn over the soil in the coop and run? If so how many times should this be done say in a year? Ok that was two questions lol.

Hmmm..I've only turned it a couple times, mostly in preparation for sod I put down in there in Nov. I don't think you have to turn it, I did yesterday because I hoped to reduce the chickens' exposure to the bacteria causing the bumblefoot.

 

[Papas Chickens]

I have heard a lot of people use sand as coop and run flooring. It takes the rain but it seems it might get hot in our blazing summers. I suppose you could wet it down in summer.

Thats all I have out here is sand and some clay lol.

 

[Papas Chickens]

Hmmm..I've only turned it a couple times, mostly in preparation for sod I put down in there in Nov.  I don't think you have to turn it, I did yesterday because I hoped to reduce the chickens' exposure to the bacteria causing the bumblefoot.

Ok thanks, I was just looking for a job my nephew could do so he can keep his chickens with mine got to teach the boy responsability all he wants to do is play on his gameboy and expect me to do all the work. Where going to scrub down the coop this weekend and sanatize everything while the weather is decent then maybe ill have him sand and paint the coop lol.

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

You were asking for recommendations of your setup, which I don't have, but I just can't ignore the fact that your bunny pen and hutch design is adorable, and is actually a smaller scale version very similar to what I want to build, except with more reinforce-ment and only going 5-ft tall. I LOVE IT! The plywood over one section reminds me (DUH) to add a shaded section to my setup. Believe it or not, that just made my day. Thank you so much!

It's amazing how much we contribute to others without realizing it. How cool is that?

As far as ventilation goes, how about those dual fans that you can install in windows that have slide-out spacers (like window-mount AC units) to accommodate window size? I don't know if the fans face in opposite directions, creating an intake and exhaust, but just an idea. And maybe one of those rotating exhaust thingies to put on the roof? Of course, you'd have to cut a hole in the roof and have it properly sealed.

Sorry, not being much help at all here for the placement of all your structures.

You folks keep gabbing, and I'll be taking notes. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

Bobby,

The plywood is just there ... not attached. The pen and hutch inside came with the bunnies, or maybe I should say the reverse--I paid for the pen and the bunnies were free with it. I'd like to build a little house on top of that open place where the plywood is, but I don't have many power tools. Also, my construction experience is near nil. My boyfriend would help me, but he doesn't see the need for an extravagent hutch/coop add on, so he's a little slow to help me get things started. Maybe my housemate ... hmmm

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

I love your motto! Life is too short to spend keeping the house perfect when we can be outside enjoying our chickens!

My motto is one found on many horsie t shirts:
This is one girl who would rather clean a horse's stall than her room.

 

[desertmarcy]

All this rain we are having this year is making pen cleaning a real chore. Just have to do it so much more often. Speaking of deep litter and materials for the pens: I never thought I'd have to worry about flies breeding in the chicken pens, because they will scratch around and eat any larvae they find, right? Well this summer I had a horrible fly bloom. The litter and poop under the roost in one pen had a very hard crust on it but it was wet underneath and there were larvae there. I turned it over and as soon as the chickens saw them, they were all over it. But they weren't scratching up the hard crust. Weird. They were kind of young pullets, so maybe not as strong at scratching yet.

I have been using sand in the pens more and like it but I have to buy it and it is expensive and heavy to move. Where my pens are located is heavy clay and rock, doesn't drain well at all. And I have this "thing" about not getting rocks in my compost, so try to pick them out when raking the pens. I think I spend just as much time picking out rocks as I do raking. There is an endless supply of rocks.

 

[desertmarcy]

Just finished butchering another 9 chickens. They are in ice water chilling down before cleaning/gutting. 6 Marans cockerels and 3 older hens. Anybody wanting to buy organic processed, ready to cook chickens, send me a PM.

 

[flower]

I love your motto! Life is too short to spend keeping the house perfect when we can be outside enjoying our chickens!

Clean house means no life outside of clean house ????

 

[FeatherPugs]

Here's my new mommy - she won't let me very close to her right now - so I'm thinking there's more going on under there!! Its a sweet photo with her little head tilted like it is looking at her little chicks.

 

[AZChiknGoddess]

All this rain we are having this year is making pen cleaning a real chore. Just have to do it so much more often. Speaking of deep litter and materials for the pens: I never thought I'd have to worry about flies breeding in the chicken pens, because they will scratch around and eat any larvae they find, right? Well this summer I had a horrible fly bloom. The litter and poop under the roost in one pen had a very hard crust on it but it was wet underneath and there were larvae there. I turned it over and as soon as the chickens saw them, they were all over it. But they weren't scratching up the hard crust. Weird. They were kind of young pullets, so maybe not as strong at scratching yet.

I have been using sand in the pens more and like it but I have to buy it and it is expensive and heavy to move. Where my pens are located is heavy clay and rock, doesn't drain well at all. And I have this "thing" about not getting rocks in my compost, so try to pick them out when raking the pens. I think I spend just as much time picking out rocks as I do raking. There is an endless supply of rocks.

I once had a farm built on glacial tilth. The rocks were amazing. It was like growing potatoes. You would plant a tomato in plain dirt and in the fall when you took it out , it would look like a potato plant underneath. I just do not know how the rocks migrated.