FLY's - I'll have to look up Solar Traps. Sounds interesting.
HEAT - Ok, look you guys. Did I miss something? I thought we had discussed this over and over and had a consensus that though we like to do things to make the heat a little more bearable, all the chickens NEED are water and shade and ventilation to survive the summers here. The only potentially serious heat reaction I have seen at my house this year was on Sunday, the hottest day we have had so far, when I had irrigation at noon. The 6 week olds took cover from the flood in the coop and wouldn't come out. I was a little worried about them and their panting. Apparently the coop is hotter, even with the shade coverings, than the trees they normally take refuge under. However, they survived (I made sure they had regular water, vinegar water and electrolyte water just in case) and are fine. The rest of them moved less that day, but I didn't even see panting. Of course their feet were wet in the water. So though I have been known to put a mister out over a burlap covered screen under a tree for their own swamp cooler...that is when it is 115 out... and I thought it was nice but optional. As for the grass, (I have the not so lovely Arizona kind that never dies, never. If you water it perks up after a bit. It isn't pretty or soft, but it is green and the chickens eat it. ) I water it once every two weeks and it lives on...even in 115. The baby citrus trees are another matter. They get watered once a week and some shade covers.
So, I am probably the newest one to Arizona here. I have only been here 2 years. Whereas I worked in Park City, not so far from the mountain properties in Wanship for over 10 years.
Am I being too optimistic that water, ventillation and shade are all that is required for the chickens?
(Oh, and as for winter, everything I have read tells me that heat is sooo not necessary for adult birds here, no matter how cold we think it is for us humans.)
