Arizona Chickens

[squeakyballs]

Congrats, cheerful!

Mahroni, that land will be awesome. Good luck with the auction!

LareePQG - I'm so excited! I think there is one more chick, but it might have been the same one. I don't want to disturb things too much just yet.

 

[LarryPQ]

Dont go mussin around in there just yet

If the chick ends up dominant white, then it is from my delaware-mutt under patch. If it has colors--then it is from the SS. (Runt & Olivia's eggs can be hard to tell apart).
A pic of Runt.

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

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.)

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

PREDATORS -

This link seems good for identifying what killed the bird: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=18670

 

[squeakyballs]

Quote:
I hope you are right about the shade and water, that is all mine are getting. Maybe a mister at some point for the really hot days.

I heard the same thing about the cold - I covered the windows on it with plastic this winter and someone told me I didn't even need to do that.

 

[cap1717]

Quote:
I hope you are right about the shade and water, that is all mine are getting. Maybe a mister at some point for the really hot days.

I heard the same thing about the cold - I covered the windows on it with plastic this winter and someone told me I didn't even need to do that.

One thing that is pretty simple to do, and really helps keep them cool on the hottest days, is to provide a shallow pan with some water and a couple of frozen "blue ice" packs. . . . my gals love to stand or sit on them. . . . haven't had to bring them out yet this year, as even through the hottest days so far. . . .no panting. . . .
the new coop run are much cooler and shadier than the old one was, and everyone seem really happy. . . .

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

Quote:
I'm glad you went with getting the predators too. They are working well here still for me, but I have found over the years I need to get a few more shipments that what I originally planned for.

A solar trap works well in addition to predators, less smelly and easily made with a HD bucket and some old screen.

Flies stink

Can you explain the homemade solar trap?

 

[Enjaytoo]

Quote:
I'm glad you went with getting the predators too. They are working well here still for me, but I have found over the years I need to get a few more shipments that what I originally planned for.

A solar trap works well in addition to predators, less smelly and easily made with a HD bucket and some old screen.

Flies stink

Can you explain the homemade solar trap?

Ugh. I just typed everything and it disappeared.

Its not solar powered per say, more like "solar-dehydrator-for-lil-fly-bodies". Just your basic 5 gallon bucket with bottom cut out, covered with screen. The other side you make a cone shape with screen and leave a little opening at the tip, fasten inside bucket. Use the leftover bucket plastic to make short legs, and place bait under bucket/cone part. Flies will feed, then fly straight up, go into the cone, and get trapped in the bucket. They say you have to empty them but I never did, they just seemed to turn to dust

 

[rufus]

Quote:
So maybe I was wrong. Maybe it is possible.

Rufus

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

Quote:
Can you explain the homemade solar trap?

Ugh. I just typed everything and it disappeared.

Its not solar powered per say, more like "solar-dehydrator-for-lil-fly-bodies". Just your basic 5 gallon bucket with bottom cut out, covered with screen. The other side you make a cone shape with screen and leave a little opening at the tip, fasten inside bucket. Use the leftover bucket plastic to make short legs, and place bait under bucket/cone part. Flies will feed, then fly straight up, go into the cone, and get trapped in the bucket. They say you have to empty them but I never did, they just seemed to turn to dust

Cool! thanks.