Arizona Chickens

[RSerafin]

So this morning a took the girls out for some fresh air and sunshine until it started to get warm in the sun, they didnt know what to think of the sunlight lol. I also added a chicken roost for them to climb on (I'll build a round one for them next week) and drilled pinky sized holes in the box for better air circulation (they cant get out through them as theyre smaller than their bodies and high enough they cant reach them). The water and food containers are up on raised terracotta dishes just high enough to keep them clean and reachable. I made the top, which isnt in the photo, out of hardware cloth with a 4" lip around it so it fits snuggly over the top of their box.

Question, is it safe to feed them and "treats" like fresh veggies, fruits, corn in small amounts?

 

[RSerafin]

I got a good start to my chicken coop this week. Its 8ft wide x 16ft long and 10ft tall. It has 1/2" hardware cloth 4ft up and chicken wire the rest of the way. I dumped about 8 tons of rock around the base, we get flooded irrigation, to keep the water and dogs out. It also will allow us to get to the coop when our side yard is flooded. I also added some shade cloth which can be rolled up in cold months to get them sunshine. I have a locking door with hardware cloth to keep them safe and allow us access. The top, it isn't on yet, will be corrugated metal to keep predators and the elements out. Their actual hen boxes will be on a raised platform deck which is 8ft x 4ft and under that will have their roosts as well as other goodies. Today Im staining the wood to keep it from rotting, the wood that does come in contact with the earth is treated redwood.

I located it under a huge oak tree to reduce the heat inside and also have a solar fan I can add if they need some air movement. They'll get the early morning and late evening sunshine to keep them happy.

 

[DesertChic]

So this morning a took the girls out for some fresh air and sunshine until it started to get warm in the sun, they didnt know what to think of the sunlight lol. I also added a chicken roost for them to climb on (I'll build a round one for them next week) and drilled pinky sized holes in the box for better air circulation (they cant get out through them as theyre smaller than their bodies and high enough they cant reach them). The water and food containers are up on raised terracotta dishes just high enough to keep them clean and reachable. I made the top, which isnt in the photo, out of hardware cloth with a 4" lip around it so it fits snuggly over the top of their box.

Question, is it safe to feed them and "treats" like fresh veggies, fruits, corn in small amounts?

Occasional treats are fine, but I would supply them with chick grit so they can properly digest the treats. Personally I would stay away from corn and fruit though. Not only are they high in sugars that the chick don't need, but corn will actually elevate their body temperature. I always feed my chicks treats of fresh greens and meal worms...and free choice of chick grit, which they typically devour with great enthusiasm.

 

[desertmarcy]

I got a good start to my chicken coop this week. Its 8ft wide x 16ft long and 10ft tall. It has 1/2" hardware cloth 4ft up and chicken wire the rest of the way. I dumped about 8 tons of rock around the base, we get flooded irrigation, to keep the water and dogs out. It also will allow us to get to the coop when our side yard is flooded. I also added some shade cloth which can be rolled up in cold months to get them sunshine. I have a locking door with hardware cloth to keep them safe and allow us access. The top, it isn't on yet, will be corrugated metal to keep predators and the elements out. Their actual hen boxes will be on a raised platform deck which is 8ft x 4ft and under that will have their roosts as well as other goodies. Today Im staining the wood to keep it from rotting, the wood that does come in contact with the earth is treated redwood.

I located it under a huge oak tree to reduce the heat inside and also have a solar fan I can add if they need some air movement. They'll get the early morning and late evening sunshine to keep them happy.

That looks awesome! Good job

 

[City farm]

Our flock is having a hard time either finding the yellow toung to make the water come out or they are just lazy & expect me to give them fresh water everyday.. So we bought this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chicken-Wat...67e30&pid=100204&rk=10&rkt=30&sd=120929520586

that looks like a good compliment for a way they're used to drinking naturally! I like the idea! Definitely helpful in case my chickens play stupid should I try it out.
I'm not sure if I know how to make it work though.

You do have to have a regulator to control the water pressure.. I keep filling up the cup's.. I let them go without doing it 2x last week when it was cooler.. I might put treats in the cups.. They need to push the yellow tounge in order for water to come out..

 

[City farm]

Look's great.. Have you thought of doing fermented feed? F.F., it ends up being cheaper & %30 more nutritious for them.. You order from Phoenix co-op..

 

[City farm]

I used a laser light cat toy to train my chicks and chickens to use the 5 gallon buckets with the water nipples on the bottom. Aim the light at the ground and they'll follow it all the way to the water nipple. Took my flock a couple minutes to learn with this method.


On another note, the doves around here have learned if 3 land on the treadle feeder it opens! They are going through my feed fast! I had one climb in and get stuck inside when I walked out, was tempted to leave it in there.

Seems like we are going to feed those doves one way or another!!  LOL..........

Yes?. They are lurking around here as well.. Glad that we have never seen one in the run yet..

 

[City farm]

So this morning a took the girls out for some fresh air and sunshine until it started to get warm in the sun, they didnt know what to think of the sunlight lol. I also added a chicken roost for them to climb on (I'll build a round one for them next week) and drilled pinky sized holes in the box for better air circulation (they cant get out through them as theyre smaller than their bodies and high enough they cant reach them). The water and food containers are up on raised terracotta dishes just high enough to keep them clean and reachable. I made the top, which isnt in the photo, out of hardware cloth with a 4" lip around it so it fits snuggly over the top of their box. Question, is it safe to feed them and "treats" like fresh veggies, fruits, corn in small amounts?

We gave them oats for a treat, small enough for them to eat. Then we eventually gave them other goodies.. Here is a link of some items that you should avoid.. Some items are missing. Some don't agree on citrus.. we have never tried it so no opinion. Although I do love the beding you are using.. We use that in the coop that sit's up high. Is it amigo bedding?

 

[lacymorgan]

Nice might want to add a little something for them to hide under so they feel safe and to get out of the heat if they want too. But other wise this is a nice set up good job

 

[DesertChic]

Well, my Dorking project isn't going quite as I'd expected. I ordered hatching eggs from two separate Silver Gray Dorking (SGD) breeders, one from eBay and one from here on the BYC. The eBay eggs had an awesome 90% hatch rate....but several of the birds have rose combs and white or colored feathers, suggesting they're not pure SGDs. The BYC breeder did a HORRIBLE job packaging the eggs and and several were broken and oozed out over the remaining eggs. Only one of those eggs developed through ten days of incubation with all but four of them failing to even show signs of having been fertilized. So disappointing! So I've got only one SGD hatching from that group.

Here are photos of my first SGD hatch. They're pretty birds...but I've got a lot of work ahead of me.