Arizona Chickens

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I think I'm finally getting over my 4-week coma/nap (LOL). Y'all, I was just tired, and it's time to get busy. Don't know if I can go back through these 5,900+ pages and the hundreds of ideas and solutions offered here, so I may be calling upon you all for some advice. Please forgive me if it's something redundant that's been asked a gazillion times.

On another note, are there any SMALL AZ predators that I should be concerned about? I mean something related to the weasel family. The entire run will be covered with 1/4" hardware cloth, top, sides and extending out from the base, covered with planter boxes. Even the bottom of my small 6x6 coop base, sitting on ground, will be completely screened. If something gets in the run, it still can't dig under and get into the coop. Maybe it's overkill, but if I have extra 1/4" hardware cloth, why not put it to use. I can throw dirt and bedding over it.

That large opening in the center next to my observation deck will be my door (48x48 inches?), and I was thinking about gaps around it, but now thinking about it, got it figured out. That opening is to get my large wheelbarrow in there when I need to clean out the run. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona



I have a 12x20 tarp that will cover most of the run, and only the
4x8 deck and 4x8 feet of the run behind it will be exposed. The
tarp will not be used all the time, only to provide shade on those
hot days and the rainy monsoon season. With our mild Arizona
climate, it will only be used seasonally.

 
Bobby Basham said:
I think I'm finally getting over my 4-week coma/nap (LOL). Y'all, I was just tired, and it's time to get busy. Don't know if I can go back through these 5,900+ pages and the hundreds of ideas and solutions offered here, so I may be calling upon you all for some advice. Please forgive me if it's something redundant that's been asked a gazillion times.

On another note, are there any SMALL AZ predators that I should be concerned about? I mean something related to the weasel family. The entire run will be covered with 1/4" hardware cloth, top, sides and extending out from the base, covered with planter boxes. Even the bottom of my small 6x6 coop base, sitting on ground, will be completely screened. If something gets in the run, it still can't dig under and get into the coop. Maybe it's overkill, but if I have extra 1/4" hardware cloth, why not put it to use. I can throw dirt and bedding over it.

That large opening in the center next to my observation deck will be my door (48x48 inches?), and I was thinking about gaps around it, but now thinking about it, got it figured out. That opening is to get my large wheelbarrow in there when I need to clean out the run. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona



I have a 12x20 tarp that will cover most of the run, and only the
4x8 deck and 4x8 feet of the run behind it will be exposed. The
tarp will not be used all the time, only to provide shade on those
hot days and the rainy monsoon season. With our mild Arizona
climate, it will only be used seasonally.

Click to expand...

Common AZ Small predators -

- Neighboors dogs ( typically the weiner dogs and chihuahuas are notorious for chicken killing. I'v e experienced multiple masacres by both breeds. Little devils >.>)
- Raccoons
- Koatis
- Hawks
- Pack Rats (If you have smaller birds, the pack rats and other very large rodents will fight them for their chicken feed. Some occaions can be fatal.)
- Squirrels. (Same thing ith the pack rats, they are more vicious than they appear.)

Make sure your Tarp is taut and at an angle so that water/tree bleh doesn't collect in it over the area, and stretch/rip the tarpbefore it's time

I say this because with the weather here, it is not a matter of IF your tarp will tear/rip/shred, but WHEN.

Coregated roofing (Some sort of recycled carbon/plastic stuff?), I have found, is an amazing bit of arizona weather proof building material.

Lowes sells large sheets of 3x8, 3x10, and 3x15 and not only are they water/leak/sunrot proof, but they are sturdy enough to walk on.

I think they were like $5 a sheet last time I went?
 
Bobby Basham said:
I think I'm finally getting over my 4-week coma/nap (LOL). Y'all, I was just tired, and it's time to get busy. Don't know if I can go back through these 5,900+ pages and the hundreds of ideas and solutions offered here, so I may be calling upon you all for some advice. Please forgive me if it's something redundant that's been asked a gazillion times.

On another note, are there any SMALL AZ predators that I should be concerned about? I mean something related to the weasel family. The entire run will be covered with 1/4" hardware cloth, top, sides and extending out from the base, covered with planter boxes. Even the bottom of my small 6x6 coop base, sitting on ground, will be completely screened. If something gets in the run, it still can't dig under and get into the coop. Maybe it's overkill, but if I have extra 1/4" hardware cloth, why not put it to use. I can throw dirt and bedding over it.
Click to expand...
I dunno about anything in the weasel family.. around here we have ringtailed cats, foxes, and stray/feral cats. Snakes may go after smaller chicks/bantam birds, but mostly eggs. My father in law has two pigeon lofts connected to each other, and he had a snake come in and eat an egg, then go through the wire and eat another egg and he found it literally trapped in the wire with the eggs in it's belly on either side of the wire. Haha!! I think your biggest concern at this point would be if stray dogs can jump the fence because they can rip that wire stuff right open. As long as your hardware cloth is attached to the frame well enough you shouldn't have to worry about raccoons or any of those other critters.
Looking forward to seeing the finished product! You may find yourself a part time job building coops for people under the table!
 
Banaynaychicken said:
I say this because with the weather here, it is not a matter of IF your tarp will tear/rip/shred, but WHEN.
Click to expand...

And this is definitely a concern because when they do they come apart in those plastic shredded strips which can get wrapped around the birds. I've seen birds nearly loose toes from walking around in shredded tarps and getting it tangled. Unless you're using those mesh tarps, like the ones at Harbor Freight, that work like shade cloth. Those would be ideal.
 
Im looking at a hatchery right now for some baby chickens, Meyer Hatchery.

does anyone have reccomendations/comments?

we are looking for pretty cheap shipping costs as well as per/chick prices.
 
Last edited:
cactusrota said:
And this is definitely a concern because when they do they come apart in those plastic shredded strips which can get wrapped around the birds. I've seen birds nearly loose toes from walking around in shredded tarps and getting it tangled. Unless you're using those mesh tarps, like the ones at Harbor Freight, that work like shade cloth. Those would be ideal.
Click to expand...

Can't remember for sure, but I may have ordered the tarp from FarmTek. The entire run will also have 1/4" hardware cloth on the top, making it completely enclosed, so that shouldn't be a problem. The tarp would go over that. I don't want any wild birds or uninvited critters getting in. --BB
 
Bobby Basham said:
Can't remember for sure, but I may have ordered the tarp from FarmTek. The entire run will also have 1/4" hardware cloth on the top, making it completely enclosed, so that shouldn't be a problem. The tarp would go over that. I don't want any wild birds or uninvited critters getting in. --BB
Click to expand...

Good idea, as you don't want the wild birds getting in there and eating up your feed.
 

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