Arizona Chickens

[Bobby Basham]

If they are kept in areas where predators can get to them, eventually they will.

I've heard it several time how the hen house has been raided in "city" dwellings. You may not see the predators, but they are out there. That's why I'm taking no chances. You get some chickens and predators just appear from no where. I'm not just talking about feral cats and stray dogs, but there are more. A fox can easily scale a 6-foot wall with a chicken in its mouth. I don't know what other critters are out there, whether it be raccoons, possums etc. Strange things can show up once you start having chickens. It would break my heart to walk out to my back yard and see a massacre with feathers all over the place.

I figure 160 square feet of outdoor run space should be enough for at least a half dozen birds, and that's excluding the Chicken TV deck and the 6x6 coop.

 

[BlueBaby]

I've heard it several time how the hen house has been raided in "city" dwellings. You may not see the predators, but they are out there. That's why I'm taking no chances. You get some chickens and predators just appear from no where. I'm not just talking about feral cats and stray dogs, but there are more. A fox can easily scale a 6-foot wall with a chicken in its mouth. I don't know what other critters are out there, whether it be raccoons, possums etc. Strange things can show up once you start having chickens. It would break my heart to walk out to my back yard and see a massacre with feathers all over the place.

I have also heard that Coyotes can jump over a 7 foot fence. Some have even jumped over them and grabbed cats or some of those smaller dogs.

 

[Bobby Basham]

I have also heard that Coyotes can jump over a 7 foot fence. Some have even jumped over them and grabbed cats or some of those smaller dogs.

I live in a beautiful concrete HOA, with a few concrete overgrown washes around the neighborhood, and no telling what is living in there. The HOA wants us to keep our yards pristine, while the washes have trees sprouted and weeds at least three feet tall.

It doesn't take a large critter to take down a chicken or small chicks, so that's why I went with smaller hardware cloth.

 

[BlueBaby]

I could never live in an HOA, and it is sort of hard for me to understand why people want to live in what I see as being a sort of dictatorship community.

You are doing right with putting in the smaller hardware cloth. I think that your flock will do well in what you have planned.

 

[Bobby Basham]

I could never live in an HOA, and it is sort of hard for me to understand why people want to live in what I see as being a sort of dictatorship community.

You are doing right with putting in the smaller hardware cloth. I think that your flock will do well in what you have planned.

My HOA fees are only $26/month, but I went around the block up to Los Reales Road, and a wild Havelina walked in front of me while I was driving. No telling what else could be out there.

 

[Bobby Basham]

My HOA fees are only $26/month, but I went around the block up to Los Reales Road, and a wild Havelina walked in front of me while I was driving. No telling what else could be out there.

I don't know if it is the house of my dreams, but it is a big 4-BR bugger, more than enough for one person, but I have a lot of hobbies and needed the space. I love my musical instruments, and love working on vintage record players and other gadgets. --BB

 

[meetthebubus]

Mystery solved zombie chicken update

Last night while roosting Mohawks expelled a broken shell, etc.
She is doing much better today and I'm thankful she expelled it she's a large bird and I couldn't tell


I give them laying feed and always have access to oyster shells, but she just finished a molt so maybe that's why her she'll was too soft....

 

[BlueBaby]

Mystery solved zombie chicken update

Last night while roosting Mohawks expelled a broken shell, etc.
She is doing much better today and I'm thankful she expelled it she's a large bird and I couldn't tell


I give them laying feed and always have access to oyster shells, but she just finished a molt so maybe that's why her she'll was too soft....

I'm glad that she seem's to be better. Are you sure that all of the broken eggs was expelled? If some of that broken shell is still in her, it could be bad too, from what I have heard.

 

[Bobby Basham]

I'm glad that she seem's to be better. Are you sure that all of the broken eggs was expelled? If some of that broken shell is still in her, it could be bad too, from what I have heard.

There are a lot of seasoned folks on here that can chime in...check/lube/flush her vent?

 

[FeatherPugs]

Mystery solved zombie chicken update

Last night while roosting Mohawks expelled a broken shell, etc.
She is doing much better today and I'm thankful she expelled it she's a large bird and I couldn't tell


I give them laying feed and always have access to oyster shells, but she just finished a molt so maybe that's why her she'll was too soft....

Never had that happen, I'll be learning right along with you all.......