Arizona Chickens

[BlueBaby]

More cool cucumbers for my birds! The only ones who really liked the watermelon were Big Ben and the ants. The ants are still here, and the roo managed to get his feet all sticky when he ate it.

And a new addition--the flies have discovered the chickens! Since I only started with chickens late last fall, they waited until this summer to find the coops.

The temperature is supposed to drop again next Tuesday. That gives us another week of this heat. Fingers crossed for no new fires.

Didn't you know that when it come's to chicken's that the food always tastes best when you can put your feet in it? You can get some of the Permethrin 10 to take care of those ant's. That's what I use to keep them down. I buy the 1 gallon concentrate and mix 2 tsp. per one gallon of water. I have one of those shot glasses that has the measurement's on it that I use for this. Then follow the ant trail back to the hill, and pour it on it and them there.

 

[BlueBaby]

I've been watching the Tiger fire. I think its acreage is understated because I see the origin of the smoke (i don't see flames at least) from my house and yesterday some ash fell. but, the base camp for the firefighters is at the high school a mile from me.

I was hoping that the rain that we got would have helped with those fire's that's been going on.

 

[BlueBaby]

We have fly traps all around the chickens. It really helps, but there are some that refuse to go into the traps! I got some of the fly parasites that @BlueBaby got, I can see that they are hatching out, I hope they work. Of course when we got the big rain and hail last week, they fell down on the ground. Next time I will wire them up and not depend on the little paper hanger on the mesh bags they send you.
My birds will stand on a block of ice in a shallow roasting pan. I get the roasting and broiler pans from the thrift store for ~ $1.00 and freeze water in them then put it out for the chickens. I freeze 1/2 gallon plastic milk cartons and put it in their water bucket, too.

Those that I bought seemed to help for awhile, but now the flies are back thick again since I had to put the mister's back up out there with it being's hot. I'm having to hang up some of those fly trap bag's again. Maybe those Fly Predator's ran out of the food source before the mister's got put back up?

 

[springvalley123]

I was hoping that the rain that we got would have helped with those fire's that's been going on.

The updates on inciweb are mentioning the dry weather. It's been days since we had rain here. and when I came home a bit ago the smoke line looked much closer. I should probably drive to the base camp and make sure it's not abandoned.

 

[cavemanrich]

My birds will stand on a block of ice in a shallow roasting pan.

And your roostes and drakes are on their backs. No ice. just marinade.

Spoiler: Chillin

I have one of those shot glasses that has the measurement's on it that I use for this.

Dont misplace that glass.

Spoiler: shotglass

 

[City farm]

One of my neighbor's that used to have a mixed flock of chicken's said that her white leghorn's did the worst in the heat. She also had some Black Australorp's, and some Easter Egger's.

Drat, we got a few BA for our broody hen earlier this summer. I had heard so many good things about them so I decided to grab the last few.

 

[City farm]

Correct -only works when not too humid--I do that and catch any water that the misters spray too much (they always leak somewhere). Any cotton or burlap material will do-- sheets, towels, t-shirts, and cotton tablecloths (the best since they are almost big as sheet but medium weight hold more water). Used to be able to get tablecloths and linens at garage or estate sales cheap.

Great idea’s. When I am out hiking I bring extra water for my long sleeve shirt.

 

[City farm]

Hay, some of us got our member interviews updated. Here is the link;
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ember-interviews.905602/page-51#post-24673662

 

[Coffee N Chickens]

I suspect that the high production breeds might not be as heat hardy. The egg factories are cooled, otherwise the egg production would drop! I think it would not take very many generations of only breeding the survivors of the heat to get a more heat-tolerant hen. But, may not lay as many eggs as the egg-factories' leghorns. The chicks in the brooder shed are from Sandhill Preservation, he says that he does not heat or cool his birds. It can get pretty hot and humid in Iowa! And colder in the winter than I am by far. So far I have not lost a single chick from these.

I don't know. My Leghorns are barred so they're darker than most members of the breed, and seem to be doing OK so far in this heat. *fingers crossed* They came from a chicken show breeder.

 

[Coffee N Chickens]

I've been watching the Tiger fire. I think its acreage is understated because I see the origin of the smoke (i don't see flames at least) from my house and yesterday some ash fell. but, the base camp for the firefighters is at the high school a mile from me.

Those things can turn and move fast. Are you signed up for a county emergency alert?