Arizona Chickens

@Geckolady Of course they made a extra protein snack out of that mouse. It's not the first one that they caught and ate.

Is Big Ben still molting a bit?
Yes. He dropped the extra long feathers that used to cascade around his tail.

He had a blue spot on his side for a while that's finally fading. I put some blue stuff to prevent feather picking on one of the Leghorn hens. He likes to perch so closely in between two of the Leghorn hens that their wings are pressed against each other, and the color managed to transfer onto his side. Too bad it's fading. I could have tried marketing male chicks sired by him as something unusual. :cool:
 
Well, we might just get started on that coop this winter after all. The contractor finally got around to pouring the piers for it. I admit it was overkill, having concrete piers poured, but that's what the hubs wanted, so. Now we have them. Contractor will be putting down sill plates of untreated lumber for us to start with--making sure the whole thing is level. Works for me. Although, it's going to be a cold job of work this winter, building that thing. As long as it's done so I can paint/furnish the interior before it's time for chicks, I'm good.

Mornings have been right at freezing here, give or take a couple degrees. I hope the hubs gets in a hurry to just get it over with! :p

Cheers, y'all.
 
Well, we might just get started on that coop this winter after all. The contractor finally got around to pouring the piers for it. I admit it was overkill, having concrete piers poured, but that's what the hubs wanted, so. Now we have them. Contractor will be putting down sill plates of untreated lumber for us to start with--making sure the whole thing is level. Works for me. Although, it's going to be a cold job of work this winter, building that thing. As long as it's done so I can paint/furnish the interior before it's time for chicks, I'm good.

Mornings have been right at freezing here, give or take a couple degrees. I hope the hubs gets in a hurry to just get it over with! :p

Cheers, y'all.
Well, I guess that's some good new's for you, being that you will now be closer to being able to start your flock.
 
Some water questions for everyone!

Initially we're using a small waterer like this but eventually we'll switch to an automatic waterer similar to this design (using tap water, not rain water):

maxresdefault.jpg


I was reading about PVC pipe for watering chickens and learned that only NSF-61 PVC pipe is suitable for potable water. The PVC pipe you buy at Home Depot or Lowe's isn't generally used for potable water and especially in our high temps it breaks down, cracks, leaks, and leaches chemicals into the water that you don't want in your chickens/eggs.

You can buy NSF-61 standard PVC pipe from specialty places, like Grainger (it doesn't seem to cost any more than regular PVC pipe).

This is the first time I've heard about this. Anyone else use PVC pipe for your chickens' watering systems? Is it NSF-61? Or something else?

Does anyone use a water filter system for their chickens? The tap water here is too high in chlorine and we use a Brita filter for drinking/cooking water and an Aquasana filter in the shower. But we don't have a way to filter water coming from the backyard hose. Is there something inexpensive like a Brita filter system that you can use with an outdoor hose?

Lastly, how do you keep water from freezing in the winter? Do you switch to a heated waterer, like this one?
 
Initially we're using a small waterer like this but eventually we'll switch to an automatic waterer similar to this design (using tap water, not rain water):

If you intend to connect the nipple waterers to tap water supply,,, you will need a special pressure regulator/reducer in line .
I would personally opt for a 5 gallon bucket gravity feed. Just my preference since it is simple.



Lastly, how do you keep water from freezing in the winter? Do you switch to a heated waterer, like this one?

That one will work.🔝 I personally use one like pix below. I have 2. One for chickens in run,, and second in front yard for birds, cats, and squirrels.
Thermostatically controlled, so water does not get heated if temps are not cold.
image_2021-11-29_150335.png
 
Some water questions for everyone!

Initially we're using a small waterer like this but eventually we'll switch to an automatic waterer similar to this design (using tap water, not rain water):

maxresdefault.jpg


I was reading about PVC pipe for watering chickens and learned that only NSF-61 PVC pipe is suitable for potable water. The PVC pipe you buy at Home Depot or Lowe's isn't generally used for potable water and especially in our high temps it breaks down, cracks, leaks, and leaches chemicals into the water that you don't want in your chickens/eggs.
Home depot should sell CPVC, which is used for potable water systems in homes. PEX is also used in homes, and it doesn't crack when it freezes like PVC or CPVC will==but you need different tools and connectors, and it does shrink and stretch with temperature (that's how it doesn't crack).
You can buy NSF-61 standard PVC pipe from specialty places, like Grainger (it doesn't seem to cost any more than regular PVC pipe).

This is the first time I've heard about this. Anyone else use PVC pipe for your chickens' watering systems? Is it NSF-61? Or something else?

Does anyone use a water filter system for their chickens? The tap water here is too high in chlorine and we use a Brita filter for drinking/cooking water and an Aquasana filter in the shower. But we don't have a way to filter water coming from the backyard hose. Is there something inexpensive like a Brita filter system that you can use with an outdoor hose?

For filters, I've never used a water system, but might consider using the inline filter like you use for misting systems, to keep it from clogging.
Lastly, how do you keep water from freezing in the winter? Do you switch to a heated waterer, like this one?
I just use water from a "drinking water safe" garden hose for the chickens, straight into a gallon tub (the kind they use for foals or goats). There's a bit of dirt around the waterer, which helps keep it from freezing. Also I pour hot water into it early in the morning or sometimes just break the ice with a rock. Haven't had to yet this year because it's early and it's supposed to be a mild winter.
 
AAAGH! One of the two "pullets" from the last hatch I did started crowing today. :( I can deal with two males, but not three. Maybe I can give either him or Gabriel away. :(

So now all the chicks that hatched out black have been males, and all the ones that hatched out yellow and black have been females. And both males and females become cuckoo as they get older. It looks like the younger cockerel is probably closer to the SOP than Gabriel, so he may turn out to be a keeper. He doesn't have a name yet. Neither does his sister. Big Ben is not going anywhere. I like him too much.
 
AAAGH! One of the two "pullets" from the last hatch I did started crowing today. :( I can deal with two males, but not three. Maybe I can give either him or Gabriel away. :(

So now all the chicks that hatched out black have been males, and all the ones that hatched out yellow and black have been females. And both males and females become cuckoo as they get older. It looks like the younger cockerel is probably closer to the SOP than Gabriel, so he may turn out to be a keeper. He doesn't have a name yet. Neither does his sister. Big Ben is not going anywhere. I like him too much.
Well, now you know that those are a form of being sexlinks by the color they are after they hatch.
 

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