Arizona Chickens

[Trish1947]

I'm in the Verde Valley. It's nothing to hit 110* in July/August up here.

Make sure the chickens have lots of shade and fresh water. As Rufus stated, mist the run several times a day. I even keep ice blocks, frozen milk jugs, or 2 liter bottles to put in the hen house and coop for them. They'll stand on the ice block and peck at it. You'd be suprised how much they will cool the area. I also freeze 16 oz water bottles and make sure to keep them in their water during the day.

Restrict their scratch. It's a "hot feed" and increases their metabolism to digest, causing their bodies to heat up. I also keep lots of watermelon, canteloupe, grapes, etc around for them during the summer months.

With a little additional effort on your part, they'll make it through the heat just fine.

This is great information. I am in Southern Arizona and also deal with hot summers. I haven’t had the majority of my chickens during the summer yet. Very helpful.

 

[springvalley123]

Sorry that I have been a little bit quieter than usual lately. My sister died, and I've been trying to handle some paper work on it.

So sorry for your loss.

 

[BlueBaby]

So sorry for your loss.

Thank you! It was Pancreatic canser and not covid.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

That can be a difficult cancer because you can have no symptoms until it's already very advanced. A friend of mine lost her husband to it, they didn't find it until it was stage IV and had already metastasized. He was in his 30s and top condition. He was a runner and had only a felt a little tired. I hope your sister did not suffer.

 

[BlueBaby]

That can be a difficult cancer because you can have no symptoms until it's already very advanced. A friend of mine lost her husband to it, they didn't find it until it was stage IV and had already metastasized. He was in his 30s and top condition. He was a runner and had only a felt a little tired. I hope your sister did not suffer.

Yes, I know that it is. I also had to google to find out about it. My sister was 63.

 

[igorsMistress]

Sorry that I have been a little bit quieter than usual lately. My sister died, and I've been trying to handle some paper work on it.

I’m sorry for your loss

 

[BlueBaby]

I’m sorry for your loss

Thank you! She was a year and a half younger then me. It seems that cancer run's in my family, because my dad died of stomach cancer.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Anyone have a recommendation for wireless cameras to go inside the run and hen house? If they could livestream to my office about 60 feet away, that'd be awesome. We already have security cameras that cover the backyard but I want one or two inside the coop itself. I've been reading up on various threads about them, just wondering what the Arizona people prefer. Aside from maybe strapping a GoPro on a hen.

Also, does anyone feed alfalfa hay to their chickens? There's literally nothing green around here for them to peck at. I have seeds to grow moringa trees but that's a project for next year. The hens will get appropriate food scraps but since it's only two of us there aren't really that many scraps.

 

[CaroleW]

Sorry that I have been a little bit quieter than usual lately. My sister died, and I've been trying to handle some paper work on it.

So sorry for your loss, praying for you all and that you can concentrate on what really matters in all that you have to do.

 

[CaroleW]

Anyone have a recommendation for wireless cameras to go inside the run and hen house? If they could livestream to my office about 60 feet away, that'd be awesome. We already have security cameras that cover the backyard but I want one or two inside the coop itself. I've been reading up on various threads about them, just wondering what the Arizona people prefer. Aside from maybe strapping a GoPro on a hen.

Also, does anyone feed alfalfa hay to their chickens? There's literally nothing green around here for them to peck at. I have seeds to grow moringa trees but that's a project for next year. The hens will get appropriate food scraps but since it's only two of us there aren't really that many scraps.

I got some alfafa pellets (for horses I think) and soak them in water to feed the hens last year, and also a bale of alfafa that they peck at off and on. I only got the bale because store was out of straw and I wanted a windbreak. They seemed to like it in whatever form and I didn't see any ill effects.

I also feed them a little moringa when I glean extra - they like it. I dry most of my moringa, powder it and use it as a supplement for me or any animals that are not up to par.