Arizona Chickens

[BlueBaby]

Ooooh gosh I think they are different. That would be so cool to be able to get a big packet of seeds! I'm coming to understand that there "milkweed" actually is a pretty big family of plants and the ones that do best here are a smaller subset. Summer Winds said they had 2 arid varieties, the Desert Milkweed and one other.

I've been to Butterfly Wonderland which is pretty nice (especially when it's reeeeally hot because they climate control it), but I've had even more fun finding out that my latest "arida" passionfruit plant is a host for the gulf fritillary butterfly. I wouldn't mind adding a few monarchs to the mix!

Maybe you could find out what the name of it is and write it down. Then you could look to see if there is someplace that offer's the seed's?

 

[arizona_chicken_noob]

Maybe you could find out what the name of it is and write it down. Then you could look to see if there is someplace that offer's the seed's?

I've looked in the past and I just looked now... The Cactus Store sells it. I will probably also get the live plant when Summer Winds gets their new stock just to hedge my bets.

 

[Happy Novogens]

We just got hammered with rain! Anyone else? It was pouring for about 40 minutes. Puddles everywhere. Before that it was falling gently but steadily for a couple hours (it seemed). This downpour looked like one of those ones that we see once every couple years.

What a test this was for my new run & coop. It got flooded in there except for maybe 1/5th of the 10' x 20' space. I can't imagine what the hens would be doing in there if I had them.

Not sure what I can do to the area?? Any thoughts?

 

[Happy Novogens]

Here's a further away half-view for context.

 

[BlueBaby]

We just got hammered with rain! Anyone else? It was pouring for about 40 minutes. Puddles everywhere. Before that it was falling gently but steadily for a couple hours (it seemed). This downpour looked like one of those ones that we see once every couple years.

What a test this was for my new run & coop. It got flooded in there except for maybe 1/5th of the 10' x 20' space. I can't imagine what the hens would be doing in there if I had them.

Not sure what I can do to the area?? Any thoughts?

Water will always seek out the lowest area's of the ground. Maybe you could add more dirt or whatever in there to build it up higher in there so that the water can run off?

 

[springvalley123]

Water will always seek out the lowest area's of the ground. Maybe you could add more dirt or whatever in there to build it up higher in there so that the water can run off?

I was going to say to make a channel for the water to drain away, until I saw the context--- the coop/run is in the lowest area where water will naturally pool. short of moving it to the higher ground, building it up is about the only solution. BTW those T posts should be pounded in so the blades are covered---did you hit rock? whenever I hit rock, I try a different spot for that post so it can be anchored properly.

 

[Happy Novogens]

Water will always seek out the lowest area's of the ground. Maybe you could add more dirt or whatever in there to build it up higher in there so that the water can run off?

Yeah. I think it mostly came from that right side. Maybe I can build up the dirt outside the run on that one side where it ran in.

I just went out now to see what it looks like since it's stopped. It already looks loads better! (Just 20 minutes after earlier photos)

What would've happened if I had chickens there? Would they have been miserable? Worse?

 

[Happy Novogens]

I was going to say to make a channel for the water to drain away, until I saw the context--- the coop/run is in the lowest area where water will naturally pool. short of moving it to the higher ground, building it up is about the only solution. BTW those T posts should be pounded in so the blades are covered---did you hit rock? whenever I hit rock, I try a different spot for that post so it can be anchored properly.

Thank you. That makes sense for the t-posts. I may be able to pound them further now that the ground got wet! Their only purpose is to anchor the shade cloth. The shade cloth is laying on top of the run but is not physically attached to it. With the wind we get, I feared the whole run would lift off the ground if the shade cloth were attached. This way the wind may lift or tear away the shade cloth but that won't affect the run itself.

 

[BlueBaby]

Yeah. I think it mostly came from that right side. Maybe I can build up the dirt outside the run on that one side where it ran in.

I just went out now to see what it looks like since it's stopped. It already looks loads better! (Just 20 minutes after earlier photos)

What would've happened if I had chickens there? Would they have been miserable? Worse?

Well, with this monsoon and rain, it gives you a chance to see what thing's that you will need to fix before you add the chicken's to it.

 

[CaroleW]

Yeah. I think it mostly came from that right side. Maybe I can build up the dirt outside the run on that one side where it ran in.

I just went out now to see what it looks like since it's stopped. It already looks loads better! (Just 20 minutes after earlier photos)

What would've happened if I had chickens there? Would they have been miserable? Worse?

Dig a Lazy River thru it or around it and use rocks/logs to give them a bridge or island (you can move them around sometimes and give them bugs from under rocks. I'm constantly correcting grading and drainage here whenever I can dig - and I pile it where it will either contain the water or channel it away from structure. Then I plant a Lazy Garden around a dug out basin at the overflow.