Arizona Chickens

[EmmaDonovan]

There's nothing quite like waking up at 2:30 A.M. to sewage backing up into your bathtub. I also did something awful to my knee yesterday which had better be just a sprain. What the heck kind of new year is this?

I don't suppose anyone knows of an honest, competent plumber in the Tucson/Marana/OV area?

 

[EmmaDonovan]

It's going to drop below freezing at night this week. Why are our chickens still molting??

How do your chickens do in below freezing temps? Do you have a Cozy Coop or similar heater for them?

 

[cavemanrich]

It's going to drop below freezing at night this week. Why are our chickens still molting??

How do your chickens do in below freezing temps? Do you have a Cozy Coop or similar heater for them?

Your described temps are not severe for chickens. Your chickens may be just going thru a light molt. That means they are not close to naked. If they feel cold,,, they will huddle together with other chickens for warmth. Being out of drafts is important. Do what you can to prevent that. Cardboard,,, light duty tarps,, whatever is handy and easily available for you.
Feed your chickens additional protein, to produce new feathers. Too much protein, will result in runnier stools, and somewhat smellier. All the being taken into consideration,,,,,,, BETTER for them to have poor poops, but still enough building blocks to grow new feathers quicker.
No need to rush and get feather fixer chicken feed. You can, but its not that necessary.
Consider giving them some cat food. Cat food is pretty high in protein.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Good info as usual cavemanrich, thank you!

True, they aren't naked. They're all sort of a square shape, though. They're missing their usual fluffy roundness. Some seem rather lean.

I'm supplementing their feed with good quality salmon - it's the same salmon I eat - every other day for additional protein. They get grubs every day. I'm not sure what other critters they're able to eat, there's not much around right now except some crickets. Desert mice are still active this time of year but they're nocturnal and the chickens are locked up in their coop at night.

The coop is tarped and we added wood covers to the screen doors so the hens should be out of drafts.

It's weird to see square-ish chickens. It's sort of the opposite of those silly Rollin' Wild round animals animations, I love those:

 

[cavemanrich]

I'm supplementing their feed with good quality salmon - it's the same salmon I eat - every other day for additional protein.

You may already know that I have rescue cats. Note; my Avatar.
I would keep the premium SALMON for self,, and give chickens the lower priced stuff.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

You may already know that I have rescue cats. Note; my Avatar.
I would keep the premium SALMON for self,, and give chickens the lower priced stuff.
View attachment 4022560

Is there anything to watch out for in cat food that chickens shouldn't eat? Does it matter if it's canned or dry?

 

[cavemanrich]

Is there anything to watch out for in cat food that chickens shouldn't eat? Does it matter if it's canned or dry?

Note my chicken in avatar sharing cat food.
Wet cat food is more delicious than dry. Chickens will gobble up in shorter time. Dry is good, and slower eating, in my observation.
My chickens have been raiding cat food for over 20 years of my chicken keeping. Gosh,,, it may be 25.
All live long lives.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Update on our backed up tub with the sewage in it: I rented a 50' drain cleaner from Home Depot and got everything moving again. Home Depot even let me keep the cleaner overnight and only charged me the 4-hour rate. I must have looked pretty pathetic!

Cleaning up the tub is something I'd rather not do again but it had to be done. Now it's shining white, clean, and completely disinfected. Whew.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

25mph winds this morning... I'm sure our temp pens will be fine but wind makes me so nervous now.

 

[igorsMistress]

Update on our backed up tub with the sewage in it: I rented a 50' drain cleaner from Home Depot and got everything moving again. Home Depot even let me keep the cleaner overnight and only charged me the 4-hour rate. I must have looked pretty pathetic!

Cleaning up the tub is something I'd rather not do again but it had to be done. Now it's shining white, clean, and completely disinfected. Whew.

That is crazy but glad you got it all cleaned up! I can’t imagine tbh.

Two of my girls just finished their kilt and my flock never would eat cat food. I’ve given them plain cooked hamburger, the canned salmon with the bones in it, plenty of grubs, etc. I feed a 20% protein all flock and this year didn’t supplement with anything and they seemed to do fine.

I don’t provide anything extra for climate control, just a draft free coop for roosting. I figure that’s more than what they’d get in the wild and it’s good enough.