Arizona Chickens

[EmmaDonovan]

Would it be possible to not dig, but instead add?
So you'd put the run on the floor, bottom hardware cloth being on ground surface, then you'd add floor/litter inside the run on x inches (might mean that your run would likely need some siding all around its base, so that the elevated flooring/litter doesn't leave through the side mesh, maybe cinder blocks all around for example?)

This is an interesting idea. I've been mulling it over. Two rows of 8" cinderblocks would = 16" inches of dirt over the hardware cloth.

We'd have to raise the entire run up 16" otherwise it would effectively drop the ceiling to 5' and we couldn't stand up in it.

The run is made of metal poles so we'd have to attach the poles to the cinder blocks in such a way that they're securely anchored against monsoon storms and winds.

The fill dirt would have to come from somewhere. Materials companies will only deliver on the street for a residence (they dump the dirt in a big pile by the curb at the front of the address).

We have a large double gate from another street at the back of our property but they won't use it. That would mean moving all the dirt ourselves around the corner and down the street to the back of our property, then carrying it by hand into the fenced area.

I'm no engineer but it seems like that much dirt, plus filling it up with rainwater during the monsoons, would put a tremendous amount of outward pressure on the cinderblocks. They would have to be cemented in place or at least individually anchored with rebar.

~120 cinderblocks, 13 cubic yards of dirt, and 130 feet of rebar costs more than 3x what the run cost, and that's not including the hardware cloth (although we already have most of that).

... does everyone go through this to build a run that's reasonably predator/pest-proof? It seems like a lot.

We love our birds but it's a relatively small flock of twelve and we are not construction workers.

 

[NestingMillenial]

I'm no engineer but it seems like that much dirt, plus filling it up with rainwater during the monsoons, would put a tremendous amount of outward pressure on the cinderblocks. They would have to be cemented in place or at least individually anchored with rebar.

~120 cinderblocks, 13 cubic yards of dirt, and 130 feet of rebar costs more than 3x what the run cost, and that's not including the hardware cloth (although we already have most of that).

Very good point. Do you think it would make any difference is using a deep litter kinda situation (meaning no dirt but maybe a bunch of organic litter - Chip Drop comes to mind when it comes to large, free quantities of the stuff)? And that arches back to something I looked up and planned on eventually asking here: does a deep litter set up even make sense for a dry AZ climate? Not sure, but it feels it would exert less pressure? I am really out of my depth - I'll let others chime in.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

I am out of my depth, too.

What if we put hardware cloth on top of the ground for like 2/3 of the run, and bury it in the other 1/3? That way we wouldn't have to dig out the entire run. Could the chickens walk safely on the hardware cloth if it's right on the ground, as long as they had a few other areas to scratch and dust bathe?

Edited to add: we do a cluttered run so they'll have lots of other places to walk on and roost on that would be off of the hardware cloth on the ground. We also scatter stepping stones and bricks so they can walk on something out of the mud when it rains.

Remember this is a flock that does NOT get along so relegating them to specific areas where they would concentrate to scratch and bathe makes me a bit nervous. We'd have to spread the buried sections around the run so the chickens don't all end up in the same place.

How quickly will exposed hardware cloth deteriorate? I don't want them walking around on little spikes everywhere.

 

[cavemanrich]

Approx. 25'x10'.

Emma,, I did not forget about you,, just was gathering some info and prices.
You can get these 1 square foot patio slabs. and cover most of the ground. does add to some up-dollar amount.

1.78 x 250 = $445 smaks.
So I looked into option #2.

You can just mix this with the soil from your run. You would get approximately 6 cubic feet of cement ready to pour from each bag, for $14 dollars. You would of course mix small batches using a coffee can as a measure. Each bag of cement would yield 48 square feet of coverage at 1½ inches thick. You could do small areas at a time like 3 feet by 3 feet. Next day another 3x3.
You would make a removable form from 1½ thick board.
That translates to about $72 for cement.
More work but doable if you take your time.
You can also opt for less thickness,, like one inch.

You can make one or two areas with dirt/ground for dust-baths.
3x3 would be sufficient.
I just checked my dust bath holes for depth. They are only about 4 inches deep. That means you would only have to dig, and bury the Hardware clothe 6 inches max.

Just a little note, about cement floor for chickens. You can cover the cement with thin layer soil, or sand, or garden mulch.(as long as it is not sharp) Your chickens should not encounter bumblefoot, unless they get a cut/scratch from a high landing.

Third option,, is to leave the ground as is. When the ground squirrels do come thru, trap them and release away from your home so they don't find way back. I know you mentioned there are a lot of them,,, but the number is not infinite.
If you choose that route, I can help you out with a special kind of trap, that would allow squirrel to come out of ground thru an opening on bottom. Once inside, the trap door to back down the hole would shut closed.

Tell me what you thing about my brainstorm here.

 

[BlueBaby]

I spotted a hawk right before sunset a bit ago sitting on top of the old arena light. I think it was eyeballing my young flock out there, so I ran it off. It can't get in there anyways, but it's the principle of it. It needs to go find a free ranger if it want's a chicken dinner.

 

[BlueBaby]

Somebody seems to be dumping chickens out over here. My nextdoor neighbor found one about a week ago, and then today another one showed up in her yard that her German Shephard got ahold of. Plus, they told me that they also seen another one running loose this morning.

 

[BlueBaby]

I was told that the Pinal County animal care and control has taken in over 70 chickens, and have them up for fee waived adoption. If you are interested you have to call them first to inquire about the adoption. They also have a bunch of rabbits there too.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Emma,, I did not forget about you,, just was gathering some info and prices.
You can get these 1 square foot patio slabs. and cover most of the ground. does add to some up-dollar amount.
View attachment 4240512
1.78 x 250 = $445 smaks.
So I looked into option #2.
View attachment 4240515
You can just mix this with the soil from your run. You would get approximately 6 cubic feet of cement ready to pour from each bag, for $14 dollars. You would of course mix small batches using a coffee can as a measure. Each bag of cement would yield 48 square feet of coverage at 1½ inches thick. You could do small areas at a time like 3 feet by 3 feet. Next day another 3x3.
You would make a removable form from 1½ thick board.
That translates to about $72 for cement.
More work but doable if you take your time.
You can also opt for less thickness,, like one inch.

You can make one or two areas with dirt/ground for dust-baths.
3x3 would be sufficient.
I just checked my dust bath holes for depth. They are only about 4 inches deep. That means you would only have to dig, and bury the Hardware clothe 6 inches max.

Just a little note, about cement floor for chickens. You can cover the cement with thin layer soil, or sand, or garden mulch.(as long as it is not sharp) Your chickens should not encounter bumblefoot, unless they get a cut/scratch from a high landing.

Third option,, is to leave the ground as is. When the ground squirrels do come thru, trap them and release away from your home so they don't find way back. I know you mentioned there are a lot of them,,, but the number is not infinite.
If you choose that route, I can help you out with a special kind of trap, that would allow squirrel to come out of ground thru an opening on bottom. Once inside, the trap door to back down the hole would shut closed.

Tell me what you thing about my brainstorm here.

Sorry, cavemanrich, I hadn't checked this thread in a while! What a lot of great info! I'm going to mull it all over. Thank you thank you!

Our chickens are going through the worst molt I've ever seen AND fowl pox is working its way through the flock. That's the first time I've seen it around here but there have been a lot of mosquitos lately.

Poor girls look utterly miserable. I feel so awful for them. We're only getting a few eggs here and there. We're giving them extra protein and Chick’n Aid supplement in their water. At least it's not 100+ degrees outside anymore.

Anyone else dealing with an outbreak of fowl pox?

 

[NestingMillenial]

My first ever pullets all got it right off the bat when I got them (this was back when I lived in TX) - not relevant for right here and now, but just wanted to say I feel for you. Hang in there!

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Once they've had it, are they immune to it?