Arizona Chickens

[Prester John]

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Look like New Hampshire Reds to me.

 

[Prester John]

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I recommend Vanessa (ArizonaNessa on this forum). Best price, healthiest birds, nicest salesperson. I've bought two dozen hens from her now, all total.

I'd also recommend the Cinnamon Queen from her. Great birds. Very consistent layers. Fun personalities. Always good for a laugh.

 

[rufus]

Heelers&Chickens_OhMy :

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Define chicken processor - some one who will slaughter & we can sell our meat birds or some one who will slaughter, period.

Just a custom butcher to process birds. I am too old and tired to try take on that task. Maybe one or two, but not several dozen.

Rufus​

 

[AZKat]

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Thanks for the heads up. I've never been to Pratts, and just recalled what I saw on their website.

 

[LarryPQ]

Question for you all:

I am a newbie: all the chickies are, well, still chicks. I am up by PV mall-no rain yet this year.

Currently they are in the old nursery (how fitting!) indoors. I have all the airvents shut and a heat lamp for the chickies that need it. I would say the temp in the chick room is on average between 90 and 95 degrees. I clean the cages every morning and night before I go to bed. It doesn't stink, but you can tell there are chickens in the house.

So here's the rub. The room the chickies are in is by all the bedrooms and connected to the guest room. MIL just retired and will (eventually) me moving in. She wants to come down next week for ....until she gets bored and goes home. I don't think she'll be thrilled about the chickens, and she needs to pass through chicken nursery to get to the restroom. (disabled on scooter)

DH is working on the coop...and could concievably finish it tomorrow if I push him, but isn't it too hot to put chickies outside---especially if they have gotten a bit spoiled?

Coop will have shade, water, fan, maybe mister, but isnt it still to freaking hot?

 

[cap1717]

Yes, I would say too hot for young chicks outdoors at this time of year. Thorough cleaning, daily or more often, with bleach water should eliminate odor. . . maybe MIL will be sympathetic to the plight of young chicks that need to be indoors this time of year.

 

[nimblytripping]

Coop will have shade, water, fan, maybe mister, but isnt it still to freaking hot?

I can't believe how huge this thread has gotten! I was posting that I thought misters weren't necessary 120 pages ago... But I do have mature trees, flood irrigation and gave my 3 hens about 1/3 of my backyard. Talk about spoiled.

I have raised mine in a big box on the (shaded) patio, but I think it was a little cooler than it is right now!! I have never lost a chicken to heat (knock on wood). Once they get their feathers they should be fine. I am interested to hear what some of our resident experts have to say about this!​

 

[cap1717]

How old are the chooks? With shade water fan and mister (and I definatly recomend the mister) they may well be all right! The other suggestion I was going to make, not for the MIL, but for other would be "guests", is to explain to them that they are welcome to come and stay, but until the weather cools off a bit, they can expect to share their space with a flock of young chickens. . . that should seperate out the ones that really want to see you from the ones that are just using your home as a "hotel"!

 

[Tonopah Pati]

Lots of shade, lots of fresh water, a wading pan, tub or whatever you have that they can stand in with water. I use my mister when it is 110, They sure love it. If you have babies you have to make sure they can't drown in the water pans. you can also hose down the area. some folks use ice in various ways. I have found some very interesting methods from members.

 

[nimblytripping]

I decided a year ago to stay out of the mister discussion because I suspect if I didn't have HUGE shade trees I would be misting away like crazy!

Something Tonopah Pati said reminded me of something I learned with chicks in the heat- a water pan with rocks in it is great for preventing babies drowning but is a pain to keep clean, you are better off using a regular waterer.

I like the wading pool idea! I only have three so they have to make due with a planter base thing, but they sure do love to stand (and poop) in it!