Arizona Chickens

[Sheof3Angels]

I just went out to check for eggs and I have two girls both trying to lay in the same nest box, its only really big enough for one but they have managed to both squeeze in there.

I have two girls that do that all the time.

 

[Sheof3Angels]

Really dreading the up coming weather. My EE has me worried. She is molting terribly and not acting right. DH and I both checked to see if she was egg bound and nothing. I've read that molting delays if not stops the egg laying process and low producing EE's tend to molt first. Also that molting is harder on their systems then laying an egg. I'd hate for her to go through the molting during this miserable heat. We have been diligent on ways of keeping them cool. Any ideas?? Planning on keeping a close eye on her these next few days.

I finally figured out my watering can problem!! When I was cleaning the rust out of the dish part the other day I realized that the bar that releases the water into the dish is actually copper. I know with our hard water in Az and copper anything will rust and spread rust in the water. DH is finally back from boy scout camp and we can work on a new watering system for the birds soon. I found a 5gl watering system that was pretty neat. It used a 5gal sports jug (like those gatorade ones) and replaced the spicket with a 3 nipple watering valve. I like that the 5 gal sport jug is insulated. Water will stay cooler longer. Darn copper release bar. Oh well, it could be worse.

 

[GreatWhiteAfro]

I have two girls that do that all the time.

Turns out that one got tired of the squeeze and laid her egg in the run....and the other one didn't lay at all today.....

 

[wondertwinpower]

I found a 5gl watering system that was pretty neat. It used a 5gal sports jug (like those gatorade ones) and replaced the spicket with a 3 nipple watering valve. I like that the 5 gal sport jug is insulated. Water will stay cooler longer.

OHHHHH!!!! I love that idea! Can you post a link to the sport jug watering system that you referred to? THANKS!

 

[wondertwinpower]

I found one. I don't know if this is the one you were talking about, but it's called a BriteTap Chicken Waterer (they have only 2 nipples, not 3) http://www.chickenwaterer.com/Brite...tm_medium=BannderAd&utm_campaign=Introductory

THANKS for the idea!

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

Thank you both so much for taking the time.  I was hesitant to add anything without checking.  Will continue doing what we are doing and 
let mother nature handle it in her own time.  I will also use the composted chicken manure when it's ready.  Maybe next 
summer I'll have a nice lawn.  We don't plant winter grass. Thanks again. 

Personally, I do not want a lawn. To me this is a desert, so let it be what it is. But now that I have chickens I am thinking of chicken food. Planting for the girls a lawn of tender grasses that they like. Maybe dandelions, for salads and wine and the girls.

 

[chickgrl]

I have been reading some very funny stuff here! You guys are great!
In preparation for the very hot days ahead I have come up with a way to keep the hens water cold all day, since I have founts. I took small water bottles and froze them, I stick one in each fount and fill it up. Worked well yesterday, added frozen blueberries to it, very happy hens.
I have been using the foot coolers too, it took several tries for my girls to figure out what it was for, now they sit in them. Very cute. But have to get them up off the ground today.
Stay cool everyone!

 

[pipemum]

I added a small area (10x5') of lawn to my garden sitting area this year. It's AMAZING!!!! I have never had a lawn before, and it's the best thing ever. Anyway, the chickens haven't wreaked too much havoc on my little patch of paradise, but...I can kinda see why some people can be so maniacally anal about their lawns. I'm trying not to be the old man sitting on the porch, yelling at the neighbor kids (or, in my case, chickens), "STAY OFFFA THE LAWN!!!!!" but my eyes get all twitchy when they start digging around the edges.

The chickens have finally figured out their wading bowls. They're going to need it today.

 

[flower]

Personally, I do not want a lawn. To me this is a desert, so let it be what it is. But now that I have chickens I am thinking of chicken food. Planting for the girls a lawn of tender grasses that they like. Maybe dandelions, for salads and wine and the girls.

I am not fond of grass either. I do not want to water or mow a lawn. Whole Foods introduced me to Spelt, which is an older wheat that does not require much fertilizer. My intention was to make sprouts. The flock loves them and they only take two days to grow. So I decided to grow some plus another grain called Quinoa. Quinoa is easily cooked and tastes wonderful in a salad like pilaf. In the garden it took longer to sprout but I have a spot where the seedling are over an inch high. The one problem with Quinoa is that it is a stable in developing countries and its popularity in the US and Europe is causing the prices to rise where it is grown (South America) and eaten as a everyday food. Popularity of the Avocado has caused the same problem in Mexico. The USDA needs to promote local growth of Quinoa but they will not since the USDA is owned by the international petrochemical agribusiness. Locally grown foods are good for us and Mother Earth.

 

[Demosthine]

I keep the lawn for a few reasons. First and foremost, my one-year old daughter absolutely loves being outside and always have. She was out crawling in the yard at six or eight months old. It's allowed her to get a nice amount of sun and outside play without worrying about her falling on rocks and gravel.

I also like the grass because it helps insulate the ground against the sun's heat. During these extreme temps, dirt and gravel can both get extremely hot. A plot of grass is comfortable to walk on no matter what the temperature. All of my girls are bedding down on the grass in the evenings and being lazy. I've never found them that way in the dirt areas, nor the rocks, even though the rock landscaping is all under the shade of the oleander. They are more often sitting in the sunny grass versus the shaded rock. Going hand-in-hand with that, I think it decreases the residual heat that is let off at night, too, allowing the backyard to remain cooler at all times. We have way to much of a "parking lot effect" as it is. If I can reduce the temperature in my immediate area without any additional effort or very little expense, I'm game. To be quite honesty, I spend more time and effort trying to keep my darn gravel front yard clean. All the leaves, trash and everything imaginable gets caught in the rocks. A rake didn't work well at all. For a leaf vacuum or blower, you are either using larger amounts of electricity or gasoline.

Of course, you have the extra benefits of grass for everyone. Fresh greens and more bugs for the chickens, the amazingly beautiful aesthetic looks, the extra material for composting if necessary, gentleness on the body for the kids playing, etc. A desert landscape can't accomplish any of this.