Arizona Chickens

[City farm]

How great!  My husband goes out the the coop and starts naming the chickens "Chicken Salad" "Chicken pot pie" and so on whenever they fall behind on the laying.  Seems to work, we always get a jump in production!

Ha

! We had a chicken once called dinner..​

 

[City farm]

Hi all, I'm a new member of BYC from Tempe (Phoenix). As far as I can tell, this is the right place to post for advice about AZ chickens? Anyway, I don't have any yet, but we're looking to get started. We're currently in S Tempe with a rocky (but shaded) backyard, but hope to move closer to the univ within a year or so, and we'll have more shade and grass there. I'm thinking of a small flock (4 or so birds) and like the idea of the garden-topped coops I've seen designs for online. I have a few questions, though, and wonder if some AZ chicken enthusiasts could weigh in:

1) What breeds are going to be best for handling the AZ heat?
2) Do I need to plan on anything beyond shade, misters, lots of ventilation, and perhaps some wet sand or shallow pans of water with ice in them to keep the birds cool in the summer?
3) Should chickens have the run of a (fenced) yard during the day and be cooped only at night, or are they pretty much cooped all the time? If the former, what stops them from flying away?
4) Within the confines of the answer to #1 (hot weather birds), any recommendations for birds that will be really friendly and social if hand-raised? I have a preschooler who would get a kick out of "pet" chickens.

Anything else I forgot to ask that you want to answer for me? I'm totally newbie/clueless, so I'll take all the help I can get!

Thanks!!!

You will have to pop on over for a cup of tea and check out our flock..
It is so much more fun to visit the girls..
We are having a block party sat oct 26.. The girls will be in there run.
So after that come by..

 

[Angelray]

  You've come to the perfect place to ask about AZ chickens!  You've gotten excellent advice already but I'll add to it (and I hope others also do too).

1)  While there are exceptions, it seems that a lot of heat tolerance is an individual trait rather than a trait inherent to the breed.  So, that leaves you with a whole lot of great choices.

2)  That's about it for keeping them cool.   Shade and ventilation are the most important.  

3)  Either option will work, it all depends on your tolerance for risk.  Free-ranging dramatically increases the chances of losing birds to predators.  Most people have a coop with an attached run that are relatively predator-proof.  This will allow you to protect them at night and while you are away from them.  Lots of us also free-range when we can.  Some breeds are more likely to fly than others.  I chose heavier large fowl so they would be less likely to fly over the 6' wall surrounding our property.  The only time they flew over the wall was when a coyote attacked and chased them over.  If you can afford it, use hardware cloth or welded wire for your coop and run.   Avoid using chicken wire if you can, it will not protect your birds from dogs, coyotes or raccoons.  When you start planning, run your ideas through here and we'll be glad to give you our opinions.  

4)  Friendliness in birds seems to be hit and miss and often an individual trait; I've had very friendly birds from a variety of breeds.  However, Russian Orloffs are among the friendliest birds I've ever raised.  If you want to socialize them as pets, start a mealworm colony right now so that they'll be ready when you get chicks.  Nothing tames a chick faster than a mealworm.  

Keep coming back and asking questions, we're always glad to help.

I agree about Russian Orloffs, mine is super friendly. So is my Silver Laced Cochin...she is my daughters fav so that maybe why, lol.

 

[Arizonachicken]

I'm curious as to what type of feeders you all use. I get the feed from the co-op and it's very powdery. There seems to be a lot of waste with the hens scratching it out. Tempe Feed and Tack has a treadle feeder for $60, but I'm hesitant to get it if there's another way I can reduce waste for less $$. I'd like to see what you guys have. I have 12 chickens in the main coop right now. Thanks in advance!

 

[Demosthine]

I'm curious as to what type of feeders you all use. I get the feed from the co-op and it's very powdery. There seems to be a lot of waste with the hens scratching it out. Tempe Feed and Tack has a treadle feeder for $60, but I'm hesitant to get it if there's another way I can reduce waste for less $$. I'd like to see what you guys have. I have 12 chickens in the main coop right now. Thanks in advance!

I get the co-op feed and agree, it's powdery, but the single best way to eliminate waste is to give wet feed to them. It completely eliminates waste. I mean, mine practically lick the bowl clean! I have no idea how they do it with those beaks, but they get every last little speck out of their feed dish. If you properly ferment it, they also eat less food because there is more of the nutrients available and it's easier for them to digest. Oh, the many reasons to ferment.

Check it out at the Fermented Feed for Meat Birds thread or the Natural Chicken Keeping Blog. The Blog is my favorite reference because it isn't clogged by 3,000 pages of repeated questions and is simple, straightforward and detailed enough for you to understand what is going on. I've been fermenting for about a year and still reference it. I know a few here have recently started feeding this way and the reviews are good so far.


Stick with the co-op's feed. It's excellent quality, so I'll drive the 40-miles each way for it. We have been buying both chicken and turkey feed, adding the broiler feed this time. I'm starting a batch of Cornish Cross today. I couldn't be happier with the way they have all grown and look.

 

[maryhysong]

I get the co-op feed and agree, it's powdery, but the single best way to eliminate waste is to give wet feed to them. It completely eliminates waste. I mean, mine practically lick the bowl clean! I have no idea how they do it with those beaks, but they get every last little speck out of their feed dish. If you properly ferment it, they also eat less food because there is more of the nutrients available and it's easier for them to digest. Oh, the many reasons to ferment.

Check it out at the Fermented Feed for Meat Birds thread or the Natural Chicken Keeping Blog. The Blog is my favorite reference because it isn't clogged by 3,000 pages of repeated questions and is simple, straightforward and detailed enough for you to understand what is going on. I've been fermenting for about a year and still reference it. I know a few here have recently started feeding this way and the reviews are good so far.


Stick with the co-op's feed. It's excellent quality, so I'll drive the 40-miles each way for it. We have been buying both chicken and turkey feed, adding the broiler feed this time. I'm starting a batch of Cornish Cross today. I couldn't be happier with the way they have all grown and look.

I too feed the Big Sky from the co-op and have been very happy with it. I feed 20% broiler chick grower to all my babies from hatch to lay, then they get the18% chick start & gro with fishmeal. I also ferment the feed, feeding babies 2-3 times per day and adults once, in the morning. They get a little free range, or some table scrap in the afternoon. This schedule has eliminated the wild birds coming and eating in the pens. I feed adults enough in the morning that there is only a little left in the pans by afternoon and usually none left the next morning

 

[Arizonachicken]

I get the co-op feed and agree, it's powdery, but the single best way to eliminate waste is to give wet feed to them.  It completely eliminates waste.  I mean, mine practically lick the bowl clean!  I have no idea how they do it with those beaks, but they get every last little speck out of their feed dish.  If you properly ferment it, they also eat less food because there is more of the nutrients available and it's easier for them to digest.  Oh, the many reasons to ferment.

Check it out at the Fermented Feed for Meat Birds thread or the Natural Chicken Keeping Blog.  The Blog is my favorite reference because it isn't clogged by 3,000 pages of repeated questions and is simple, straightforward and detailed enough for you to understand what is going on.  I've been fermenting for about a year and still reference it.  I know a few here have recently started feeding this way and the reviews are good so far.


Stick with the co-op's feed.  It's excellent quality, so I'll drive the 40-miles each way for it.  We have been buying both chicken and turkey feed, adding the broiler feed this time.  I'm starting a batch of Cornish Cross today.  I couldn't be happier with the way they have all grown and look.

Thanks! I might have to go down this FF road. I didn't want to add anything else to my plate, I guess I need a bigger plate! By the way, I was in your neck of the woods the other day. I was over picking up honey from Bill.

 

[Demosthine]

Thanks! I might have to go down this FF road. I didn't want to add anything else to my plate, I guess I need a bigger plate! By the way, I was in your neck of the woods the other day. I was over picking up honey from Bill.

Ah, Bill. He's such a great guy and some of his stories are wonderful. He was really low on his stock last I talked to him. How were things looking when you went out there? I found an alternate source closer to me, but he only has the citrus honey. I really enjoy the alfalfa and mesquite honey as well! I'm looking at getting a gallon every two or three months just to have a good supply. Using the WalMart brand of jars for the raw honey and rice milk are about the only two things they are good for, since I'm too scared to can with them. They just don't look and feel good enough to put in a canner.

Fermenting the feed is not time consuming at all. It takes maybe five minutes a day to do. Just go out and scoop a bunch from your bucket to a feeding container and top off with more feed and water. Give the container to your birds every morning or evening and you're done. Easy peasy.

 

[Arizonachicken]

His stock seemed good. We bought 4 gallons and 12 pints. Had to make the trip out there worth it y'know.

On a side note...I HATE living by the reservation. They started burning their trash or something nasty about a week ago and the smoke is coming right over my house. My whole family has been sick since the fire started. You can smell the plastics and garbage. I can't open my windows and have to limit time outside in this nice weather. I even wake up at night because I'm so stuffy and coughing so badly. Ok, end rant.

 

[Twinklin]

I'm curious as to what type of feeders you all use. I get the feed from the co-op and it's very powdery. There seems to be a lot of waste with the hens scratching it out. Tempe Feed and Tack has a treadle feeder for $60, but I'm hesitant to get it if there's another way I can reduce waste for less $$. I'd like to see what you guys have. I have 12 chickens in the main coop right now. Thanks in advance!

After trying lots of different feeder arrangements from a bowl on the ground to PVC tube feeders I settled on this. I feed in the run because we have roof rats and I don't want the rats going in the coop. Because of the rats I also bring the feed trough in every night. This set up prevented beaking out and kicking out of feed, it's very light weight to pick up and move inside and the bricks prevent it from being tipped over. I just started on fermented pellets this week and just dump a few drained heaping scoops full into this plastic flower pot and carry it out. Being light weight and plastic makes it easy to clean as well.