Arizona Chickens

[Arizonachicken]

I might be interested; do you know what line he might be out of? And yes that is for sure a Wellie cockerel.  While I"m looking for a decent one for breeding I can't guarantee he might not be dinner at some point, depending on how he was to grow out.

I got him from Redrocketrooster. I believe she got the eggs from the Garry Farm. I can ask her for specifics. If I can't find a home for him, he's dinner for us, too. I always like to try to find a home for my cockerels, but if not, we are not opposed to processing them. Since this guy is reportedly from good lines, I'd love for someone to take him for breeding. Then I can buy some Wellie eggs from you later.

 

[maryhysong]

I got him from Redrocketrooster. I believe she got the eggs from the Garry Farm. I can ask her for specifics. If I can't find a home for him, he's dinner for us, too. I always like to try to find a home for my cockerels, but if not, we are not opposed to processing them. Since this guy is reportedly from good lines, I'd love for someone to take him for breeding. Then I can buy some Wellie eggs from you later.

Then it sounds like we have a deal. Just kind of wanted to make sure he wasn't hatchery stock; I've had enough of those. ;=) My old boy is about 6 and is having a rough molt this year. Poor guy, some BO pullets pulled his tail feathers out and picked at the new ones coming in; he had a bald butt for the longest time, tho his tail is finally coming back, he still does not seem fertile. I"ve been trying to find a decent male for awhile.

 

[Arizonachicken]

Poor guy! I'll PM you and we'll get him over to you!

 

[roostereggs]

Sounds like you are doing well by the chickens. Congratulations!

I am guessing that your corral is oriented east-west (narrow ends to east and west). If this is true they may be just fine. They have a 2' strip of shade now - in the winter when the sun is at a low angle - but they should have more shade as the sun gets higher in the sky in the summer. Shading the west side is highly recommended.

Oddly, I have found it helpful to shade the North side as well as the west side, because that hot late afternoon summer sun blasts in from the northwest from April through mid-September.

You could hang a vertical strip of shadecloth on the south side so they have some options about sun vs. partial shade vs. full shade.

On my breeding pens, which are mostly going to get winter use, the sun blasts in the open south side and the pens are only 6' deep so they have no shade for several hours mid-day. I am putting an 18" horizontal strip of plywood across the front starting about 18" off the ground, at the height of a roosting chicken. (The pen roosts are 18" off the ground.) This throws a strip of shade into the breeding pen and also helps protect roosting birds from direct winds coming from the south.

Growing stuff up the wire is great, as long as you can keep the plants alive and leafy. Backup shade sources are always helpful. Plants have a way of defoliating just as their shade is most needed. Mine are always getting stripped by ants. And if the ants don't get them the caterpillars do. I am a big fan of shadecloth

Thanks! Yes, it is east/west. I never thought about the sun's angle. This is a great learning experience!

Our wind comes from the west, another reason why we want to block off that side. These silly chickens roost on the metal fencing. They already had two wooden roosts and I added two more, but they would rather slip around on the metal. And when they argue about who is sleeping where, they end up squawking as they fly/fall to the ground and have to start all over to hop back up again. It is amusing but I wonder what the heck they are thinking.

 

[roostereggs]

Hello and it is great that you have taken such good care of the chickens. I think that would have been daunting to buy a house and inherit chickens before I actually did the research and decided we wanted chickens. To keep the girls cool in the summer besides the shade I would also consider shallow dishes or pans that you can put water in for them to cool their feet. We just got chickens this summer and were worried about the heat and found that our chickens never panted in the coop once we added this. They would just go stand in the water for a bit and be perfectly content. Good luck!

We were looking for land so we could have chickens and other livestock. We were excited that they were established and laying already, making it easier for us. We actually put the chickens and their supplies in the written contract when we made an offer on the house. During the 8 weeks we waited to close, I read pretty much every chicken book in the library plus internet reading.

Some of my hens love walking in the water I dump out when washing their waterers. I am hoping to figure out how to put in a mister system by next summer. Does anybody here use one?

 

[roostereggs]

Hi roostereggs! Once you get coop secure, you can definitely try growing vines and plants up the sides. I have a Tombstone rose and some other vine crawling up my coop--but it's been a fight! As Magic mentioned, ants/chickens/sun/heat all want a piece of the vines! Shadecloth is the bomb-diggity. I also used some of the reed fencing cut to fit the sides of the coop. Right now most of it is rolled up, waiting for next summer. And wow, your house came with chickens AND a dog? Was the dog also in bad shape?

Pastrymama, I'm possibly interested in a super blue layer. What do they look like? How much? And would only taking one be possible, or is that a bad idea? I might be coming up to Phoenix for an Ikea run in the next couple of weeks.

Where do you get the reed fencing? I would like something like that, but does it hold up as well as the shadecloth?

The dog has always been an outdoor/guard dog...almost like a wild animal. But she sure protects those chickens, even in the coop, and keeps all the coyotes away! Wouldn't take her eyes off me for the first few weeks and always escorted me around the chickens. Still does, sometimes. She had never been in the house in 7 years. We are trying to teach her how to be a pet now, but she is very skittish. We want to get her to the vet to get shots and checkup, but not sure she can handle that just yet. We brush her and give her Frontline and heartworm meds. She sleeps in the garage and does fine with an open doggie door, but not the flap kind to our Arizona room. She's really smart and likes to play fetch, but we had to teach her. She is gentle and sweet and curious and watches our other two dogs play with squeaky toys.

 

[roostereggs]

City farm...I am not sure about our roo. I need to figure out how to post photos here, but he is really dark red, kind of coppery in the sun, with beetle green shimmery dark tail feathers. He has a single comb and yellow feet and red ears. At first I thought RIR, but he looks like a lot of Barnevelder photos I've seen. The previous owner only knew the breeds of two hens that he called goldens, but they are EEs and lay green eggs. The two I originally thought were RIR I think must be the goldens ( red sexlinks?), they are dark red like a RIR. Then two barred rocks and a BO.
Are your water misters high maintenance? Do you turn them on only during the day in the summer, or leave them on all the time?

 

[roostereggs]

Welcome to the AZ BYC! Your chickens are lucky to have you. I would bet the eggs are much tastier with a varied and healthier diet as well. Sometimes if you post pics of your set-up those experienced chickeners can give you some great advice for ventilation and protection.

They are starting to taste better, and I think they are getting bigger as well. And I am surprised, with them being older chickens...that every egg we have eaten has been fertilized. It grosses my husband out...he says he wants store bought eggs again. I never should have told him!

 

[Angelray]

They are starting to taste better, and I think they are getting bigger as well. And I am surprised, with them being older chickens...that every egg we have eaten has been fertilized. It grosses my husband out...he says he wants store bought eggs again. I never should have told him!

My husband made me promise to keep a container in the fridge so when he gets a fertilized egg he can save it for the chickens. He was planning on throwing them in the trash!! What a pain he is.

 

[pipemum]

The reed fencing isn't really fencing, more of a privacy screen. I bought a 6x15' roll at lowes for $20. No, it's not very durable, I'll maybe get another year on my coop. But a roll has been attached to my wrought-iron fence for 6 years, as long as it doesn't get messed w it'll last a while.