Arizona Chickens

[Papas Chickens]

Just put the 5 chickens back into there coop, they enjoyed there time outside they mostly stayed under that bush, on the front porch and around the front of the house, will be adding a few more with them tomorrow mornin.

 

[City farm]

Here are five of my chickens 3 BR pullets, 1 SLW pullet and my SLW roo named RugaRoo for saftey, 1st day free ranging I have 45 more to put out a little every few days lol.

Not sure what kind of bush there under but they like eating the seed pods and the leaves, here is a pic any ideas?

It is kind of hard to see the photo.. I will have to look later.. But I guess you are having a wonderful time out with them..pull up a chair and enjoy chicken television.. That is what I am heading out to do know.. Just, love ,love,love the dusk time of day..

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

Did you go? What did you get..

I did not go ... car is still not fixed.

 

[ChuskaMtns]

I second the pullet vote.

x3

 

[K9Dave]

I did not go ... car is still not fixed.

If you ever need anything don't hesitate to ask. I don't remember what part of the state you're in though?

 

[Sill]

These Dang Chickens will not stay out of the house. They keep coming through the Doggy Door when I'm gone. The same 2. Both of my Delawares. Jerks poop right inside the door. Yesterday I came home and they were both cuddled up on the couch on my fresh laundry. 1 if them has even learned to go back out of the Doggy Door when I shoo her.

You know there is a thread here about house chickens...just sayin'.

 

[Sill]

this is scary and may have already been posted but they are warning against rabid Coyote's in Tucson. here is an article

http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/...ible-coyote-attacks-near-speedway-tucson-blvd

http://www.kvoa.com/videos/search-for-wounded-potentially-rabid-coyote-continues/

Yikes!

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

If you ever need anything don't hesitate to ask. I don't remember what part of the state you're in though?

I'm in Tucson, Dave. My 2004 Jetta.has been working on one fan for about a month, so I've been driving without w/o. Yuk. But it started overheating yesterday even with the a/c off. We don't know if it's the fan motor or the relay switch. My roommate, who is pretty handy, is going to hard wire the fan tomorrow to see what it is-the motor or the switch. I'm open to other ideas and input, though.

 

[Sill]

Thought I would put a word out about an event that's going to be part of the Tour de Coops this year.

ASU Global Sustainability Solutions Initiatives is going to be hosting a viewing of the movie "Mad City Chickens" on 9-26-14. Admission is free but there are only so many tickets. Like 125 or so I think.

We will release the list of Coops that have been selected to be on the tour as well.

What time will this viewing be and what is the location? I'm interested in attending.

How does anyone keep up with all the reading on this here post! ?!

Soo much to catch up on! !!

@k9dave. ... did you finally move over to the east valley?


Last thing. ......

........anyone find Meal Worms in their compost????
......OR am I the only one here who does?!

It is probably not meal worms but immature larvae of black soldier flies which look similar are very common in compost here during warmer months. They are fine to eat as is compost as long as you don't have moldy stuff. My chickens work my compost bins and turn the top layers for me plus eat lots of free bugs! There are threads here and elsewhere on the web about feeding chickens compost instead of feeding a grain based diet.

Hey there!

I'm new to the forum and live in the outskirts of Phoenix. I was hoping to get some tips and pointers from those of you who understand "our" climate.

After considering getting chickens, I'm now leaning toward Coturnix quail (for eggs and possibly meat). My thought was to have them in an outdoor aviary (rather than a coop?) and possibly have doves or diamond doves in there also.

I was wondering how to manage the summer heat -- other than shade and water. I spoke with one person who tried misters for their chickens but said their chickens weren't smart enough to use them. So one question is what is necessary to keep the quail cool enough.

I am also wondering about the flooring of the aviary. We have bare dirt in the area I am considering for the aviary. It has a natural (not landscape) fine gravel on top. Any research I've done on quail (as opposed to chickens) doesn't seem to address this. It is all about small, raised box coops. so I haven't had much luck finding out detail on suitable flooring.

Any suggestions are welcome!

The quail have managed better than the chickens in the heat and just keep laying! Lots of yummy eggs! I haven't tried the meat yet, but got some in the freezer and a few more to process probably this weekend.

They must have pans of water to cool off in when it's over 100, misters if its over 110 for their well being if they are in wire or if the aviary is particularly hot. Use terracotta pans as they keep the water cooler than anything else. Good for chickens too. Below is one of my A&Ms using a water pan to keep cool. They will also bathe in water when it's hot so don't let people tell you they can't or won't bathe in water, they don't live here where it's super hot! My quail love their water in summer.




Aviaries can be successful for quail here, give them some plant matter to scratch, nest, or hide in. You can buy a roll of sod and use that for some or all of the floor and just replace it when they kill all the grass. The grass will help keep them cool in summer.

The roof must be high enough that if they spook they can correct their trajectory before they break their neck or skull, 6 feet high or so. Small cages need to be short so they can't get enough speed for the same reason, so 12 inches or less.

Give them places to hide so they can feel secure when they need it and for the hens to lay in if they want (though they often just lay them where ever they happened to be). Boxes, baskets, pots laid on their sides, potted plants, or bunches of greenery clipped to the sides of the aviary can all work to give them places to hide as well as get away from each other if they feel like it.

Doves are OK to share an aviary with quail. I've housed some of mine with a diamond dove and a ring neck dove. They all got along though the doves spooked a bit at first until they learned the quail were not going to eat them.

Let me know if you have any other questions. You can also visit the quail threads here at BYC for lots of info on quail.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

 


Is this a closed or open group? I am not allowed to have chickens where I live and I am a very prominent business owner who has convinced her neighbors to turn a blind eye. I would love to join but only if closed.

closed I thing. I will make sure. 

?????? We, AZ BYC IS NOT A CLOSED GROUP. WE WELCOME CALL NEW MEMBERS. You must have made a typo. I welcome you. I spent years reading and learning about goats, still do not have goats, but it have chickens. Even if I had given up my 2 girls on this trip I would not give up BYC. I WILL HAVE A SMALL FLOCK AGAIN.