Arizona Chickens

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MrsFitzDarcy said:
I bought a chicken health book at Bookman's today. It's not clear to me if she can transmit Marek's to the other chickens. She seems to be getting worse. One of her claws is staying closed most of the time. My roommate work in a cancer research lab and feels confident in his skills to euthanize her. If she's comfortable through the week we will put her down this weekend. She's such a pretty bird. The difference between the production BPR and the heritage-bred BPR is amazing. It's not just the distinct, clear, narrow barring, but also the doneness of the feathers themselves. They are narrow and lofty. We will be sorry to lose her.
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It is going to be a sad day in your house. I'm sorry she is not getting better.
 
Bobby Basham said:
Hey Cyborg,

The chicken view area will be outside of the run. All the green shown in the pic is for garden beds --BB
Click to expand...


OK BB, now you got me thinking. At my old house, I built my run from 2X4's, the wall panels are 6 feet tall by 8 feet long. They are fastened to each other with deck screws. They are 1" chicken wire on the outside, and shade cloth on the inside. 6 foot wide chicken wire was the widest I could find, so that kind of dictated the height. For the roof, I went from the wall panels to my existing roof, with chicken wire outside, and Harbor Freight tarps on the inside. Plenty of shade, and it keeps the rain off. The outer walls are tied to an existing 4 foot welded wire fence, and electrified to keep coyotes bobcats and neighborhood dogs out.

So. I bought a new house in Avra Valley that has a lot more room. I want to do a similar run, but it will be free standing out in the back somewhere, not tied into any existing structure. I was just kicking around building modular wall panels similar to my existing run, but bolted together instead of using deck screws. If I built them with the bolt holes in the same place on every panel, I could take it down and move it at will. I could be getting ready to build the world's biggest chicken tractor!

Here's some pics of the existing run....



Wall panel under construction.



roof supports going in.




Shade cloth on back wall.




How the neighbors see it
 
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AZChiknGoddess said:
Your coop plans sound interesting.
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Actually (get ready for an essay), I was supposed to be designing a small deck next to my covered patio off the family room. Looking out the back sliding doors, my patio is 9 x 12 and there is a dirt spot to the right about 8 feet wide that extends to the neighbor's wall. I want to build a small raised deck (only 8 inches high) and put a small table, grill and some plants.

This is just a look out my covered back patio with the red dirt spot to the right to the neighboring wall. My back yard is a pretty good size extending to the left of what you can see for about another 20 feet.


It's truly a wasted space serving no purpose, and that would be a perfect place for a grill, etc. I already have a complete set of furniture (still in the box) for the patio, except for my 1970's Magnavox octagon endtable sitting out in the garage.


The wasted space to the right next to the neighboring wall: This is without the flooring installed. I would also like to add some lattice work and grow some type of vines around that area.



Okay, back to chicken projects. I think a few years ago I was looking at some chain link fencing to build sort of a kennel type structure, but it would run way over $1000 for what I wanted and scrapped that Idea along time ago. Too lazy to go on Craigs List or where ever to find some used stuff.

A few days ago, I was re-looking over my deck project, and decided to actually build my own run using 4x4's as posts, 2x8x8 for the base and surrounding planter boxes, and decided to attach these using those joists that you use for the decking. Since the posts are 4 inches wide, I can easily attach those joists and put in whatever 2" wide boards.




Basically, this whole thing is an L-shaped 16x16, with that small 8x8 Chicken TV area on the outside. It's whole structure is gonna be alittle bit larger since I will be using 4-inch blocks (those black squares) and joists to connect all the wood.


I'm thinking about putting a small planter box there near to door and reduce the size to 8x6, and maybe adding another box beside the area. Everything you see in green are the planter boxes, and should be more than enough for one person. This is definitely enough room for six laying hens. This is an open canvas right now, and I need to design they play areas, branches, dust bowls etc. I tend to work my way from the outside inward and then put the final touches.


The top will be in three sections, the whole unit being only 5 feet tall...maybe 2x2x8 with hardware cloth.


I'm saying 5 feet because I live in an HOA (Home Owners Assassination). I'm vertically challenged at barely 5'9" on a good day, so I can bend alittle and get in there for cleaning. The WHOLE RUN will be enclosed in hardware cloth, including the hinged tops. No wild birds will get in...burried, prayed over, blessed, holy water, speaking in tongues, you name it. I may have to leave the Word out there in a glass case, to give thanks for what my Pentecostal Gals will provide me...LOL!

If I can get through these two projects, that just leaves the coop design. I kinda like those CC-Only coops, supposedly coming out with an "improved" design, but for their asking prices, I may have to wing this project myself, too.

I'm a total amateur and like working with wood when I have the time. I don't want the Taj Majal, but I don't wanna look like trailer trash, either, with junk and dead appliances piled all around the camp.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona
 
Cyborg,

I like that set, but it wouldn't work for me. First, my house is huge, but the AC unit is right smack dab in the middle of my back wall, practically under my master bedroom window. Second, It is visible and can be seen by the neighbors and the HOA police, which is a no-no. That's why I'm building my run low to the ground. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson.


OH...Hey, Folks...I'm Bobby Basham. Without the hat, folks think that I am Morgan Freeman. This may not be a good representation of said subject, but I hear it everywhere, out on the street, store clerks, bank tellers. I'm just trying to look 59 years young. Thank you. --BB
 

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