Arizona Chickens

[jubilation]

Off subject but just a quick note. I have a recording studio so if anyone wants to record I would give you a smokin deal.

 

[ChuskaMtns]

Can you show us a photo of your turquoise eggs?? e

I will take a picture of the next tiny egg & have it next to a normal egg when she lays one again. DH threw the last one away & there hasn't been any eggs for the last couple days but I know the next one will be little or a strange shape. Thursday was the last egg & it looked like a tiny torpedo but it was a beautiful color! Have to tell the hubby not to throw them away.

 

[AZChiknGoddess]

Bobby,  I do not often comment on your posts but I read them and I completely understand. having recently been diagnosed with some serious medical issues I am now unable to work and it really wears on me that I cannot contribute to my family. I also have removed myself from my family and although it is hard we all have our reasons. I ca tell you from personal experience that depression is debilitating and can cause tiredness and pain. I think more and more people are dealing with depression and its not talked about very often. I would recommend what makes you happy. If you are at peace with walking away from your family then its ok. None of us know why you have made the life choices you have made but you sound like a caring, loving, and giving man.  Your design was fun and very functional for a backyard. I love all the thought you put into it. 

ugh I also have 2 tabby kittens. we rescued a few cats and guess what.....duhn duhn duhn...kittens. If anyone wants any let me know as well. I have one boy and one girl

I wish I was better at taking pic. I take a ton but I have been told I am horrible at pictures   . I wanted to make a website for my farm but I guess I will have to find someone to do the pics. 

I am good at picture if you need help.

AZ Spay and Neuter will fix the cats for 5.00 if you are on SSI Vetrans pension, or other government assistance.

 

[AZChiknGoddess]

So, I know I could put this in the making coops part of the boards, but I love you local peeps! Plus you know what AZ chickens need! Now that I've bought an incubator, and two dozen fertile eggs, I need to prepare for the arrival of more chickens. Here's what I have existing: A store-bought coop: Which is in the center of a 12ish x 20' pen attached to a shed used for storage: Southerly view: Wide shot facing East: Facing Northeast: I am getting a dozen Cream Legbar fertile eggs. It is my first incubator hatching, so I'm not counting on everything going right, BUT, per @AZChiknGoddess, I may need a separate pen for the adults eventually, if I want to hatch eggs from them. In the meantime, I will need a separate pen for the chicks once they can come out of the brooder box. What I would like to do (if my landlady lets me), is create two roosts inside the shed with doors to the existing outside pen. Here is the inside of shed: It is pretty hot inside in the summer but there are three windows. There is electric in the shed, but running a fan with a bunch of pine shavings doesn't seem like an option ... let's get back to ventilation later. It will be a great three-season shelter. To make the roosts/coops inside the shed, I'd like to use existing material as much as possible. This is what I have: 1) the existing coop (above) 2) my bunny pen and hutch: 3) an old twin bed frame: Here's a pick of the shed from the front: My thoughts were: 1) to bring the store-bought coop up to the porch for the bunnies 2) to use the bunnies' pen inside the shed for roost #1 3) to make a hoop roost out of the twin bed frame. I'd like to make the hoop coop small enough in height that I could move it in and out of the shed. During the summer, I could put it outside under the palo verdes even and/or use it for a baby pen ... bring it up my the house, etc. Anyone have any ideas?

You could use the bunny cage as the pen to put your youngsters out of the brooder into. The fancy coop might nicely fit a breeder group. The shed I would partition into 5 internal roosting and nesting areas with a walkway, and build runs on 3 sides with walk outs. There could be one in the middle in the back and two on each side to fit breeding trios or quads. Put doors to each one inside and in the end of the runs. I would use the bed frame to make a chicken tractor/hoop coop that you could move around your property. You could also use that as a grow out pen and leave your bunny in the bunny cage.

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

You could use the bunny cage as the pen to put your youngsters out of the brooder into. The fancy coop might nicely fit a breeder group. The shed I would partition into 5 internal roosting and nesting areas with a walkway, and build runs on 3 sides with walk outs. There could be one in the middle in the back and two on each side to fit breeding trios or quads. Put doors to each one inside andbin the end of the runs. I would use the bed frame to make a chicken tractor/hoop coop that you could move around your property. You could also use that as a grow out pen and leave your bunny in the bunny cage.

I tried putting the bunnies in with the chickens when we were cleaning their pen, but the chickens flipped out. You'd think they'd instinctually know they are not predators. I wonder if I could put youngsters in with the bunnies? The bunnies don't seem to notice anything but each other (two brothers).

The problem with putting pens on southside of the shed is that, well, it's the southern exposure and there isn't a shade tree. If I have enough money to buy wood for a larger shelter sometime later, I might. I might divide the current pen in two when the CCLs need their own space.

I don't want to use up the entire shed with chicken stuff, because clearly, we have stuff stored in there. I know my boyfriend is going to freak anyhow because his mattresses are in there and I'm sure he doesn't want them smelling like chicken poo. I suppose I could get some mattress storage bags.

Ventilation in the summer is going to be the big thing. To be truthful, I haven't tried opening all the windows, though. It is such a nice shed though. We are so lucky. Now if we could get the zoning changed so I can stow a horse in there, I'll be happy.

The chicken tractor is first on the list, though because it's most flexible. I can use it for so many things. I thought I could make it small enough that I could move it in and out of the shed, too. How wide is a normal door?

 

[AZChiknGoddess]

I tried putting the bunnies in with the chickens when we were cleaning their pen, but the chickens flipped out. You'd think they'd instinctually know they are not predators. I wonder if I could put youngsters in with the bunnies? The bunnies don't seem to notice anything but each other (two brothers).

The problem with putting pens on southside of the shed is that, well, it's the southern exposure and there isn't a shade tree. If I have enough money to buy wood for a larger shelter sometime later, I might. I might divide the current pen in two when the CCLs need their own space.

I don't want to use up the entire shed with chicken stuff, because clearly, we have stuff stored in there. I know my boyfriend is going to freak anyhow because his mattresses are in there and I'm sure he doesn't want them smelling like chicken poo. I suppose I could get some mattress storage bags.

Ventilation in the summer is going to be the big thing. To be truthful, I haven't tried opening all the windows, though. It is such a nice shed though. We are so lucky. Now if we could get the zoning changed so I can stow a horse in there, I'll be happy.

The chicken tractor is first on the list, though because it's most flexible. I can use it for so many things. I thought I could make it small enough that I could move it in and out of the shed, too. How wide is a normal door?

There is no real reason to put it inside a shed. Just cover half of it with tin or even a tarp or roll roofing. Leave the wire on the other half open.
If you make a trip to AZ feeds they have good sized chicken houses pretty simply made from two pieces of plywood and wire. Adding a run to it would make it very comfortable. That is what we are going to build.
I would NOT put chicks in a cage with the bunny he might attack them. Bunnies can be territorial.

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
Chickens make lots of dust as well as poop. If you have stuff stored in the same shed as the chickens there will be dust all over everything.

I would be wary of keeping chickens in that shed unless you can put a lot more windows in it.

You can always put layers of shadecloth over a run if you don't have enough shade trees. It helps a lot. Covered runs with southern exposure are great, because the birds get sun in the winter and shade in the summer.

Chickens trapped in a tractor are more likely to have heat-related problems than chickens with a range of microclimate options available. Chicken tractors are great in areas with lots of pasture and mild climates. They are harder to use effectively in the desert. Especially on small residential lots with little or no grass and few trees.

 

[City farm]

Can you show us a photo of your turquoise eggs?? e

I will take a picture of the next tiny egg & have it next to a normal egg when she lays one again. DH threw the last one away & there hasn't been any eggs for the last couple days but I know the next one will be little or a strange shape. Thursday was the last egg & it looked like a tiny torpedo but it was a beautiful color! Have to tell the hubby not to throw them away.

We would love to see..If we have extra, We always cook them up & feed to the dogs or back to the flock..

 

[FeatherPugs]

Well eggs to babies should happen this week

- right about the time we might get crazy rain again! I'm attempting to design something that is much better at taking care of a broody and her brood while still giving the broody some freedom. Yesterday momma got out to take a dust bath and eat some greens that I dumped in a pile for the kids to kick through. A little to eat and drink then back on her nest.

I will be most anxious if we get big rains!

 

[BY Chicken Lady]

So, I know I could put this in the making coops part of the boards, but I love you local peeps! Plus you know what AZ chickens need! Now that I've bought an incubator, and two dozen fertile eggs, I need to prepare for the arrival of more chickens. Here's what I have existing: A store-bought coop: Which is in the center of a 12ish x 20' pen attached to a shed used for storage: Southerly view: Wide shot facing East: Facing Northeast: I am getting a dozen Cream Legbar fertile eggs. It is my first incubator hatching, so I'm not counting on everything going right, BUT, per @AZChiknGoddess, I may need a separate pen for the adults eventually, if I want to hatch eggs from them. In the meantime, I will need a separate pen for the chicks once they can come out of the brooder box. What I would like to do (if my landlady lets me), is create two roosts inside the shed with doors to the existing outside pen. Here is the inside of shed: It is pretty hot inside in the summer but there are three windows. There is electric in the shed, but running a fan with a bunch of pine shavings doesn't seem like an option ... let's get back to ventilation later. It will be a great three-season shelter. To make the roosts/coops inside the shed, I'd like to use existing material as much as possible. This is what I have: 1) the existing coop (above) 2) my bunny pen and hutch: 3) an old twin bed frame: Here's a pick of the shed from the front: My thoughts were: 1) to bring the store-bought coop up to the porch for the bunnies 2) to use the bunnies' pen inside the shed for roost #1 3) to make a hoop roost out of the twin bed frame. I'd like to make the hoop coop small enough in height that I could move it in and out of the shed. During the summer, I could put it outside under the palo verdes even and/or use it for a baby pen ... bring it up my the house, etc. Anyone have any ideas?

How clever to use the old bed to make a hoop frame coop! I wish my brain worked like that. I can duplicate clever ideas like this, but to come up with them originally, not so much. With regard to the fans and pine shavings...we had a similar delima when building my traveling chicken coop out of a tool trailer so I could bring my girls with me to our cabin. Driving down the road with vents opened would cause too much blowing shavings. We ended up putting our vents high and on opposite sides so it would create a draft only at the upper section and it allowed the heat to escape. We also used wood pellets like you would use in a pellet stove for the bedding/floor. You get them wet and they triple in size and break apart making EXCELLENT poop encapsulation and moisture absorption, and they are heavier than pine shavings so they don't get as flighty. Once complete I rode in the trailer while my husband drove down the highway, I know it's illegal but I needed to test it before I let my 'girls' ride in there. It worked wonderfully! This might work for you in your application as well.