Arizona Chickens

[MagicChicken]

Questions for all the AZ chicken experts out there. I have two Production Reds and one Buff Orpington who are approaching 18/19 weeks now. I am new to chickens and they have not started laying. Does the AZ heat tend to stress them out enough that it might delay laying? I know they might be immature, but they are healthy and they have found a nice cool(ish...who are we kidding with that word), and I am just curious.

Those birds are pretty young. Probably not ready to lay yet. Mine are just starting to lay and they are 6-7 months old.

 

[City farm]

Good Monday! !
check out these spoiled brats getting their treat, they decided to pose for a photo first.

Also, @Sill and i were busy processing rooster's most of the day . Here is her station. notice we enjoy the outdoors with a glass of wine and lit the tiki torches for candlelight to get rid of the flies.. anything to make this process..

One of her tortoise had to come over and see what we were doing,

nothing like organic farm raised chicken, rather that then think about the rooster out there with someone that would use it for fighting purposes..

 

[Twinklin]

Anyone in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area looking for a blue(very dark blue almost black) silkie roo? It's less than 4 months old. I've had my suspicions about Ducky since early on but this morning he crowed for the first time to confirm it's definitely a boy. I don't know if/when my neighbors will complain as we can't hear him while inside the house but in the spring and fall with windows open they might not be pleased. Anyone have luck with no-crow collars? I was thinking of making or buying one but if he can go to a new home where he can crow his heart out and won't be sent to freezer camp, I'd likely prefer that. PM me if interested.

 

[City farm]

Hi Arizona People. It's been a few years, but I used to frequent here. I am looking for treadle feeder instructions and can't remember the name of the author. He is a really smart man that lives in Tuscon........has big grape vines growing over the top of his runs......used to post a lot?? I remember he posted complete instructions on how to make treadle feeders....anyone remember??

So glad your back.. Hope you are able to post up photo's? Saw that you found the instruction, he is so good at explaining how to do stuff..

 

[City farm]

It was nice to see Momto3 today,my husband was very happy to get the sugar cane.

I only had one mimosa seedling, but the parent tree has a lot of seed pods, anyone who wants some is welcome to come and get some.

Yes we would like some, do you have enough to add to the BYC seed box? We will be hosing another potluck with the seed box & chicken/garden talk, in the near future.. hope to see y'all there..stay tuned for the date

 

[desertflock]

Hello!

Im about to raise my first flock and am having some trouble troubleshooting where I should put my brooder. My house is modest in size and I cannot seem to identify a really obvious choice of a place to locate our brooder inside. The only place that allows for easy clean up of the "dust" Ive been reading about is in our kitchen, dining room, and bathrooms. I've thought about laying a tarp in our living room or moving our kitchen table out, or just letting our bath tub become a brooder and just give the kids showers in the master bath.

All of these options, seem to disrupt our normal way of doing things. The bathtub option is low on the list of being problematic but its the kids bath and I don't want the kids to have any more chance to be around the chicks unsupervised.

I am considering putting the chicken brooder outside under the shade of my eaves on the north side of my house. I know its hot outside but I just think that is the most sanitary and shady place I've got at the moment and I could forgo the heat lamp. But I know the heat in the shade is still super hot! I would consider the garage as well but the same issue arises. My only really heavily shaded area and great place for my chickens is unfortunately on the outside of my fenced yard where I have some big established citrus trees.

Am I off base in thinking the chicks would be able to thrive in a brooder outside in the shade?
Is there a way any of you have beat the "dust" and kept your chicks inside with little cleaning of the area around the brooder?
Is the dust as bad as they say?
Am I really over-thinking this? lol....

I would really like any feedback you all have. The chicks are due to arrive this week.

 

[FeatherPugs]

Hello!

Im about to raise my first flock and am having some trouble troubleshooting where I should put my brooder. My house is modest in size and I cannot seem to identify a really obvious choice of a place to locate our brooder inside. The only place that allows for easy clean up of the "dust" Ive been reading about is in our kitchen, dining room, and bathrooms. I've thought about laying a tarp in our living room or moving our kitchen table out, or just letting our bath tub become a brooder and just give the kids showers in the master bath.

All of these options, seem to disrupt our normal way of doing things. The bathtub option is low on the list of being problematic but its the kids bath and I don't want the kids to have any more chance to be around the chicks unsupervised.

I am considering putting the chicken brooder outside under the shade of my eaves on the north side of my house. I know its hot outside but I just think that is the most sanitary and shady place I've got at the moment and I could forgo the heat lamp. But I know the heat in the shade is still super hot! I would consider the garage as well but the same issue arises. My only really heavily shaded area and great place for my chickens is unfortunately on the outside of my fenced yard where I have some big established citrus trees.

Am I off base in thinking the chicks would be able to thrive in a brooder outside in the shade?
Is there a way any of you have beat the "dust" and kept your chicks inside with little cleaning of the area around the brooder?
Is the dust as bad as they say?
Am I really over-thinking this? lol....

I would really like any feedback you all have. The chicks are due to arrive this week.

Generally my new chicks start out in a really, really large tote - in the kitchen/dining room - this lasts for about a week to a week and a half maybe two weeks depending on how busy we are and the time of year. They then graduate to an old baby playpen that I picked up for $5 at a swapmeet - they are still inside and now in the living room. The baby pen is easy to put a top on so they don't fly out. This is for up to two weeks. Generally by that time they are moved to the outside "littles" pen. It might go a little faster if it is summer and there might be a fan outside. Also if its winter they may still need a light at night outside but generally its all okay. The dust and clean-up is minimal for me. I also find that putting their water up a little - like on an inverted something - you can adjust the height as they grow. AND I put their food dish in a pan as well - then the food isn't all over the place too terribly much. I am assuming you are getting birds in the mail - that's amazing with the heat!! Good Luck and have fun

 

[AZBootsie]

Yes you can brood chicks outside. Make the brooder big enough to have a hot side and a cold side. You can freeze water in milk jugs and just rotate it out every 12 hours or so. The chicks will migrate to the temp they like best. Biggest concern outside is predators......neighborhood cats, dogs ect. Chicks are pretty easy and adptable. Plastic bin with a chicken wire lid slid under the table works fine. Yep, they are messy......just clean often and you will be fine. Personally picking shavings and chick mess out of the bathtub drain doesn't sound like fun to me. They grow fast so be prepared to upsize their quarters soon and give them lots of ventilation. Unless they are with a broody in the coop, I like to keep mine inside where I can watch them. That is just a personal preference, I am a nervous mom.

Good luck and post lots of adorable pics!!

 

[desertflock]

Yes you can brood chicks outside. Make the brooder big enough to have a hot side and a cold side. You can freeze water in milk jugs and just rotate it out every 12 hours or so. The chicks will migrate to the temp they like best. Biggest concern outside is predators......neighborhood cats, dogs ect. Chicks are pretty easy and adptable. Plastic bin with a chicken wire lid slid under the table works fine. Yep, they are messy......just clean often and you will be fine. Personally picking shavings and chick mess out of the bathtub drain doesn't sound like fun to me. They grow fast so be prepared to upsize their quarters soon and give them lots of ventilation. Unless they are with a broody in the coop, I like to keep mine inside where I can watch them. That is just a personal preference, I am a nervous mom.

Good luck and post lots of adorable pics!!

If they are outside should I just not do the heat lamp since it will be hot enough already?

 

[AZBootsie]

Yes you can brood chicks outside. Make the brooder big enough to have a hot side and a cold side. You can freeze water in milk jugs and just rotate it out every 12 hours or so. The chicks will migrate to the temp they like best. Biggest concern outside is predators......neighborhood cats, dogs ect. Chicks are pretty easy and adptable. Plastic bin with a chicken wire lid slid under the table works fine. Yep, they are messy......just clean often and you will be fine. Personally picking shavings and chick mess out of the bathtub drain doesn't sound like fun to me. They grow fast so be prepared to upsize their quarters soon and give them lots of ventilation. Unless they are with a broody in the coop, I like to keep mine inside where I can watch them. That is just a personal preference, I am a nervous mom.

Good luck and post lots of adorable pics!!

If they are outside should I just not do the heat lamp since it will be hot enough already?

Whats the night time temp where you are and how many chicks? I can't imagine needing a lamp. If it is 90ish at night and they can huddle, I think they are fine. If it is 80is at night and less then 6 chicks you might need a lamp for just a few nights.

I love my brinsea echo brooder thing.....like an electric hen. Chicks climb under when cool and roost on top when not. No thinking needed. Maybe just a heating pad at one end of the brooder, maybe somehow lining the side.....so chicks can huddle around if night time temps are low??

Just check on them often, if they are piled on top of each other. It's too cool. If they are panting with wings open....too hot.