Arizona Chickens

[City farm]

Want to say hi before the day get's away. .

Digging up the grapevine, Jerusalem artichoke and other bulbs and moving them to our new home. Still have not built the duck run. .

Here are some flower's that we have harvested the seed's for the other property.

The Roselle hibiscus is almost ready.. we got 2 blooms so far. They are still drying. . This brat Cheryl tried to go broody again.. here she is with her last chick's..

No more for us, for now anyway. . I was glad that it was cool enough that I could keep her in the wire cage for two-and-a-half 3 days. She finally broke..now she is out with her sisters. Frolicking for bug's and sun/ dust baths. .

 

[Sill]

It's been a while since I've posted, I need to catch up reading later. A couple of my hens have been broody, one of them is on her third broody spell! She's half naked because she plucked everything on her chest and belly to keep her imaginary eggs warm. So when my sister gave me some chicks as an early birthday gift I put them under the semi bald broody after full dark. She started clucking at them immediately. By morning it was obvious she had fully adopted the little fuzz butts! They are cherry eggers and brown leg horns.



Still in the nest box.



And out in the real world. The glop in the dish is fermented feed. They are penned off from the other hens, momma is very protective and wouldn't relax until I put them by themselves. Evidently being on mom's back is great fun because there is usually one or more perched on top of her.

 

[FeatherPugs]

It's been a while since I've posted, I need to catch up reading later. A couple of my hens have been broody, one of them is on her third broody spell! She's half naked because she plucked everything on her chest and belly to keep her imaginary eggs warm. So when my sister gave me some chicks as an early birthday gift I put them under the semi bald broody after full dark. She started clucking at them immediately. By morning it was obvious she had fully adopted the little fuzz butts! They are cherry eggers and brown leg horns.



Still in the nest box.



And out in the real world. The glop in the dish is fermented feed. They are penned off from the other hens, momma is very protective and wouldn't relax until I put them by themselves. Evidently being on mom's back is great fun because there is usually one or more perched on top of her.

So dang cute. I do love giving my broody a couple chicks - they are so happy, happy!! Do you wait a number of days first? I usually do - at least two weeks maybe more - probably no need but my logical mind got involved!! Our hot weather is now here for the long haul. Be safe everyone.

 

[cyborg]

Just put 22 eggs in lockdown, 18 barred Rocks, and 4 golden sex link/Rhode Island Red crosses. More chicks for this weekend!

 

[MagicChicken]

Just put 22 eggs in lockdown, 18 barred Rocks, and 4 golden sex link/Rhode Island Red crosses. More chicks for this weekend!

Problem this time of year will be keeping them cool enough! Good luck with the hatch.

 

[BruceAZ]

it's getting hot here

it's going to be 111-113 around friday..

so how do you keep your chickens cool in this desert heat ?

i have some concrete bricks about 2 in thick.. 4"x8" or so

i put them next to each other in a shaded are of the run and spray water on it each morning (enough to wet the ground under the bricks) and also put a gallon of water with small holes at the bottom to continue soaking the bricks

originally i used a pan and put the bricks in then fill the pan with water.. but that was a bad idea.. since chicken manure in water.. so i scratched that idea.

 

[FeatherPugs]

it's getting hot here

it's going to be 111-113 around friday..

so how do you keep your chickens cool in this desert heat ?

i have some concrete bricks about 2 in thick.. 4"x8" or so

i put them next to each other in a shaded are of the coop and spray water on it each morning (enough wet the ground under the bricks) and also put a gallon of water with small holes at the bottom to continue soaking the bricks

originally i used a pan and put the bricks in then fill the pan with water.. but that was a bad idea.. since chicken manure in water.. so i scratched that idea.

I always use pans.(I get the oil pans at Walmart) That way the chickens can put their feet in the water and stay cool. During the big heat - and we will see 115 to 120 with this heat warning I use frozen water bottles around the outsides of the pans. They are too small for a bottle in the pan but even on the outside it is really cool when I go out around 5pm. I've done this for a large number of years. Yes there is chicken poop in the water from time to time but I'm thinking that's the least of our worries when its hot and we need them to be cool!

 

[Banaynaychicken]

Is there anyone who owns a 5 gallon metal waterer, have you had rust problems, and how do you deal with them?

I had to purchase a new waterer that is plastic because my metal one was rusting so bad that the birds would't drink out of it.

 

[BruceAZ]

Is there anyone who owns a 5 gallon metal waterer, have you had rust problems, and how do you deal with them?

I had to purchase a new waterer that is plastic because my metal one was rusting so bad that the birds would't drink out of it.

plastic has its flaws

i bought a waterer from petsmart and it's starting to break apart already-- since it's exposed to the sun for about 3-4 hours a day

 

[FeatherPugs]

Is there anyone who owns a 5 gallon metal waterer, have you had rust problems, and how do you deal with them?

I had to purchase a new waterer that is plastic because my metal one was rusting so bad that the birds would't drink out of it.

I have two of the metal ones - they have not rusted on me yet but they do get gunky and I need to scrub the dish down at least weekly in the heat. I have to do that with all my waterers - its just the nature of the heat down here. I totally dislike the plastic upscale one I got because not only does the bowl area get gunky but also inside the waterer and my arms were barely long enough to clean it. I had my metal ones about 4 years.