Arizona Chickens

[FeatherPugs]

Hey Featherpugs - you definitely got that right. We hit 117 this afternoon and right about that time my power went out which of course shut off the well pump and hence the misting system. Couldn't have happened at a better time of course. Anyway power was back on at 7:00 pm so we survived. Boy those Walmart oil pans filled with water really came in handy today. Two of my gals stayed out in the run after dark where it's just very slightly less hot than in the coop, so I left the battery lantern on low so they can see where they're going in case they want to go inside. I'll check on them before I go to bed. I really feel for the gals in this weather. The sad thing was I was more worried about my chickens than my 83 year old Mother, or so she said anyway. I think tomorrow I'm going to come home for lunch to make sure their two water founts are filled with fresh water and ice, and to cut the mister on at around noon. The timer max is 4 hours so that'll keep 'em cool till I get home at 4 and re-turn it back on. I'll tell ya, this is the most brutal temps I remember here since 2007 when we moved here.

I can't thank you enough for the tips to keep my gals cool. I think it's safe to say there's 25 hens that owe their lives to you - they told me to tell you you're a saint!

Not a saint for sure BUT learned the hard way about what works and what isn't so good. Thank you for the kudos!!

 

[FeatherPugs]

Which store gives you the produce? I've asked every grocery store around here and they all flat out refuse to let me have or purchased their slightly overripe produce. Very frustrating.

Not a store - I go to Market on the Move or Produce on Wheels With Out Waste or POW WOW. Pow-wow is the best because they have real stuff to give away for compost or chickens, etc. Market on the Move not as much. I've never been able to get a store to give me anything without going through their garbage and I'm not willing to do that. Try this website http://www.borderlandfoodbank.org/POWWOW.html

 

[PhxChicks]

I'm sorry you lost some of your birds.

We're new to chicken owning. We brought my MIL's three girls to our house a few weekends ago. One thing we've done since the beginning is provide two dishpans full of water and large chunks of ice. They take turns sitting the the ice cold water all day when it's really hot. I've been researching chickens like crazy the last few weeks and one thing I didn't know is they cool themselves down through their feet. So if you can provide something for them to get their feet nice and cold it will really help. We actually use old tupperware containers, or Big Q cups from QT to make the bricks of ice. They last for hours. My husband puts the ice bricks in the dishpans in the morning, and I put in fresh ones around 1 or 2 in the afternoon. Another thing I experimented with last night was putting a frozen gallon of water inside their coop. I figure it can't hurt, right? They also drink the ice cold water. They have basically ignored their actual waterer/drinker/chicken nipple thing and dunk their heads in the dishpans. We got them for less than $5 at Walmart.

 

[ejcrist]

Quick question: I've only been able to collect eggs in the morning before I head off to work and about 8 1/2 hours after I get home around 4:00 pm. With this heat lately of course the eggs are a bit warm when I get them in the afternoon. Is there any harm in that? I immediately put them in the fridge but I'm thinking if it gets any hotter I'll be collecting hard boiled eggs. I guess people in cold climates have to worry about their eggs freezing.

 

[DesertChic]

Quick question: I've only been able to collect eggs in the morning before I head off to work and about 8 1/2 hours after I get home around 4:00 pm. With this heat lately of course the eggs are a bit warm when I get them in the afternoon. Is there any harm in that? I immediately put them in the fridge but I'm thinking if it gets any hotter I'll be collecting hard boiled eggs. I guess people in cold climates have to worry about their eggs freezing.

As long as the shells are in tact, there shouldn't be a problem.

 

[ejcrist]

As long as the shells are in tact, there shouldn't be a problem.

Got it - thanks!

 

[Banaynaychicken]

Does anyoone know of a forum board for washington state? In a 2 years i will be moving out, and hopefully taking my chickens with me, and I'm hoping to contact some other people to get to know the area lays/codes/poultry selling licence rules and stuff.

 

[ejcrist]

Chickens are banned in Washington.

..........Just kiddin'. I queried "Washington" in the search field on the home page and it looked like there were several threads specific to Washington.

..."When chickens are outlawed, only outlaws will have chickens"...

 

[Banaynaychicken]

Chickens are banned in Washington.

..........Just kiddin'. I queried "Washington" in the search field on the home page and it looked like there were several threads specific to Washington.

..."When chickens are outlawed, only outlaws will have chickens"...

oh my god, new favorite chicken quote.

and I thought my favorite was "I dream of a world where a chicken can cross the road, and not have his motives questioned"

 

[ejcrist]

oh my god, new favorite chicken quote.

and I thought my favorite was "I dream of a world where a chicken can cross the road, and not have his motives questioned"

Yeah I heard that one too - that's a good one. I just now thought of the quote I wrote because I just got off the thread about gun control on here. I can think of a lot of them now like....."They can have my chicken when they pry it from my cold, dead hands..."