Arizona Chickens

[cavemanrich]

I used a galvanized garbage can, small size. It was hot when I had chickens in the CA desert, I did not want to buy too much feed and have it get rancid, or ants! I forget the size, but it is about 1/2 the size of a big can, so about 25 gal?

I use these. 20 gallon.

$17 at homecenter near my home.

 

[igorsMistress]

oh not yet!!

im oing to wait a few years for college. earn up some money, get married, let nathaniels AF schedule get a flow. Then once he is able to transfer his Gi Bill to me, I will go into vet school!

hes going to use his Haxelwood act for college so he can rank up further than an E6 and make lots of good moneys.

Sounds like you guys have a good plan.

 

[igorsMistress]

I don't want to start a new topic, but I need to know what size of container does one need when they buy 25 or 50 pound bags of feed/scratch, whatever (I personally prefer stainless steel). I don't want to store any food in my garage and may end up building my own shed instead of buying some of the ridiculous-priced items out there. My future flock will be under 12 hens, and just want to know how some of you handle/store food on a smaller scale. Thanks so much! --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

I store feed in five gallon food grade buckets. I ferment the feed and this lets me keep a supply in the kitchen close at hand.
If my flock grows I've been considering a metal trash can with lid.

 

[cactusrota]

I don't want to start a new topic, but I need to know what size of container does one need when they buy 25 or 50 pound bags of feed/scratch, whatever (I personally prefer stainless steel). I don't want to store any food in my garage and may end up building my own shed instead of buying some of the ridiculous-priced items out there. My future flock will be under 12 hens, and just want to know how some of you handle/store food on a smaller scale. Thanks so much! --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

I bought a couple 18 gallon rubbermaid tubs at walmart for like $7 each the other day thinking that would just be barely enough and a 50 lb bag only filled it about 2/3 of the way... just as an example, that's what an 18 gallon sized container holds.

 

[Bobby Basham]

I used a galvanized garbage can, small size. It was hot when I had chickens in the CA desert, I did not want to buy too much feed and have it get rancid, or ants! I forget the size, but it is about 1/2 the size of a big can, so about 25 gal?

Oops, I meant Galvanized steel. Thanks so much for the replies, especially those smaller steel cans. My concern is also buying too much feed and having it go bad and/or attracting critters in the garage, eventually getting into the house. Some type of outdoor storage is still in the works, so I will check out Ace, Walmart and Lowe's in my area for pricing. --BB

 

[FeatherPugs]

I don't want to start a new topic, but I need to know what size of container does one need when they buy 25 or 50 pound bags of feed/scratch, whatever (I personally prefer stainless steel). I don't want to store any food in my garage and may end up building my own shed instead of buying some of the ridiculous-priced items out there. My future flock will be under 12 hens, and just want to know how some of you handle/store food on a smaller scale. Thanks so much! --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

Sir Bobby! Talking about storing feed - you are getting closer!! I have used for the last 6 plus years the larger - I think they are 30 gal size Rubbermaid/polyurethane type garbage cans (Walmart) - never a problem - no break-in or break-outs! Lids stay on in the extreme wind and no water - even when it's sideways. I can put three 50 lb bags of feed in one easy with room to spare. I keep my straw or chopped hay in one too, (found in the desert!) and also never a problem. They are not housed any of them. They are out in chickie yard and when I move them the chooks are crazy after the bugs! Now you have another to think about! Love the planning!

 

[FeatherPugs]

Since you use the Eliminators, was wondering if you could answer some questions for me. (BTW my fly problem is not severe).
!.How do these lil wasps come delivered? Live in a baggie?
2. Why do you need to keep getting a fresh batch every so often? Cant these reproduce and multiply?
3. The peeps with horses probably don't have their animals eating the wasps?
Always with an open mind trying to learn new things.
Never too to learn.....

They come live in a baggie. Sometimes I have to wait a couple days for them to begin their hatching process. Here's how I understand it - They are tiny wasps that feed upon and breed within the poop on fly pupae (we know how flies love poop) trying to eliminate the adult fly. The little wasps reproduce but at a much slower rate than the crazy flies (my brain tickles with flies reproduce 3x as fast) which is why you get them every 4 weeks or so. I'm thinking the horses don't eat where I put the eliminators under the poop - worse would be wild birds wondering what I was doing - LOL...hopefully not! I have 20 hens but have had up to 30 so I get 1/4 measure of the eliminators. Hopefully that answers your questions.

 

[BlueBaby]

Hey, FeatherPugs,

I talked to an ACE associate a few years back and was told that they get HUGE orders delivered at a central location and they are distributed to the various ACE stores throughout Tucson. You may not have to drive all the way to the east side at 22nd/Kolb area. That's close to the Air Force Base.

Maybe find an ACE Hardware location on the NW side and save you the headache of driving across town facing all the idiot drivers out there. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

Hey Bobby, long time no see! Have you finished that new coop and run that you were working on before BYC changed the site formation? If you did, did you get any chickens yet?

 

[BlueBaby]

By the way, I found this on an internet search about getting rid of flies. Have any of you tried it yet? Here's a cheap idea that I'm going to try for the flies.

http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2015/07/homemade-fly-trap.html

 

[Michelle Guynn]

I already tried that. Didn't work for me. I also have the bag of water hanging and not doing much good.