Arizona Chickens

[igorsMistress]

It's more what I hear than what I see. When they advance from just panting to "noisy" panting, they're getting closer to heat stroke. When they start making long, drawn out calls (they almost sound like they're shouting "....Laaaawwwd") then they're actually getting closer to death. In my experience, if they're making that noise when it's still heating up outside, I've got to get them cooled down quickly or they could be dead inside an hour.

Additionally, disorientation is a clear indicator of pending doom. One of my girls couldn't figure out how to get into her pen in spite of living there for nearly three years. Once I cooler her down she was fine again.

I actually have one hen that went to roost tonight while still making more exclamations than I would like, but every time I tried to remove her from the perch to cool her down she became so frantic I was afraid she'd have a stroke or something, so I left her alone. I'm really hoping I don't wake up in the morning to find her dead. She's one of my oldest girls from my very first flock, nearly four years old now, and still gives me large eggs 5-6 days per week.

I was afraid this might be your answer. One of my girls was making similar sounds, wasn't sure if she was frightened because it was darker than usual when I closed up.

 

[Fishybiz]

Egg production is down but no chickens lost more importantly. Chandler had a band/cell of rain that passed through so temperatures were under 100 until it passed.

My chickens haven't liked the ice blocks yet and haven't stepped into the mini pools i have set out for them. So far it seems like their favorite tactic has been to dig a little hole and lie in wet dirt under the misters in the shade.

 

[nicollee]

We do the same with our tortoises and rabbits too. Doing the right thing isn't usually easy, but it's always right.

What kind of tortoises?

I keep expecting a reduction in egg laying, but I got 40 eggs today from 47 layers.

Wow
and crossing fingers for the "old girl"

@DesertChic
I doubt ever want a pig personally would of liked a donkey. ...

I don't have the room, but I keep looking at the rescue donkeys

My chickens haven't liked the ice blocks yet and haven't stepped into the mini pools i have set out for them. .

Mine don't like misters or pools either, they prefer to hang out underground in the tortoise den, it goes down about10-15 feet,so its probably pretty cool down there
Night all.... keep surviving....

 

[azurbanclucker]

What kind of tortoises?

Sulcatas. We hatch out a couple clutches a year, basically just enough to cover feed and vet bills for the adults tortoises. The rest of the eggs go to the backyard dionsaurs.

 

[igorsMistress]

G'morning everyone

It's already 91* in the coop so I turned on the mister, put ice in the wading pools and wet down the pool area in general.

Scarlett the pigeon killer has already chased birds out of the yard this morning. I think the heat is making her grumpy.

My broody girl switches nests if someone gets in hers while she's out and about so all are in the incubator now.

 

[meetthebubus]

I keep losing your hatch thread and having to hunt it down lol good luck are you going to sneak the chicks back to her?

 

[igorsMistress]

I keep losing your hatch thread and having to hunt it down lol good luck are you going to sneak the chicks back to her?

I dunno I thought about putting them under her on fay 18 but I'm not sure what to do.

 

[meetthebubus]

I found this brand New article, the other ones I used to refer yo were getting old glad I found this

https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/nati...r/news-story/95b6e3f5bc825c09fe9be720d9e5c3ec

 

[RainForestBird]

Hi, I wonder how you all are doing in this heat wave in Southern Arizona. I am trying to keep my chickens and ducks comfortable, but I've found that by adding more water (in tubs with bricks), I'm getting more flies and gnats. Biting flies and gnats I go out in the morning to feed and I come back a bloody mess. The gnat bites swell and itch and the flies bites can be even worse. What if anything is there to control these pests? I'm sure they are probably bothering my birds too. The Monsoon is worse because it leaves a bunch of mud for the flies to breed.

 

[DesertChic]

Hi, I wonder how you all are doing in this heat wave in Southern Arizona. I am trying to keep my chickens and ducks comfortable, but I've found that by adding more water (in tubs with bricks), I'm getting more flies and gnats. Biting flies and gnats I go out in the morning to feed and I come back a bloody mess. The gnat bites swell and itch and the flies bites can be even worse. What if anything is there to control these pests? I'm sure they are probably bothering my birds too. The Monsoon is worse because it leaves a bunch of mud for the flies to breed.

Yep! Flies and mosquitoes...I hate them, and yet I have them in abundance. My birds will NOT use wading pools, but love puddles in the dirt and mud, so I run a garden hose in different locations for them....and grow mosquitoes and flies. I just spent a small fortune in a bunch of "bug killing" items that are safe to use around chickens. I don't know if they'll work, but I'm doing whatever I can.