Arizona Chickens

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

As for summer heat - our coop is 3 sided, like SockPuppet's. You can see a picture here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=19548

We built it under trees to keep it cooler and it's hard to tell from the photos, but there is also ventilation at the top of the three walls.

If you have sand in their run, you can wet in down for them in the mornings - that would make a nice cool place for them to lay.

I heard that the reason scratch is not good for the chickens during the summer is that the corn/carbs tend to be fattening and a fat chicken will be hotter. That's why it's so good for them in the winter - it helps them to put on body fat for warmth.

 

[dofnup]

Hey all!

Who was at the chicken class today?? It was really fun, I actually convinced my DH to come with and I think he's a small bit closer to coming over to the chicken side ... or at least tolerating the idea ^_^

Yay!

 

[Sock Puppet]

Quote:
What chicken class?

 

[AAWinAZ]

FINALLY!! We finished our coop on Thursday and then went and got our chickens today. We went to OK Feed in Tucson and got 2 Rhode Island Red's, 2 Barred Rocks and 2 Americaunas all approximately 13 weeks old. I think one of the Americaunas might be a cockerel, but I can't tell yet. I wouldn't mind if it is a cockerel, as we wanted to get one after the first year, I just thought it would be easier to learn with hens at first.

 

[cjr]

Question for those of you in Tucson: What's your experience with hawks? I have a handful of friends with chickens in the city (all near the University area, as I am) and most say that they're not concerned about hawks and let their hens roam free in an uncovered chicken run (or simply throughout the entire backyard). Others do completely enclose their run. What's been your experience?

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
You'll have to post pictures for us when they hatch. Will you be keeping them all or selling some?

I don't know what I do wrong in my bator. I ended up with only 2 W/BW Ameraucanas out of 12 shipped eggs and only
8 B/B/S Ameraucanas. They are beautiful. I may be persuaded to give up a roo or two of that bunch. We'll have to see how they feather out. I meant to take pics today but I've ended up flat on my back with a horrid sinus infection in my right sinus.... maybe tomorrow.

Oh, and cjr... we have chicken hawks AND owls here in Phoenix. It doesn't help that we have feral chickens all over the neighborhood to the south of us.

 

[Sweetbriarpatch]

We got our first three chicks a week and a half ago, followed up by seven more. They're doing just great and we've all fallen in love with them.

They eat out of our hands & jump up on our laps (when they're outside for a bit each day and we sit in the pen with them). They play tag, which is absolutely hysterical! I never knew they'd have so much personality.

My husband and sons are building the coop and it's going well. I'll post pictures when it's done (if I can figure out how).

 

[AAWinAZ]

CJR,
I'm not sure what part of town you live in. If you're by the university there may not be much of an issue. If you live in Mesquite Ranch, Rita Ranch, or up north west, you may have issues with hawks. If you have any desert areas where rabbits, squirrels or the like you may have a hawk near by. We live in Vail on the far east side and we constantly see hawks during the day and owls at night. So we are playing it safe for now, we don't want any collateral damage by free ranging.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:
I am North of Phoenix, but have hawks that nest just about 300 feet away from our property. We have a LOT of hawks and also have owls. We have had them hover over the yard, but haven't seen them come after the chickens, yet.

The chickens are pretty smart. They instinctively stay under the bushes and trees. They come out onto the grass when it is cloudy, early in the morning, and in the evening. When they see something overhead, they head for the cover of the bushes.

Most days, when you come into the yard, you can't see them until you start looking for them. You might want to watch your chickens and see what they do.

No matter where you are, you should shelter them at night against predators. Even in the city, near the University, there are dangers for them at night.

 

[dofnup]

Quote:
Oops!! Sorry, I posted a prompt reply yesterday with my phone, but I guess it didn't take.

The class was given by the Phoenix Permaculture Guild, I found out about it through their website:

http://www.phoenixpermaculture.org

They have all sorts of classes, not just chickens, and on the website there is a group for Micro Livestock that has a lot of chicken action going on. Check it out!

As for the class, my DH actually agreed to come with, and when we left he was one step closer to accepting the inevitable fact that we'll be having chickens ... or at least one step closer to tolerating it, haha!!