Greetings Fellow Desert Dwellers!
Glad to see so many of us in BYC! What an awesome site!
I'm raising Bantam Brahmas (or Brahma Bantams, if you prefer) in Palominas (Cochise County, between Sierra Vista and Bisbee). It hasn't even been a year yet, and I'm already having a blast raising them and selling eggs at the Bisbee Farmers Market. I have 11 hens and one roo, they have a 4'x8' elevated coop with shaded area for waterer and feeder beneath, and a 24/7 run 6'x32' where they spend most of their time (in the direct sunlight).
I haven't lost any to the heat, and rarely find one panting (though they really enjoy their dirt baths). One question for y'all, has anyone else had birds seemingly lose their adult feathers and grow fuzzy down feathers again? I assumed they were molting, then I read the following in the June/July 2009 Backyard Poultry
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/4/4-3/caring_for_your_poultry_in_hot_weather.html
Direct sunlight also has a negative effect on feather condition and can render birds unshowable until they have gone through a molt. This is particularly true if you live in an area that has high heat and low humidity. Low humidity dries out the feathers and they become brittle and more susceptible to breakage.
I can pretty much vouch for the above statement. I have a happy, healthy flock that looks like it went a few rounds with a coyote or two. No other symptoms or health concerns, though my roo is (understandably) less "active". Egg production has also dropped a little, from 5-6 to 4-5 per day, but three of my hens are broody off and on as well. Our temps have crept into the mid-90s, and it stays there most years.
I'm thinking of running shade cloth along the top of the run, but not if it's just for their appearance - they're not show quality anyway.
Any thoughts? Thanks, and I'll see you on Chicken Chat!
Bryan
[email protected]