Arizona Chickens

[nuthatched]

No, I only have these three as a fun thing to try but they really are too small for my flock. I have Turken, my most recent hatchlings from today are almost as big as the d’Uccles

Hmm, thank you for the offer but my car's in the shop for the foreseeable future, What do you want for them? If they're still around when the cars done?

 

[igorsMistress]

Hmm, thank you for the offer but my car's in the shop for the foreseeable future, What do you want for them? If they're still around when the cars done?

I dunno, let’s see if they’re around when the car is done. Now I’d take $10 for all three but time is money spent.

 

[CaroleW]

Anyone have any extra banty chicks? Or full grown? My friend had coons break into her coop and massacred her chickens except one. She's 86 and her chickens were one of the few things that kept her spirits up.

I have 4 Polish that really don't go with the rest of the flock they arrived with as chicks April 2. They are small but I've never had Polish before so don't really know if they are standard size or banty. I'm willing to give them to someone who can give them more attention. I keep them apart from the non-Polish. At least 2 have started laying very recently but I can't guarantee that all of them are hens since one of them was trying to crow back at the 8 week mark. I haven't heard any crow recently. Let me know if she's interested in these Polish - 3 are White Crested Black Polish and one is Golden Polish (this one is very tame and friendly because it was kept for a couple of weeks by separately when I had to give (him?) electrolytes/poultry cell when (he?) was little -don't know if he/she but it has a stringy hairdo more like a male, but never heard this one crow.

 

[Coffee N Chickens]

OK, here are pictures of the building that I think would make a good chicken coop. The bags on the left are garbage that I cleaned out of it, and tomorrow I'll finally be able to throw them out. That wooden thing by the ladder is shelving, great for chicken first aid supplies, and on the other side of the bags is a paneled over entrance/exit door made for animals much bigger than chickens. I would reopen part of it and have the run on the other side.

The second picture shows the side that I think would be good for nests. The shelves are already there. On the outside of the building opposite it are my electrical panels.

The entire thing is about 12 feet deep by about 10 feet wide, inside dimensions. So, do you think this is do-able, or should I head for the hardware store and get a prefabricated chicken coop?

I have two issues with using prefabricated chicken housing. One is coyotes, and there have been a few times (thankfully not many!) where they came right in front of my house and gave a concert. The other one is the red-tailed hawk that hangs around here and feasts on jackrabbits. It comes here frequently enough that I named it Atlanta (as in Atlanta Hawks). Both could probably damage or tear through cheaply made runs.

This building sits about 6-8 feet from the side of my house, and if needed, I could open a window and take aim at a coyote. We used to have a pack of pretty close to feral pit bulls and pit bull crosses killing chickens and other livestock in the area, but from what I understand, some neighbors said they were going to (cough) "take care of" the problem. I haven't seen them since shortly before a neighbor told me this. (No hate posts, OK? The have to protect their livestock.) They may or may not still be around. If they're contained somewhere, they might get loose again.

 

[CaroleW]

OK, here are pictures of the building that I think would make a good chicken coop. The bags on the left are garbage that I cleaned out of it, and tomorrow I'll finally be able to throw them out. That wooden thing by the ladder is shelving, great for chicken first aid supplies, and on the other side of the bags is a paneled over entrance/exit door made for animals much bigger than chickens. I would reopen part of it and have the run on the other side.

The second picture shows the side that I think would be good for nests. The shelves are already there. On the outside of the building opposite it are my electrical panels.

The entire thing is about 12 feet deep by about 10 feet wide, inside dimensions. So, do you think this is do-able, or should I head for the hardware store and get a prefabricated chicken coop?

I have two issues with using prefabricated chicken housing. One is coyotes, and there have been a few times (thankfully not many!) where they came right in front of my house and gave a concert. The other one is the red-tailed hawk that hangs around here and feasts on jackrabbits. It comes here frequently enough that I named it Atlanta (as in Atlanta Hawks). Both could probably damage or tear through cheaply made runs.

This building sits about 6-8 feet from the side of my house, and if needed, I could open a window and take aim at a coyote. We used to have a pack of pretty close to feral pit bulls and pit bull crosses killing chickens and other livestock in the area, but from what I understand, some neighbors said they were going to (cough) "take care of" the problem. I haven't seen them since shortly before a neighbor told me this. (No hate posts, OK? The have to protect their livestock.) They may or may not still be around. If they're contained somewhere, they might get loose again.View attachment 2336733View attachment 2336736

I would use what you have here. Might need to block the openings(?) up high with some hardware cloth or "bird block" vent or similar as needed to keep little birds out.

 

[igorsMistress]

OK, here are pictures of the building that I think would make a good chicken coop. The bags on the left are garbage that I cleaned out of it, and tomorrow I'll finally be able to throw them out. That wooden thing by the ladder is shelving, great for chicken first aid supplies, and on the other side of the bags is a paneled over entrance/exit door made for animals much bigger than chickens. I would reopen part of it and have the run on the other side.

The second picture shows the side that I think would be good for nests. The shelves are already there. On the outside of the building opposite it are my electrical panels.

The entire thing is about 12 feet deep by about 10 feet wide, inside dimensions. So, do you think this is do-able, or should I head for the hardware store and get a prefabricated chicken coop?

I have two issues with using prefabricated chicken housing. One is coyotes, and there have been a few times (thankfully not many!) where they came right in front of my house and gave a concert. The other one is the red-tailed hawk that hangs around here and feasts on jackrabbits. It comes here frequently enough that I named it Atlanta (as in Atlanta Hawks). Both could probably damage or tear through cheaply made runs.

This building sits about 6-8 feet from the side of my house, and if needed, I could open a window and take aim at a coyote. We used to have a pack of pretty close to feral pit bulls and pit bull crosses killing chickens and other livestock in the area, but from what I understand, some neighbors said they were going to (cough) "take care of" the problem. I haven't seen them since shortly before a neighbor told me this. (No hate posts, OK? The have to protect their livestock.) They may or may not still be around. If they're contained somewhere, they might get loose again.View attachment 2336733View attachment 2336736

I think that’s an excellent start. I would add much more ventilation and cover the open areas there with hardware cloth to keep out rats, mice and snakes.

 

[nuthatched]

I dunno, let’s see if they’re around when the car is done. Now I’d take $10 for all three but time is money spent.

That's perfectly understandable, my car should be done by this weekend or Monday. You do what you need to do, chickens aren't impossible to find, I just checked here first.

I have 4 Polish that really don't go with the rest of the flock they arrived with as chicks April 2. They are small but I've never had Polish before so don't really know if they are standard size or banty. I'm willing to give them to someone who can give them more attention. I keep them apart from the non-Polish. At least 2 have started laying very recently but I can't guarantee that all of them are hens since one of them was trying to crow back at the 8 week mark. I haven't heard any crow recently. Let me know if she's interested in these Polish - 3 are White Crested Black Polish and one is Golden Polish (this one is very tame and friendly because it was kept for a couple of weeks by separately when I had to give (him?) electrolytes/poultry cell when (he?) was little -don't know if he/she but it has a stringy hairdo more like a male, but never heard this one crow.

I think she would like the Polish, she has a Sultan and loves her top knot. I'll get back to once I have my car back but you do what you need to.

 

[igorsMistress]

That's perfectly understandable, my car should be done by this weekend or Monday. You do what you need to do, chickens aren't impossible to find, I just checked here first.

I think she would like the Polish, she has a Sultan and loves her top knot. I'll get back to once I have my car back but you do what you need to.

You said a while so I was thinking a WHILE. They won’t be gone before the weekend and if you want them you’re welcome to them. I just don’t want to hang on to them for months.

 

[CaroleW]

Chicken Fortress/Coop rebuild update-- Grand Opening now with new residents!
Ok- the interior needs work, ran out of paint on exterior & still need to get chicken doors made but it is secure. Will work on securing covered run next (neighbor told me a coon took out some of her flock this summer which we've never seen here so adding racoons to our ground predators list along with skunk, coyote, cats, snake, and rodent pests). Now I'm thankful my DH built a fortress!!!

 

[CaroleW]

If you don't know... word going around is feed prices and availability will be a problem soon (probably recent Derecho/Hurricane storms main reason). DH talking to co-workers that have chickens and TSC employee told him this. If you are reliant on commercial feed you may want to stock up now if possible and also look into ways to supplement/stretch your feed sources.

I'm sure you all know some of these (I got theme from a YT video)--
Soak (or ferment) feed
provide grit
feed any food/garden scraps to flock
grow extra lettuce, kale, etc for the flock
buy feed in bulk to save money (make sure you can use it in a reasonable time or split with neighbors, keep it secure from rodents and weather)
Feed good weeds to flock

I you need more ideas see Justin Rhodes YT videos on this subject. I'm sure there are threads here that can inform us also.