Arizona Chickens

[Genisis]

Any AZ chicken people out there? I am looking for some advice on raising chicks in the desert. I'm in Mesa. Does it get too hot out here? I have four 20 day old chicks, 3 Buff Orps and 1 leghorn. Do we need to do anything special here

Also, try to have a run, I let mine free range, but when I'm away, I have a run. A hawk almost got them , but luckily they were safe in the run. Amazon had a good one that's pretty big.

 

[Yabadabadoo]

@Yabadabadoo What breed are your chicken's?

My stranded bird is a speckled sussex, 8-9 months old. Other birds are gold star, black sex link, black australorps, barred rocks, easter eggers.

 

[BlueBaby]

I almost lost one of my girls in the heat this year, it was 118. Luckily there is a vet that sees chickens in Mesa. I have since then added misters to the run I have, added tarps, and grass to help keep thier feet cool. If you can, add water to float some of thier food, they are cooled down with thier feet, so I had a kiddie pool and throw in some frozen fruit and it helps. For nights, I used a evaporator cooler to keep thier coop cool at nights, I'll probably get a window cooler before this summer comes back. For our winter, try to make sure their enclosure is protected from wind, they can warm themselves up really well, but if it's open, then it's harder. Our girls hatch day us this month, we love them.

Hello, and welcome to the Arizona state thread! What breed's do you have?

 

[BlueBaby]

My stranded bird is a speckled sussex, 8-9 months old. Other birds are gold star, black sex link, black australorps, barred rocks, easter eggers.

It sound's like you have a nice mixed flock over there!

 

[Yabadabadoo]

It sound's like you have a nice mixed flock over there!

Thanks! And yes…I wanted to have a variety of birds and some egg color variation. We really enjoy them. Yours?

 

[BlueBaby]

Thanks! And yes…I wanted to have a variety of birds and some egg color variation. We really enjoy them. Yours?

Mine is sort of mixed right now. I have some Dorking's, some Lakeshore Egger's, and some Naked Neck's. I'm planning on getting some Bielefelder chick's soon. All of mine are the standard size.

 

[cavemanrich]

BlueBaby​

Did some of that

Make your keyboard keys sticky???

 

[Hermits Garden]

We have weird hours here--up at 4 or 4:30 for the day because hubs teleworks from San Antonio and has to log in at our 5 for their 7 am. So the dog's first pee break is around 4:30, and the coyotes are usually having a party somewhere nearby. Add to that the neighborhood roosters, the elk bugling this time of year, and sometimes the occasional donkey braying, it's not as quiet in the predawn forest as one would expect!

But I sure know I'll need to protect the flock from those coyotes (and the neighbor's dog who is never kept home).

 

[Geckolady]

We have weird hours here--up at 4 or 4:30 for the day because hubs teleworks from San Antonio and has to log in at our 5 for their 7 am. So the dog's first pee break is around 4:30, and the coyotes are usually having a party somewhere nearby. Add to that the neighborhood roosters, the elk bugling this time of year, and sometimes the occasional donkey braying, it's not as quiet in the predawn forest as one would expect!

But I sure know I'll need to protect the flock from those coyotes (and the neighbor's dog who is never kept home).

I'm usually up early, too. 5:00 is sleeping in for me. Last night's coyote party has quieted down, for the minute anyway, but my rooster is letting the world know he's here.

 

[Hermits Garden]

I'm usually up early, too. 5:00 is sleeping in for me.

We've been keeping these hours since spring of 2015--do you think we'll ever have "normal people" body clocks again even after he retires? I kinda doubt it.