Arizona Chickens

[Stacaroni]

I'm not sure at what age the babies' immune systems are formed enough for them to encounter wild bird poop, but in Black Canyon I let them free range about 4-8 weeks of age with no problems. Here I haven't let my babies free range just because some of them look like they'd fly too well and it's a different neighborhood--I wouldn't want to go door to door trying to catch one of them!

We've had these girls for 5 weeks. Presumably they were 2-3 days old before the feed store put them out for sale.

Free ranging probably isn't going to happen here. I'm probably a little paranoid because they're my first chickens but we also see hawks very regularly.

 

[CaroleW]

BOSS Bouquet picked this morning after chicken chores.

 

[CaroleW]

They remind me of swamp cooler pads/filters, probably they're a lot softer though.

I just put down some swamp cooler pads and mine scratched all the way thru to the vinyl flooring underneath to lay thier eggs. At least they can't scratch it so much out of the way that it disappears like loose straw. The backing kinda holds it together so I can push it back easily.

 

[CaroleW]

Do any of you know if there are weeds in the yavapai county area that I should not allow my chicks to eat? Thought they might like to tractor around a bit.

I let mine have some (not a whole lot) of the pigweed (amaranth type weed).
There is a ruffled green-grey leaf weed with stickers on the stem (if you pull without gloves you'll know) I think it is the one with tiny yellow round fruit. I definitely don't let my chickens eat it because of the stickers but mine don't eat it anyway.

 

[BlueBaby]

BOSS Bouquet picked this morning after chicken chores.

Was that one of those jar's that you can buy jelly in? It look's like that one's that I bought jelly in before and kept the jar's. They work good for putting iced tea in them.

 

[CaroleW]

Was that one of those jar's that you can buy jelly in? It look's like that one's that I bought jelly in before and kept the jar's. They work good for putting iced tea in them.

No it is some commercial consumer product that I salvaged from my dad's garage. I have some of those jelly jars with handles too - I save dried herbs for tea or seasonings in mine.

 

[springvalley123]

I let mine have some (not a whole lot) of the pigweed (amaranth type weed).
There is a ruffled green-grey leaf weed with stickers on the stem (if you pull without gloves you'll know) I think it is the one with tiny yellow round fruit. I definitely don't let my chickens eat it because of the stickers but mine don't eat it anyway.

I know that weed! My ducks (when I had them), and my chickens never touched it though.

 

[springvalley123]

My 13-weeks old babies are acclimating well to the heat. Or as you in the valley would say, the "heat" up here. 86 degrees, will be 93 at least. They're in a damp spot not even panting, just lapping up the icy water from the melting ice blocks. Later will have to use the misters though. This Friday and Saturday it's supposed to be 102 here! That means it'll be 105 most likely. My adults are doing well also, hardly panting. They've claimed the spot on the concrete under my brother in law's camping trailer.

 

[Stacaroni]

My 13-weeks old babies are acclimating well to the heat. Or as you in the valley would say, the "heat" up here. 86 degrees, will be 93 at least. They're in a damp spot not even panting, just lapping up the icy water from the melting ice blocks. Later will have to use the misters though. This Friday and Saturday it's supposed to be 102 here! That means it'll be 105 most likely. My adults are doing well also, hardly panting. They've claimed the spot on the concrete under my brother in law's camping trailer.

102???? Nooooo! Hopefully I'm slightly higher in elevation. We just found out my dad never finished installing the new cooler.

 

[BlueBaby]

My 13-weeks old babies are acclimating well to the heat. Or as you in the valley would say, the "heat" up here. 86 degrees, will be 93 at least. They're in a damp spot not even panting, just lapping up the icy water from the melting ice blocks. Later will have to use the misters though. This Friday and Saturday it's supposed to be 102 here! That means it'll be 105 most likely. My adults are doing well also, hardly panting. They've claimed the spot on the concrete under my brother in law's camping trailer.

A word to the wise, I know that we need the mister's up to help them, but having the mister's running will also attract allot of flies. Prepare for that with some of those fly catching bag's, or some of those Fly Predator one's from a company called "Nature's Goodguy bug's" or something like it. I already put 2 of the large fly trap bag's up late afternoon yesterday, and I have my order for the Fly Predator's put in from Amazon that have just shipped.

Edit: This is the Fly Predator one's. I bought some last year and wanted to order more of them, but they were out of stock. I bought the 20,000 size this time.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P54RJ9F/ref=twister_B08P54KQG9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1