Arizona Chickens

[BlueBaby]

Thanks for the suggestion! I've not heard of this before. Have you already tried these in the past? (Or anyone else?) We're west of Phoenix and get waves of flies at random times during the year. It gets so bad at times and we don't even have chickens yet!

I'm building a coop now and have ordered some misters, so am grateful for the head's up regarding misters and flies. I should've figured that out seeing that they like it when I hang laundry out to dry.

Yes, I've learned from past experience as I have had chicken's for 6 year's. Do not hang the bag ones on inside of the coop or run. You want them where they will attract the flies away from the chicken's if you can. They are stinky and that's probably why flies like them. I got a bunch of flies in mine already and they haven't been hung up for 24 hour's yet. If you have flies near your house, hang the bag's up away from your house to draw them away from it. The flies like the moisture for the maggot's that they lay. The Fly Predator's that I had mentioned attack and kill the baby flies that are in the cocoon (maggot), and lay their own egg's in them. Rather then to keep buying more of them off of Amazon, I'm thinking that we need to figure out how to start breeding those ourselves to keep them replenished.

 

[Happy Novogens]

I just saw your signature line... do you have photos of your Bielefelders? I was going to get Buff Orpingtons because they are so pretty and a decent size. Would love to see what Bielefelders really look like (as opposed to a 'stock' photo). Since you have them, I assume they tolerate the heat well enough.

Agreed re: breeding the Fly Predators.
During fly "season" we've been keeping the Fly Trap a bit away from our front door to discourage them from hanging out all over the door surface. Otherwise, before stepping inside, we have to flail our arms around like madmen to stir them away & prevent them from rushing inside when we open the door.

 

[Happy Novogens]

ENCLOSED COOP INSIDE RUN? too hot?

Switching topics here, looking for advice. We're just outside of Phoenix (so it gets hot!) and I am building a chicken run (10' x 20') for 2-3 hens (with thoughts of possibly getting more as time goes by).

I'm going for simple. We are rural - exposed land (visually) with 6' chain-link surrounding our yard. The run will be inside the fenced yard. The coop -- where I assume they will both nest and roost -- is where I have questions.

A simple, small coop is what I was picturing (perhaps a "box" made up of 4 pallets stood upright to form walls, topped w/ corrugated metal or plastic). But then I just got to thinking how hot it could get in there summer nights.

How do you all keep it cool enough for them? I assume they need that to feel secure.?
Is it too tempting to predators to have it more open (within the run)?

I was planning on misters for inside the run itself (no trees around). I'd assume misters inside an enclosed coop would be a no-no - - breeding ground for mold, and nasties.

 

[springvalley123]

ENCLOSED COOP INSIDE RUN? too hot?

Switching topics here, looking for advice. We're just outside of Phoenix (so it gets hot!) and I am building a chicken run (10' x 20') for 2-3 hens (with thoughts of possibly getting more as time goes by).

I'm going for simple. We are rural - exposed land (visually) with 6' chain-link surrounding our yard. The run will be inside the fenced yard. The coop -- where I assume they will both nest and roost -- is where I have questions.

A simple, small coop is what I was picturing (perhaps a "box" made up of 4 pallets stood upright to form walls, topped w/ corrugated metal or plastic). But then I just got to thinking how hot it could get in there summer nights.

How do you all keep it cool enough for them? I assume they need that to feel secure.?
Is it too tempting to predators to have it more open (within the run)?

I was planning on misters for inside the run itself (no trees around). I'd assume misters inside an enclosed coop would be a no-no - - breeding ground for mold, and nasties.

The warmest area I've been with chickens is Black Canyon, which is several degrees cooler than Phx, and I never did an enclosed coop, mainly because of the heat. A small box, even an 8x8 shed, gets hotter than outside. Either do an open air coop (you can google "backyard chickens open air coop"), or like I do, which is to assemble a roost structure within a secure run. Something with 2-3 sides would be good--just figure out which way the wind blows in winter, which you may need to block, and which way it blows in summer, which you want (except during a storm). You might do like I did, and use pallets for the frame, and put plywood or siding on them in the winter and remove it during the summer. You can do that easily if you predator proof the run.

You have to adjust the misters according to the wind direction. Yesterday I had to move my stand mister after discovering that it was aimed at the roosts (it wasn't hitting them the last time I used it, the winds had changed). You might want to aim it just outside the roosts so they can get some cooling without getting wet, or then being so close to Phx you might need to aim it right at them. Also, another way is a swamp cooler, either a real outdoor one, or a fan with a moist cloth hung in front of it.

 

[CaroleW]

ENCLOSED COOP INSIDE RUN? too hot?

Switching topics here, looking for advice. We're just outside of Phoenix (so it gets hot!) and I am building a chicken run (10' x 20') for 2-3 hens (with thoughts of possibly getting more as time goes by).

I'm going for simple. We are rural - exposed land (visually) with 6' chain-link surrounding our yard. The run will be inside the fenced yard. The coop -- where I assume they will both nest and roost -- is where I have questions.

A simple, small coop is what I was picturing (perhaps a "box" made up of 4 pallets stood upright to form walls, topped w/ corrugated metal or plastic). But then I just got to thinking how hot it could get in there summer nights.

How do you all keep it cool enough for them? I assume they need that to feel secure.?
Is it too tempting to predators to have it more open (within the run)?

I was planning on misters for inside the run itself (no trees around). I'd assume misters inside an enclosed coop would be a no-no - - breeding ground for mold, and nasties.

Anything in Phoenix area specifically needs more ventilation than walls. Take stock of your predator types - our immediate environs are vastly different from one another (of the 3 or 4 that I have seen in person). In a typical suburban area with block walled yard you may have mostly aerial predators, in wide open farm areas we have everything - aerial and ground predators.

To get the most ventilation and the most security I typically use hardware cloth and the expanded metal panel (used in a stucco system wall) to keep out ground predators. Most of my secure areas for nite are also set on CMU/concrete block as a foundations and the rest above it is only enclosed by the hardware cloth/expanded metal panels.

I have a roost box inside that secure area - what you might call a hen house (for the more secure feeling as you described), but still with ventilation along the eaves - holes covered in wire. Some of my roost boxes have a raised roof above any solid panels that allow ventilation above their heads.

I also have my very large runs all covered in aviary netting because of hawks that have a nest year after year above my main outdoor run. No losses to hawks - yet. In Mesa I had no aviary netting but the chickens would hang out under the orange trees for cover and security.

 

[Happy Novogens]

The warmest area I've been with chickens is Black Canyon, which is several degrees cooler than Phx, and I never did an enclosed coop, mainly because of the heat. A small box, even an 8x8 shed, gets hotter than outside. Either do an open air coop (you can google "backyard chickens open air coop"), or like I do, which is to assemble a roost structure within a secure run. Something with 2-3 sides would be good--just figure out which way the wind blows in winter, which you may need to block, and which way it blows in summer, which you want (except during a storm). You might do like I did, and use pallets for the frame, and put plywood or siding on them in the winter and remove it during the summer. You can do that easily if you predator proof the run.

You have to adjust the misters according to the wind direction. Yesterday I had to move my stand mister after discovering that it was aimed at the roosts (it wasn't hitting them the last time I used it, the winds had changed). You might want to aim it just outside the roosts so they can get some cooling without getting wet, or then being so close to Phx you might need to aim it right at them. Also, another way is a swamp cooler, either a real outdoor one, or a fan with a moist cloth hung in front of it.

Thank you! Yes, that is most helpful! (I re-read it a few times, so helpful.) Now I'm thinking maybe a 3-sided, slightly neo-angled, setup may work as a wind block (when solid) and still allow breeze when just pallet.

 

[Happy Novogens]

Anything in Phoenix area specifically needs more ventilation than walls. Take stock of your predator types - our immediate environs are vastly different from one another (of the 3 or 4 that I have seen in person). In a typical suburban area with block walled yard you may have mostly aerial predators, in wide open farm areas we have everything - aerial and ground predators.

To get the most ventilation and the most security I typically use hardware cloth and the expanded metal panel (used in a stucco system wall) to keep out ground predators. Most of my secure areas for nite are also set on CMU/concrete block as a foundations and the rest above it is only enclosed by the hardware cloth/expanded metal panels.

I have a roost box inside that secure area - what you might call a hen house (for the more secure feeling as you described), but still with ventilation along the eaves - holes covered in wire. Some of my roost boxes have a raised roof above any solid panels that allow ventilation above their heads.

I also have my very large runs all covered in aviary netting because of hawks that have a nest year after year above my main outdoor run. No losses to hawks - yet. In Mesa I had no aviary netting but the chickens would hang out under the orange trees for cover and security.

Thank you. Yes we have birds of prey, rattlesnakes, ground squirrels, coyotes. I'm hoping the chain-link around the yard is some protection. We have dogs too but they are indoors at night. The backyard neighbor's dogs are out all night though and their bark may keep some coyotes away.

So my plan with the arched metal frame is to have 1/2" hardware mesh for the bottom 3' and skirted out about a foot. Above that some metal fencing with 2" x 4" openings. And for the very top portion, just some bird netting (thin plastic like the kind for over fruit trees to keep birds out). Does that sound reasonable/safe? The expanded metal panels for stucco, when I just looked, seem rather pricey (though definitely sturdy). I'm trying to keep my costs to a minimum. I'm open to any creative ideas for alternative materials as well (like l/o pallets for a roosting area).

 

[BlueBaby]

I just saw your signature line... do you have photos of your Bielefelders? I was going to get Buff Orpingtons because they are so pretty and a decent size. Would love to see what Bielefelders really look like (as opposed to a 'stock' photo). Since you have them, I assume they tolerate the heat well enough.

Agreed re: breeding the Fly Predators.
During fly "season" we've been keeping the Fly Trap a bit away from our front door to discourage them from hanging out all over the door surface. Otherwise, before stepping inside, we have to flail our arms around like madmen to stir them away & prevent them from rushing inside when we open the door.

I have no recent picture of them as I'm just starting with this breed this year. Their feet and leg's are a bit muddy now as they have been walking and scratching around in the mud made by the mister's. Some of my pullet's started laying egg's a couple of week's or so ago. I have a few other pullet's that should be starting to lay soon. I'm waiting for the 2 cockerel's to get busy with them, and when the egg's are big enough I will be hatching from them. The picture as my avatar is some of my pullet's as day old chick's after I hatched them from shipped hatching eggs from out of state before the bird flu hit.

 

[BlueBaby]

Thank you. Yes we have birds of prey, rattlesnakes, ground squirrels, coyotes. I'm hoping the chain-link around the yard is some protection. We have dogs too but they are indoors at night. The backyard neighbor's dogs are out all night though and their bark may keep some coyotes away.

So my plan with the arched metal frame is to have 1/2" hardware mesh for the bottom 3' and skirted out about a foot. Above that some metal fencing with 2" x 4" openings. And for the very top portion, just some bird netting (thin plastic like the kind for over fruit trees to keep birds out). Does that sound reasonable/safe? The expanded metal panels for stucco, when I just looked, seem rather pricey (though definitely sturdy). I'm trying to keep my costs to a minimum. I'm open to any creative ideas for alternative materials as well (like l/o pallets for a roosting area).

Snakes can climb, and some will even be able to fit through a 2" x 4" opening in the wire fencing. Those squirrels climb too. I seen a squirrel just the other day that was at my neighbors climb up one side of the fencing that they have up for the chicken's, and when it got to the top, it just went over the gap in the top and on over into the coop.

 

[Happy Novogens]

Snakes can climb, and some will even be able to fit through a 2" x 4" opening in the wire fencing. Those squirrels climb too. I seen a squirrel just the other day that was at my neighbors climb up one side of the fencing that they have up for the chicken's, and when it got to the top, it just went over the gap in the top and on over into the coop.

Well, shoot. I guess I'll have to double up and add chicken wire on top of the 2" x 4". The 2" x 4" is stronger, so I was thinking I'd need that against larger predators.