Arizona Chickens

[Happy Novogens]

I'm not sure but if you plan to spray the weed's I wouldn't let them free-range. I don't free-range mine, but my hubby just sprayed the acreage of the weed's. He leaves the weed's close to the coop alone, and then I just get out there and use one of those stirrup hoes to get those out of there. I was pulling up weed's before to feed them, but not now since they have been sprayed.

Depends on what's in the weed killer. When I used to have an exterminator come regularly, he said to just keep the birds off it until it was dry. But for eating the eggs of the birds who'll eat weeds laced with pesticide---I had a situation where I told the weed guy to use organic---He DID NOT!! So the pesticide manufacturer (an engineer or chemist) said to be extra caution to keep them off the weeds for a month since I was eating their eggs.

Thanks. Yeah, you confirmed what I was thinking. @springvalley123 I was wondering how long I'd have to keep them off ... especially since we're eating their eggs. A whole month - wow. I better look into some other alternatives.

My husband was considering torching the weeds but that uses a bit of propane. Might need to reconsider that option after all. I can't imagine leaving the girls confined for a whole month.

 

[RedMama2]

Brand new to chicken owning, trying to figure out a coop for the babies in my house. I live in the Cottonwood/Camp Verde area. I need something for extreme heat and cold. I have 10 chickens, though 4 seem to be roosters and I'll probably give them away.

Any suggestions for size, venting, or weather proofing?

 

[azurbanclucker]

Boss says it's time to add to the flock. Thinking I'll get 2 or 3 more girls. I'm thinking barnvelder, 'dottes (any), speckled sussex, OE's or Ameraucauna. Anyone close to the valley hatching any of these soon? I'd prefer fo get some from BYC neighbors if possible...

 

[springvalley123]

Brand new to chicken owning, trying to figure out a coop for the babies in my house. I live in the Cottonwood/Camp Verde area. I need something for extreme heat and cold. I have 10 chickens, though 4 seem to be roosters and I'll probably give them away.

Any suggestions for size, venting, or weather proofing?

Welcome to BYC and our state thread!

I'm not too far from you in the mayer area, my summers aren't as hot as yours, but my winters are a bit cooler. The guidelines, especially for size and ventilation, should probably be doubled. The minimums, withOUT doubling, are 10 sq ft run space per bird, 4 sq ft coop space, 1 sq ft ventilation above the birds while roosting, per bird, 1 ft roost space per bird.

For the weather, either get an app like weather underground, or look at any neighbors' flags to figure out the predominant wind directions. You'll need to orient your coop accordingly. Where I am, I seem to get the mildest if any winds from the east, and more severe winds from other directions.

Have you looked into a hoop coop? If you can get cattle panels (I think you have a tractor supply up there), this would be a great way to go. You can either use a lumber frame on the ground, or t-posts to hold the cattle panels. You can put a tarp over it, even wrap the tarp around the end to shield from the wind.

Oh, and predators---You may not have seen any of the various predators, but once you put the chicks outside, the predators will smell them and stop by.

Best of luck, hope you enjoy your chickens and your coop project!

 

[springvalley123]

Boss says it's time to add to the flock. Thinking I'll get 2 or 3 more girls. I'm thinking barnvelder, 'dottes (any), speckled sussex, OE's or Ameraucauna. Anyone close to the valley hatching any of these soon? I'd prefer fo get some from BYC neighbors if possible...

Not hatching, but I have an order in to TSC/hoover's for some assorted sapphire chicks. I love the heat tolerance, large eggs as early as 18 weeks, etc. Got to keep hubby's eggs coming!

 

[RedMama2]

Not hatching, but I have an order in to TSC/hoover's for some assorted sapphire chicks. I love the heat tolerance, large eggs as early as 18 weeks, etc. Got to keep hubby's eggs coming!

Watch out! I just got an order of 10 sapphires from TSC/Hoover's and paid extra for all pullets. I got 4 Roosters. Monday I'm calling about options.

 

[RedMama2]

Welcome to BYC and our state thread!

I'm not too far from you in the mayer area, my summers aren't as hot as yours, but my winters are a bit cooler. The guidelines, especially for size and ventilation, should probably be doubled. The minimums, withOUT doubling, are 10 sq ft run space per bird, 4 sq ft coop space, 1 sq ft ventilation above the birds while roosting, per bird, 1 ft roost space per bird.

For the weather, either get an app like weather underground, or look at any neighbors' flags to figure out the predominant wind directions. You'll need to orient your coop accordingly. Where I am, I seem to get the mildest if any winds from the east, and more severe winds from other directions.

Have you looked into a hoop coop? If you can get cattle panels (I think you have a tractor supply up there), this would be a great way to go. You can either use a lumber frame on the ground, or t-posts to hold the cattle panels. You can put a tarp over it, even wrap the tarp around the end to shield from the wind.

Oh, and predators---You may not have seen any of the various predators, but once you put the chicks outside, the predators will smell them and stop by.

Best of luck, hope you enjoy your chickens and your coop project!

What kind of coop do you have? My hubby wants to just buy a prefab coop and modify it to fit our needs. I'm inclinded to go with him on it.

 

[BlueBaby]

Thanks. Yeah, you confirmed what I was thinking. @springvalley123 I was wondering how long I'd have to keep them off ... especially since we're eating their eggs. A whole month - wow. I better look into some other alternatives.

My husband was considering torching the weeds but that uses a bit of propane. Might need to reconsider that option after all. I can't imagine leaving the girls confined for a whole month.

Weed's are hard to burn when they are still this wet.

 

[azurbanclucker]

What kind of coop do you have? My hubby wants to just buy a prefab coop and modify it to fit our needs. I'm inclinded to go with him on it.

I have an 8x8x6 coop right now. Room for 5-6 girls. Built it from scrap lumber and an old playhouse of the kids'. We have a small prefab we used to use as a grow-out coop too, but it needs to have some repairs done as the tortoises kinda bulldozed it.

 

[BlueBaby]

What kind of coop do you have? My hubby wants to just buy a prefab coop and modify it to fit our needs. I'm inclinded to go with him on it.

Those prefab coop's don't hold up to higher wind's as they are not very well made for the most part. Also if they say it's good for 10 chicken's, most likely they are meaning 10 bantam's.