Arizona Chickens

[EmmaDonovan]

22F right now. That's cold to this beach girl! It snowed a little yesterday but it only fell, it didn't stick. How are everyone's chickens doing?

 

[ChicksnMore]

The chickens here are cold but getting by. Sounds like it's not quite as cold here as where you are. We got a little rain the other day but nothing extreme. We have the fireplace going and enjoying it

 

[oncebefore]

Hi, does anyone know that if the eggs sold at Inspire Farms in downtown Mesa fertile? Anyone ever tried to hatch their eggs?

 

[BlueBaby]

Hi, does anyone know that if the eggs sold at Inspire Farms in downtown Mesa fertile? Anyone ever tried to hatch their eggs?

I have no idea about there, as I haven't bought any egg's from them. I hatch fertile egg's from my own flock.

 

[ChicksnMore]

Hi, does anyone know that if the eggs sold at Inspire Farms in downtown Mesa fertile? Anyone ever tried to hatch their eggs?

Haven't tried them here either. If you do, hope you share the results . I've read about people hatching store eggs but I've only tried it with quail eggs and that was a complete failure.

 

[oncebefore]

Haven't tried them here either. If you do, hope you share the results . I've read about people hatching store eggs but I've only tried it with quail eggs and that was a complete failure.

I experimented with Trader Joe's fertile eggs last year. 6 out of 8 developed. 2 out of the 6 hatched but didn't survive beyond a few days. It was more of a little science experiment using my self improvised little incubator. My friend who borrowed an incubator had a 40% hatch and survival rate which wasn't bad, considering the eggs are $4 a dozen. They all are white Leghorns. I ended up purchasing four $8-10 dollar each baby chicks at the Inspire Farm store, one turned out to be a BR rooster. The pullets are all doing great.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Did anyone else deal with caliche when they were building a coop? Our yard has a thick layer of caliche right under the surface dirt/sand. We want to construct a hoop coop similar to this one. Since we can't dig down we have to build it all above ground.

That means the bottom of the coop would be hardware cloth sitting right on top of the dirt. We could try to cover it with a few inches of dirt or mulch or something. How would that affect the hens? They wouldn't be walking right on the hardware cloth all the time but it would get exposed. When scratching they'd scratching right down to it.

 

[BlueBaby]

Did anyone else deal with caliche when they were building a coop? Our yard has a thick layer of caliche right under the surface dirt/sand. We want to construct a hoop coop similar to this one. Since we can't dig down we have to build it all above ground.

That means the bottom of the coop would be hardware cloth sitting right on top of the dirt. We could try to cover it with a few inches of dirt or mulch or something. How would that affect the hens? They wouldn't be walking right on the hardware cloth all the time but it would get exposed. When scratching they'd scratching right down to it.

That cliche is everywhere. Surprisingly the chickens can still handle it. In what you are planning to do with yours, I would add more then just a few inches of dirt over that hardware cloth wire. Chickens can dig pretty deep when they are dust bathing.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Thank you! I'm thinking we will probably have to have a tub with dirt in it in the coop for dust baths since they won't be able to dig down for a soft spot.

Do you have any Bielefelder hatchings planned?

 

[BlueBaby]

Thank you! I'm thinking we will probably have to have a tub with dirt in it in the coop for dust baths since they won't be able to dig down for a soft spot.

Do you have any Bielefelder hatchings planned?

Mine don't seem to have too much trouble digging though it. I have to fill those holes that they dig back up, and then they dig some more.