Arizona Chickens

[BlueBaby]

The shredded tarps may have saved the frame of the coop (gave their lives so to speak). If you do metal or anything stronger than tarp, the frame might not be able to take the force of the wind. Twisted frame, or blow-over of the structure. I forget--is this a flat top, or does it have a peak? This is where I love the hoop coop idea, the roundness means you can use shade cloth and keep it bone dry inside, and the shade cloth still allows air circulation that helps to avoid the shredding that tarps suffer.

My run isn't a hoop coop thing, but the shade cloth that I have covering over the top of it down where I keep the misters at during the summer is still up there 6 years later. I'm glad that I didn't put a tarp up. The shade cloth does tone down the suns rays, but also let's air flow though it.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

The shredded tarps may have saved the frame of the coop (gave their lives so to speak). If you do metal or anything stronger than tarp, the frame might not be able to take the force of the wind. Twisted frame, or blow-over of the structure. I forget--is this a flat top, or does it have a peak? This is where I love the hoop coop idea, the roundness means you can use shade cloth and keep it bone dry inside, and the shade cloth still allows air circulation that helps to avoid the shredding that tarps suffer.

The tarps are over the coop but not attached to it. The "coop" is just a glorified outdoor brooder. We ran into problems when we were building the rest of the enclosure and couldn't fix them before the Hell Months hit and everything had to come to a halt. We expanded the brooder into a temporary run along the wall until November, when life starts again and we can go back to building.

I like hoop coops, too. There are problems building where we live. One, we need a jackhammer to break up the caliche which is just inches below the surface dirt, and two, we have a neighborhood association, which is like an HOA but worse.

It's legal to keep chickens but thanks to the neighborhood association we literally have to submit architectural plans to build so much as a dog house in our backyard. That's not an exaggeration. I couldn't believe it either so I went to the city offices to get clarification.

Yep. Drawings by an architect for anything, even a kid's sandbox, or a dog house, or a chicken coop. The applications and drawings go through two committees and a city architect who never approves them the first time through. Then you take the drawings back to your own architect who makes revisions and they go back to the committees again and then to the city architect again. Maybe they get approved, maybe not.

How ridiculous. We're getting away with the brooder and run we currently have because they can't be seen from outside the yard. Building a permanent walk-in coop is going to be a challenge.

 

[springvalley123]

The tarps are over the coop but not attached to it. The "coop" is just a glorified outdoor brooder. We ran into problems when we were building the rest of the enclosure and couldn't fix them before the Hell Months hit and everything had to come to a halt. We expanded the brooder into a temporary run along the wall until November, when life starts again and we can go back to building.

I like hoop coops, too. There are problems building where we live. One, we need a jackhammer to break up the caliche which is just inches below the surface dirt, and two, we have a neighborhood association, which is like an HOA but worse.

It's legal to keep chickens but thanks to the neighborhood association we literally have to submit architectural plans to build so much as a dog house in our backyard. That's not an exaggeration. I couldn't believe it either so I went to the city offices to get clarification.

Yep. Drawings by an architect for anything, even a kid's sandbox, or a dog house, or a chicken coop. The applications and drawings go through two committees and a city architect who never approves them the first time through. Then you take the drawings back to your own architect who makes revisions and they go back to the committees again and then to the city architect again. Maybe they get approved, maybe not.

How ridiculous. We're getting away with the brooder and run we currently have because they can't be seen from outside the yard. Building a permanent walk-in coop is going to be a challenge.

OK, here's a possible sollution: Oleanders. Can you grow a hedge of giant oleanders without permission? Within a few years they'll be at least 5 feet high. In the meantime it sounds like you can just reinforce what you've got. Or even put up a hoop coop that's no taller or wider than what you have, and use the shade cloths to provide wind and rain break. (shade cloths in an arc like a hoop coop will keep the coop dry, I've done it before)**.BTW***, I've seen people keep chickens free ranging among the oleanders, the birds know better than to eat them.

 

[cavemanrich]

How ridiculous. We're getting away with the brooder and run we currently have because they can't be seen from outside the yard. Building a permanent walk-in coop is going to be a challenge.

OK, here's a possible sollution: Oleanders. Can you grow a hedge of giant oleanders without permission? Within a few years they'll be at least 5 feet high. In the meantime it sounds like you can just reinforce what you've got. Or even put up a hoop coop that's no taller or wider than what you have, and use the shade cloths to provide wind and rain break. (shade cloths in an arc like a hoop coop will keep the coop dry, I've done it before)**.BTW***, I've seen people keep chickens free ranging among the oleanders, the birds know better than to eat them.

All this gave me some ideas.
This is from Waterboy

Spoiler: YouTube adult view

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Tornado. We lost about 40' of fence, part of our roof, and an 80yo palo verde tree which supplied shade for the east side of the house. Most of our neighbors have similar losses. We are okay. We have power and my roommate went to Home Depot to get supplies so we can start on the repairs.

When we saw the storm coming we went outside to do the usual for the coop. Neither of us knew there was a tornado warning but it was pretty obvious when we were in it. It absolutely destroyed our yard and everything in it.

Never seen wind like that in my life. We hunkered down and held onto the coop as best we could. It's pretty weathered but it held together. The chickens are okay. We were blasted with hail, that hurt like crazy.

If we had finished building our permanent coop where we had planned it would have been completely destroyed. Instead, we have 14 happy chickens. Maybe with all the thefts and delays that made us put off building until the fall, God was trying to tell us something.

I hope everyone else in the Tucson/Marana area is doing okay tonight. There was damage all over.

 

[cavemanrich]

Tornado. We lost about 40' of fence, part of our roof, and an 80yo palo verde tree which supplied shade for the east side of the house. Most of our neighbors have similar losses. We are okay. We have power and my roommate went to Home Depot to get supplies so we can start on the repairs.

When we saw the storm coming we went outside to do the usual for the coop. Neither of us knew there was a tornado warning but it was pretty obvious when we were in it. It absolutely destroyed our yard and everything in it.

Never seen wind like that in my life. We hunkered down and held onto the coop as best we could. It's pretty weathered but it held together. The chickens are okay. We were blasted with hail, that hurt like crazy.

If we had finished building our permanent coop where we had planned it would have been completely destroyed. Instead, we have 14 happy chickens. Maybe with all the thefts and delays that made us put off building until the fall, God was trying to tell us something.

I hope everyone else in the Tucson/Marana area is doing okay tonight. There was damage all over.

 

[PaysonBackyardChickens]

Good morning - new member, but I have been reading posts for a while. We have 4 adult hens (they are about 3/4 yrs old, got from family) & just got 6 baby chick that are now 2 weeks today. We have had them inside, but they are outgrowing their large box. We are in Payson, so weather is mild, compared to Phx. Not sure if we can transition to outside at 2 weeks. Any advise?

 

[igorsMistress]

Good morning - new member, but I have been reading posts for a while. We have 4 adult hens (they are about 3/4 yrs old, got from family) & just got 6 baby chick that are now 2 weeks today. We have had them inside, but they are outgrowing their large box. We are in Payson, so weather is mild, compared to Phx. Not sure if we can transition to outside at 2 weeks. Any advise?

Welcome to BYC! Sooner is better than later really. For a couple weeks it's a good idea to keep them separated by wire so they can all see each other but not touch. At about four weeks is a good time to let them mingle. Keep a close eye on them for a few days, but at that age the littles are quick and can avoid the bigs pretty easily. Keep multiple feeders and waterers so there's no guarding of resources. In my experience the littles are accepted more readily by the bigs than when they are all close to the same size.

 

[Happy Novogens]

Just went out to put ice bottles in the water buckets and found one of my hens had died, presumably from the heat. I thought they were all faring well with misters and wading pool.
It was one of my Bielefelders. They seemed to me to struggle more in the heat.
She had ants over her. It may seem crass but I assume it's safe to butcher and eat her?? Should she be refrigerated until the guys can do that?

 

[cavemanrich]

Happy Novogens​

Sorry to hear such news.
On a personal note,,, I would not process for eating. I am not one against eating chickens , but eat those that are cone processed, and blood drains.