Arizona Chickens

[EmmaDonovan]

Flush a cup of Rock Salt, down toilet once per week. Kills roots that are growing in pipe.
If you choose to try,, Make sure it is Rock salt. Potassium chloride, and Calcium chloride, common driveway, sidewalk ice melters won't work.

I can do that. Thank you!

 

[igorsMistress]

G’morning AZ. We only got a little rain, just enough to wash most of the dust off my car.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

We are ready to rebuild our coop and run. I was going to construct an enclosed henhouse with a deep litter system etc. etc. but I'm wondering if that's necessary.

Is there any reason chickens can't roost over the ground? It's just sand. This would be inside a completely enclosed run with a roof so it doesn't need to be predator-proof (the run will be).

It's 6'L x 4'W x 5'H with 18' of roosts for 12 hens. We could remove the top for increased air circulation in summer.

Any problems with that design? How would we keep the wind off of them in winter?

Where does your flock sleep? Does your setup change in summer vs. winter?

 

[cavemanrich]

How would we keep the wind off of them in winter?

Coop looks good. In winter, you can have a tarp secured permanently on one side,,,,, and bungee cord on other end/side.
This way you just unclip that bungee side during daytime.
Get tarp size,, to allow 1 foot open on bottom. And 1 foot open on top.

I pen marked in BLUE where your tarp would be. The inexpensive Blue tarps would work just fine. They also let light thru.
You are only trying to keep direct wind off your chickens.

BTW, earth floor is just fine. You can rake out the chicken gumdrops, and throw under any trees/plants you may have.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Ah, that tarp is a great idea, thank you. We pick up gumdrops (hahaha!) every day using a long-handled litter box scoop and a small rake, so that will just be more of the same. The sand everywhere makes it very easy to clean up.

For some reason the little scoop and rake used to freak out one of the Easter eggers. She'd screech and flee to the nest boxes to get away from them but she eventually got used to them.

 

[igorsMistress]

We are ready to rebuild our coop and run. I was going to construct an enclosed henhouse with a deep litter system etc. etc. but I'm wondering if that's necessary.

Is there any reason chickens can't roost over the ground? It's just sand. This would be inside a completely enclosed run with a roof so it doesn't need to be predator-proof (the run will be).

View attachment 4045010

It's 6'L x 4'W x 5'H with 18' of roosts for 12 hens. We could remove the top for increased air circulation in summer.

Any problems with that design? How would we keep the wind off of them in winter?

Where does your flock sleep? Does your setup change in summer vs. winter?

My setup changes only if the weather warrants. Which reminds me now that I forgot to close the big door on the coop at dusk last night. Anyway, if you position the roosting area so the back is toward the wind and leave a small gap where the back and top meet it will help move warm air out in summer and move moist ai out in winter. Use a couple pieces of wood on hinges so you can just flip them up onto the roof when it warms up then it’s super simple to make the change when it’s warm enough.

 

[Happy Novogens]

My "coop" is also within an enclosed run. It's open and airy, made with pallets and scrap wood.

In the winter I enclose it more by putting a solid sheet of wood over one pallet side and whatever else (scrap wood, thin carpet, fleece fabric) to block the wind on the other 3 sides.

My floor is just the bare dirt - even under the roosting area. I do what you do and rake frequently (but not daily, lol).

 

[City farm]

None of our weeds go to waste. The girls come running. Plus, the garden bed has more room for something new.

 

[igorsMistress]

None of our weeds go to waste. The girls come running. Plus, the garden bed has more room for something new.

Every once in a while I get over the responsibility of chicken keeping and think I might be done, at least for a while. Then I think about having to weed the backyard and change my mind.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Anyone getting rain? They keep promising but we haven't had any yet.