Arizona Chickens

[EmmaDonovan]

A little sprinkle yesterday afternoon but that was it nothing much, just enough to grow some weeds….

Isn't that always the way? Now they're promising it'll happen tonight around 7:00 P.M. I'll believe it when I see it! In fact it's been so long I'll have to run out and stand in it to believe it.

 

[Hayleyeliza]

Hi Everyone-

I am in Tucson. We just became chicken owners in November for my son's 4-H project. So, we haven't had to deal with summer yet, but I worry about how the heat will affect them.

I've heard a lot of people put frozen water bottles out so the chickens can lay against them when they get hot. So, I am planning on giving that a try, as well as, lots of water.

I've also heard that a lot of people put a box fan in the coop to get some air moving. I like the water sprinkler idea, I will have to consider that.

If you come up with any other ideas that work, be sure to let everyone in Arizona know. I've kinda grown fond of these little feathered friends of ours, and would hate to lose any of them.

I’m a Tucsonian too!

 

[Hayleyeliza]

everyone’s chickens are different. The best way I’ve found to keep them cool is to put a dish out there with water for them to stand in. I have a large terracotta bird bath that I put on the ground for that. And I fill it up fresh everyday (sometimes 2x on really hot days) and I make sure it’s in the shade. I also give them lots of watermelon rinds and frozen blueberries. We also hooked up a portable swamp cooler that blows into the coop. Other than that it depends on the chicken if they can acclimate or not!

 

[Hayleyeliza]

I’ve heard that the sprinkler can cause issues with the ground being too wet all the time, plus my chickens hated it!!!

 

[BenisonsChickns]

What is everyone’s personal preference on run and coop bedding? I’ve been using straw in the run and pine shaving in the coop, I notice the girls sometimes eating the straw and i see it sometimes in there poop not totally digested, not sure if this is a problem for them or not….. thinking of changing away from straw what do y’all think?

 

[EmmaDonovan]

I use pine shavings plus a little Coop Freshener in the coop. The current run and pens are just dirt, I don't add anything to it.

When I build a new coop they're just going to roost right over the ground. It's usually so dry the poop dries out and the chickens scratch it into the dirt so there's not much to pick up.

I pick up whatever poop I see with a slatted litter box scoop and a rake from a dog pooper scooper set. It's fast and easy. I just fling it over the wall (there's no one next to us on that side, it's just open desert).

I've heard about problems with straw getting stuck in their crops so I've stayed away from it.

 

[BenisonsChickns]

I use pine shavings plus a little Coop Freshener in the coop. The current run and pens are just dirt, I don't add anything to it.

When I build a new coop they're just going to roost right over the ground. It's usually so dry the poop dries out and the chickens scratch it into the dirt so there's not much to pick up.

I pick up whatever I find with a slatted litter box scoop and a rake from a dog pooper scooper set. It's fast and easy. I just fling it over the wall (there's no one next to us on that side, it's just open desert).

I've heard about problems with straw getting stuck in their crops so I've stayed away from it.

This sounds like my next move

 

[EmmaDonovan]

That's one of the advantages of having chickens in the desert: poop management is relatively simple.

 

[cavemanrich]

What is everyone’s personal preference on run and coop bedding? I’ve been using straw in the run and pine shaving in the coop, I notice the girls sometimes eating the straw and i see it sometimes in there poop not totally digested, not sure if this is a problem for them or not….. thinking of changing away from straw what do y’all think?

If you want some sort of bedding in your run,,, try using hay. Straw bedding, is OK, but has no nutritional value to speak of. Hay does.
So as your chickens scratch thru run floor bedding, they may eat some of the hay. Hay will hydrate in crop, and digest. Straw is properties similar to plastics. Does not hydrate very well.
Straw is ideal bedding for chicken runs in snow country. It stays dry, and chickens don't freeze their feet.
I'm not in Arizona,, but am sure hay is available. My uncle loooooong ago used to provide housing for horses on his property.
Opt for alfalfa hay. Timothy hay is good also, but in my opinion, alfalfa is better choice.
I use Alfalfa hay in my chicken coop, and nesting bedding,,, well over 20+ years. Run is just earth, but I do spread bagged grass clippings during summer. Those turn to earth in time.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Vaquero Feed usually has good prices on bales of alfalfa hay. If you don't have a truck and want to transport a bale of hay in your car I strongly recommend getting a hay bale bag. They're ~$20 on Amazon. Otherwise you will never, ever get all the hay and alfalfa out of your car's interior - BTDT.