Arizona Chickens

[EmmaDonovan]

In a kiddie pool. We cut doors in the sides so they can sip without getting in but they often get in and stand in it as well. I use a couple of plastic pitchers to make the blocks in my chest freezer; first one goes out around 2 PM and the second around 4 PM to help them through the hottest part of the day.

Waterer is in my shade garden and I use a five gallon bucket with quail cups. I rinse those daily and give em a quick swipe with a paper towel to remove dirt; this keeps them pretty clean and reduces major cleaning events. I feel like sometimes the nipples don’t give them that looong refreshing drink I see them take from cool water when it’s hot.

Another thing that’s really good for them is electrolytes maybe every other day or so. I never make a full gallon though, it’s a waste. I know @BlueBaby puts some in feed and gives her flock that as a wet mash. I sometimes do that as well.

Don’t forget some mud puddles. My crew will wade in them and by the next day the hole is a place to bathe in cool dirt.

What brand of electrolytes do you use?

 

[EmmaDonovan]

So where do you all put the blocks of ice? Last year I just put frozen 2 liters in their waterer bucket.. also what watering system do you use for drinking? I have some of the self filling cups and a couple nipples on a 5 gallon bucket, I want to use just nipples because it less cleaning maintenance but I feel they won’t get enough water from them during the heat? Any input is appreciated…

We place trays with blocks of ice on the ground all around the run and replace them throughout the day as they melt. We also have a cobra mister and provide frozen water bottles for them to lay against.

I like the Rent-A-Coop waterers with auto-fill cups because they don't leak. We have a small wall-mounted (so they can't knock it over) waterer in the coop because they drink during the night especially when it's hot and I don't want them to be locked up away from any water. We have several one- and two-gallon waterers around the run. We put ice in them when it's hot.

Nipple waterers are efficient but would you want to drink from them drip by drip, especially on a hot day? I think if they can wet their beaks in the cool water and take long drinks, they'll drink more.

Cups do have to be cleaned regularly but it's NBD just to wipe them out once a day. I just use an old wash cloth then rinse it and leave it to dry for the next day. Easy peasy.

 

[igorsMistress]

What brand of electrolytes do you use?

I get the Durvet multi species. Not as expensive as some others and I can mix it by the quart. Also lasts all summer. I start giving it weekly when we get to 90 on the regular, and three times a week when we hit 100+

https://www.amazon.com/Durvet-002-DTH2500-136028-vitamins-Electrolytes/dp/B000HHQ9J2/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=1RR6YNJPJZVC6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.FBeZug11uBIYAv5Zkipp-4YKR1a7a8fm4tEnx7LxCPhVkMWHInrBgvrHPOW8hY4Gb3nJTnpRB1x2CaMD0-s-5qVKICmPLTNuvp1lxppNarta5sqYBVjiJEHlLMGQzfzaGzTEiwfzmTIkXfAfOo6Q7cJygBxEy0Nq6lJ4awhiBFvImnVb2yzCruh4vlcDrWFR9a6MFwk9gH4fEpLJMLAe4g.bioRaSkFy4XAXMbeiBpUtXcr_VWfEHQClBybfXAJ5_Y&dib_tag=se&keywords=electrolytes+for+chickens+bulk&qid=1740681168&sprefix=electrolytes+for+chickens+bulk,aps,171&sr=8-2

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Omg... our four month old fridge just stopped working. There are like three dozen eggs in there. I was also making a cake for a friend's birthday today.

I'm on hold at the GE tech/warranty number. Good grief. We have been through five refrigerators in the past nine years. The others were second-hand but this one was brand new. What in the world.

 

[cavemanrich]

Omg... our four month old fridge just stopped working. There are like three dozen eggs in there. I was also making a cake for a friend's birthday today.

I'm on hold at the GE tech/warranty number. Good grief.
We have been through five refrigerators in the past nine years. The others were used but this one was new. What in the world.

Your eggs will be fine for a while
Meat items will need to be cooked. Then get a cooler, and ice from convenience store.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Thank you. A tech is coming out... in a week. At first they said three weeks and I said no, that's too long to go without a fridge, it's in the 80s here, and then the guy put me on hold and offered two weeks, then one. It was all a ruse to get me to agree to wait a week of course. I felt like I was negotiating at a used car dealership.

There's no reason for a four month old fridge to malfunction unless it's a dud in which case we're going to be dealing with this well into the hell months.

 

[cavemanrich]

EmmaDonovan ​

Even one week is too long to go without refrigerator,, especially in your current temps.
Is there any possibility of you able to borrow a spare refrigerator from someone??? I know that transporting one is not easy.

Just wanted to pass some info.
I am knowledgeable in Heating,, Air-conditioning, and Appliances. Did Attend school for that, and worked in that service. ,,,, before a career change.
If you transport a refrigerator laying flat in trailer, Van, or such. It may need to stand upright at your home for possibly 24 hours,, before plugging it in. If transported standing upright, then it can be plugged in as soon, as needed.

Reason:: Laying flat on side, the oil in the compressor (bottom) seeps into the tubes, essentially causing blockage. Compressor can overheat, and burn out due to this.

Standing upright for 24 hours,, oil usually seeps back down to bottom of compressor.

 

[igorsMistress]

Omg... our four month old fridge just stopped working. There are like three dozen eggs in there. I was also making a cake for a friend's birthday today.

I'm on hold at the GE tech/warranty number. Good grief.
We have been through five refrigerators in the past nine years. The others were used but this one was new. What in the world.

I store my eggs for a couple months in a basket at room temp. They don’t have to be refrigerated if you don’t wash them. The US is the only country that refrigerates eggs I think.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Thank you for the info, everyone. We put thermometers in both the freezer and the fridge. They're at normal temps now, we're watching them closely. The eggs are okay. We have several ice chests at the ready just in case the fridge temps start fluctuating again.

We moved the birthday party to Saturday. It's not a big party and everyone was very understanding. I had already baked the 9x13 sheet cake and made the frosting and filling (lemon raspberry, yum). I just have to put it all together and I'll do that tonight. Frosting and decorating is the fun part!

 

[City farm]

Omg... our four month old fridge just stopped working. There are like three dozen eggs in there. I was also making a cake for a friend's birthday today.

I'm on hold at the GE tech/warranty number. Good grief. We have been through five refrigerators in the past nine years. The others were second-hand but this one was brand new. What in the world.

Awe.. sad.. Hopefully you get it resolved soon.