Arizona Chickens

[LarryPQ]

Tesla-

They are chickens. They are outdoor animals. They ARE our babies, but they are still birds. I wouldn't worry too much about the humidity & such.

That being said, I have a wireless thermometer in my coop, by the roost, which has a receiver in the living room. And yes I HAVE rushed out & put up lamps when i thought it was too cold. Everyone can laugh now...I KNOW PHX cold is not like real cold, and chickens are cold-weather birds, but I worry.

I got the shower curtains on 90% off at BB&B. They are DKNY. A blue tarp would work better (easier to tie down)but my chooks are stylin.

Just make sure they have shade in the summer, and the chickens should be fine.

EDITED: I have to remind myself they are outdoor animals regularly--so I feel your pain.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Quote:
Oh wow~ Thanks you so much! I've been looking at his coops and been wondering if they are any good or not.

Did she buy this one or another one like it?

Our coop is 3-sided - you can see our coop & our nestboxes here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=19548
As you can see from the pics, they lay in any type of nestbox - we have a set we made ourselves and also use the bottoms of cat litter boxs - they like both. 1 box for 4 hens does work fine. I have another pen with babies in it and 3 other laying pullets - they have an enclosed cat litter box that they are using. They will still continue to lay in the boxes even if it is hot - put your boxes in the shade - the hens won't be in them long.

The coop is built under large shade trees which helps in the summer. When it gets real hot, you can put a pan of water out there for them to stand in and spray an area in their run with water.

Edited to add: Scroll down to the bottom of my page and you'll see two hens trying to share a nestbox (all 4 were not full, they just wanted to be in the same one). You can see by the pic that it was hot out at the time (they're panting)

 

[redrocketrooster]

Thanks Beckyhsinglsc, if she can take some photos that would help me so much but if shes busy that is ok too!

Quote:
How cold is too cold? Im thinking anything under 50f right? Or 60f pending the wind? I have tons of heat lamps to spare so...
I was thinking that the humidity comparison could tell me if there will be any air flow in the locations, maybe im being goofy. Haha.
Im so used to my reptiles, everything has to be monitored constantly and carefully.
Ill go ahead and say this since it's come up before, my chickens are not feeders. It seems to be the conclusion that a lot of folks jump to when I say I have Pythons.

Edit:ArizonaDesertChicksOops! I didn't see your post! Thanks so much for the links, I was thinking of litter boxes too, the plastic would be easier clean.

You have a very nice coop!

 

[gckiddhouse]

Thought you all might enjoy my "dog pile" pic. These girls have 8 clean nesting boxes to choose from, but Fiona decided that this was the one, even if Speckles was already in there. You can see the egg she laid from atop the other chicken down on the left. Silly birds.

Trying to find some photos of our set up. We have a chicken "yard" that we call the coop. It is a dog run made of chain link about 8' x 12'. Inside that we have an actual hen house with the little ramp and nest boxes. We built it and painted it per some plans we found.

There are roosts inside the hen house and there are roosts out in the chicken yard, so when it is hot out, they tend to roost outside where the breeze can hit them, and when it is cold outside, they roost in the hen house. We spoil them and put plexiglass over the windows in the winter, and even hay on the bottom to keep them toasty. We also have a mister on a timer for summer. Even if they are free ranging, when they hear the mister come on, they all come running to congregate in the coop to cool off under the mist. The summer is tough for them. I know they would probably survive without all this, but, they are my girls.

I figure that if they are trapped here, and they have no choices to make about their surroundings, I better provide well for them. That is my responsibility as their caregiver. That is how I respect them and what they provide for us.

I will see if I can get a pic of the set up if that will help you. Maybe I have that on my other computer. I know we took pics as we set it up.

 

[LarryPQ]

Best place for chick info is the Incubating & hatching chicks thread.

But chicks need ~100 degrees for the first week, reducing by 5 degrees for every week after that. Humidity after hatch is a non-issue. Keep them out of a drafty area.

You can keep them in just about anything until they can hop/fly. Brooders come in all shapes & sizes. Cluckin & I were just discussing what I should use when all these freakin' eggs hatch. I have an island hood (6 feet by 2 feet w/ a hole cut in the top for a vent) that is PERFECT for a brooder. I got it at a grarage sale for $8, but now the DH wants to sell it for use as a *gasp* hood.

Edited: I LOVE THE DOGPILE!

I haven't done the mister yet, but I do have a big pan of water and frozen milk jugs of water for chicken air-conditioning in the summer. I will hose the coop down for the "swamp cooler" effect on occasion.

 

[redrocketrooster]

gckiddhouse
Oh wow! Thats hilarious!
About the hay, Im wondering if Timothy hay would help the smell at all if used?

LareePQG
Yuppers, I read all that good stuff on chicks.

I see a lot of people using horse troths with heat lamps clipped over it, those seem to work well when inside.

 

[cluckin_crazy]

Quote:
Before I had my brooder built out of the HUGE boxes that my solar panels came in, they were in a Rubbermaid storage tub for 2 days. As long as they have food and water, they're really not picky about what they live in. Just make sure that you're prepared to put them in something bigger when THEY are bigger. I waited 8 weeks to put my first chicks outside, since it was winter. I took in some 4 weekers over the weekend though, and they're already outside with a heat lamp inside the coop if they want it. They're absolutely fine out there. They are not even huddling for warmth.

 

[redrocketrooster]

Quote:
Before I had my brooder built out of the HUGE boxes that my solar panels came in, they were in a Rubbermaid storage tub for 2 days. As long as they have food and water, they're really not picky about what they live in. Just make sure that you're prepared to put them in something bigger when THEY are bigger. I waited 8 weeks to put my first chicks outside, since it was winter. I took in some 4 weekers over the weekend though, and they're already outside with a heat lamp inside the coop if they want it. They're absolutely fine out there. They are not even huddling for warmth.

Yeah, I can certainly see how waiting too long is a problem.

Thats why im planning now haha!

 

[gckiddhouse]

Okay, back to an earlier topic, MaryAnn and others with homemade incubators: I have been involved in this thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3600895 where one BYCer is using a temp probe inside a water weasel (you know what that is?) and she is going by that temp more than by the air temp in the bator which is fluctuating like mine is. (BTW, the cl bator sold before I could get it, darn!!) She says it mimics the temp inside the eggs. So if it is holding steady, then the eggs are alright?? Does this sound right?

Mine is certainly starting to level out. It is now shutting off at 102* and coming back on at like 95*. I have a meat thermometer wrapped in a ziplock full of water trying to mimic the water weasel. And sure enough, the temp in there is staying pretty much between 99.5 and 100.5 (a little high there). Should I put any stock in this?

Going to get a fan today. Thinking this is going to help the fluctuation a little. Someone also suggested using a heating blanket thermostat. Anyone ever try that?? Sounds like a great idea if it will keep closer temps.

Feedback?

 

[gckiddhouse]

i was getting a computer fan. I am way up in the Anthem area and Staples in right here. Are you close? Will be running my errands between 4 and 6 pm. Probably won't be here to get your next post. Thanks for the offer, though! Free is definitely better than paying, but convenience is important, too. Gotta get this bator working!!! Let me know if you are close. When I get back I will check in. If you are close, I can always return the purchased one.