Arizona Chickens

[AZBootsie]

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For the best hot weather set up I know of - scroll up to Gallo's post and click on "view my BYC page".

 

[arizonadreamer]

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No wonder they were out when I got there...

What are you going to do with peacocks? They are pretty and all. My hubby said that would make an easy 4 egg omelet for him.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Dakoda, is that a rare and elusive llamu? Look how wistfully it stares at it's egg. Hey wait a minute, you have 5 roosters and no hens!!!???

tball chicky, check out my byc page for an example of a well ventilated coop. Fortunately for you, your climate is great for raising chickens! Find the shadiest spot in your yard and build in ways they can get out of the wind. 80 sq.' would be passable for 8 chickens, but you'll have fewer issues with a larger space. Do you have a nice view of the Huachuca Mountains? I worked for nearly three years up in Garden Canyon. It is an amazing mtn. range.

 

[tball chicky]

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I actually have a fantastic view of all the mountain ranges in the area - I'm a lucky girl. Finding shade on my property will be a problem because there are no mature trees yet. So maybe just make a canopy over the whole thing? So, I should just go ahead and make it bigger to start with & save myself the trouble of adding on later.

Thanks for your input...I will be checking out your page.

 

[LarryPQ]

"Sometimes life gives you lemons. You just have to pick them up and start hurling them at the people who piss you off."

I thought it was,

"When life gives you lemons, you make lemonaide. When life gives you a steaming pile of crap, you don't do anything."

?

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

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I actually have a fantastic view of all the mountain ranges in the area - I'm a lucky girl. Finding shade on my property will be a problem because there are no mature trees yet. So maybe just make a canopy over the whole thing? So, I should just go ahead and make it bigger to start with & save myself the trouble of adding on later.

Thanks for your input...I will be checking out your page.

You are lucky! I just love the way thunderstorms come up from the south and over the top of the Huachucas. It's no surprise the natives called them "thunder mountains".

Yes, make your own shade. I'd highly recommend grape vines, which will do very well where you are. Shade cloth is also very useful.

 

[ca]

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I was in your area last Saturday. it was wiiiiindy. Better get a sturdy tarp and tie down everything. Otherwise your chickens will say "we are not in Arizona anymore" when the whole coop lifts off... Maybe they'll end up as illegals in Mexico

And before you go to see Gallo's setup on his website better sit down. It is amazing and will blow you off of your feet (kinda like the wind in Sierra Vista). That setup makes you want to quit your day job and devote three month entirely to coop construction!

 

[Bob's Henhouse]

tball, Gallo has a great setup. I agree with the grape vines. They are all purpose. They provide shade, chickens love to eat the leaves, and if you can beat them and the birds to them you may get grapes.

Thompson seedless are more prone to mildew than say, perlette, which is a very similar grape but a little smaller fruit. Flame are a great red seedless.
We get horrendous winds here in Wittmann most all the time. Also have no natural shade, so I built the coop like a small house with tile roof, solar powered vent fan for ventilation when it's not too hot, then a small portable evap cooler mounted in one wall for summer days. Doesn't cost a fortune to run and makes the chickens happy. Maybe some kind of powered cooling till the grapes get established?

 

[Bob's Henhouse]

NoSkiveez, I agree on the vicodin issue. I took just one for my back the other day, reluctantly, and although my back felt better I felt yucky for most of the day. You might have him try one percocet, it should take the edge off and still not make him sick. They gave me percodan when I scratched my cornea with a rake handle, just like in the movies, bend over while stepping on the rake end at the same time, WHACK. An activity I don't recommend. Anyway, 2 percodan at a time was the order so I took two, pain went away almost immediately, but felt normal otherwise, *Your results may vary*

 

[Dakoda]

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Yep, no hens! Our neighbor has 15 roosters and no hens! We just like to annoy the other neighbors.

Honestly, the thought of hens and eggs just makes me nervous...