Arizona Chickens

[constance]

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ADORABLE! They are SO tiny!!! Well done!

 

[squeakyballs]

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Nice pics nurseshelly! They are so cute. You're making me anxious for my own and I still have to wait another 7 days.

 

[azpenguin]

Just stopped by the feed store to pick up a couple more chicks. Picked up a black sex-link and a buff Wyandotte. The Americana and the Silkie we got two weeks ago are doing beautifully. Cinnamon (the Americana) is getting big fast. They had two button quail chicks that were among the cutest things we've ever seen - they can roost on a quarter and not cover the whole thing. Tiny!

Plus we stopped by Home Depot to price out some materials. A tip for those of you who are buying chicken wire: Find where they keep the stucco supplies. You can get stucco mesh - which is 20 ga chicken wire. You can get a 36" x 150' roll for $46. If you go and find the chicken wire (oh, I mean poultry netting

) it'll cost you a lot more per foot.

Still working on the coop's design. Neighbors have had chickens and ducks forever, and they keep them in a 5 foot high dog run with no top. They've never lost one to a predator. Still, I don't wanna push my luck, and I plan to build something stronger. Supposedly there are raccoons out here, but I don't think I've ever seen one.

 

[mclevinson]

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Enjoy!

 

[LarryPQ]

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Most predators can easily rip through chicken wire, which is why most people use hardware cloth when building their coops. Family cats have no problems bending and ripping through chicken wire--nevermind bobcats, weasels, raccoons, and coyotes. If you are in a fairly predator-free area, then regular chicken wire is fine, but if you are looking to keep your stock safe from wildlife, you are much better off investing in the hardware cloth.


Plus...the hardware cloth is reusable. I take down panels and use them in the garden, to create temporary pens, children cages, etc.

Oh yes, and

 

[constance]

Enjoy your chickens! I agree that a little more protection would be a good idea. Too many predators from above and below, especially when they are little.

 

[constance]

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Missed that on the first read!

 

[LarryPQ]

?

 

[LarryPQ]

Spent the last hour+ introducing the dogs to the chickens.

I have kept them seperate this whole time, due to an incident where the dogs killed (probably scared to death) 5 of 9 teenagers who somehow escaped from the big kid brooder.

But the dogs are getting older, and a few times a lone hen/roo has snuck out and been with the three dogs all day without incidnet.

More recently, Leelu (flatcoat lab/border collie mix) went outside with the DH while he was holding Dozer (sizzle). Dozer was NOT inpressed by said doggie, and BAMBAMBAM! pecked her three times hard in the snout. Since then, Leelu has given the coop/run wide berth.

So, even though it is cold, windy, and freezing outside-- I took each dog out one on one. No problems---except the turkey tom seemed to think the dogs were humpable. At one point he tried to mount Leelu, who hopped back, knocking me into the struts of the trailer, followed by the tom landing on top of me.

We had words.