Arizona Chickens

[MagicChicken]

So far mine are doing pretty well with no misters. The 2 production reds and a hatchery barred rock, all about 2 years old, are panting some during the hottest part of the day, but don't seem to be too stressed about it. They're still laying. My coop is open on one side with hardware cloth-covered windows in two of the three other sides. The attached, hardware cloth-enclosed run has a bunch of 70% shadecloth strung up on the west side. The chickens have a black rubber dog bowl of water to stand in if they want. Usually they just stand on the edge and poop into it. Then drink it.

I put a second "roof" of shadecloth over the metal coop/run roof a few weeks ago, and that is helping keep the temps down a lot. The shadecloth "roof" consists of a wood frame, with the shadecloth supported by wire re-mesh panels that are attached to the frame. The shadecloth is stapled to the wood, and additional wood furring strips are screwed down on top to help hold the shadecloth in place. The whole contraption was built on the ground, then lifted on top of the coop and tied down with simpson straps. Looks kinda crazy, but it's doing a good job keeping things cooler! My yard is one of those scorched-earth desert lots that some former owner scraped down to nothing. Only have a couple of trees and none of 'em was anywhere near where we could put the coop. I can't get weeds to grow in most places here, let alone trees. Hence the shadecloth.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

That sounds interesting. Pics please.

I haven't put up my misters yet either. Lots of panting, but nothing out of the ordinary yet. I did discover that the grape leaf skeletonizers found my vines. I lolly-gagged about treating them and it seems I lost a good quarter of the leaves in just a couple days. I sprayed Bt yesterday and today and now the chickens don't seem to want to hang out in the run. Don't blame them, that stuff stinks!

 

[Arizonachicken]

We'll be there in July on the way to my in-laws house.  It is our 10 year anniversary and we're going on a driving sightseeing vacation.

I'm not into gambling, just wanna see the sights.

We frequent Vegas...my SIL & BIL with their 7 children live there. We always go hiking at Red Rock. It's very pretty.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Vegas has a lot of interesting places around it. I love the Valley of Fire. What a stunning landscape. Vegas is also relatively close to the Great Basin National Park, the least visited of all our NPs. It's cool and has some of the oldest trees on the planet.

 

[parentwarrior]

That sounds interesting. Pics please.

I haven't put up my misters yet either. Lots of panting, but nothing out of the ordinary yet. I did discover that the grape leaf skeletonizers found my vines. I lolly-gagged about treating them and it seems I lost a good quarter of the leaves in just a couple days. I sprayed Bt yesterday and today and now the chickens don't seem to want to hang out in the run. Don't blame them, that stuff stinks!

My husband exchanged a mister nozzle to the end of a drip line on our water system in place of a drip emitter. It works great as a mister. There is a extra section in the main timer box so I can run the timer for it separately from our yard and grass. I have it set to go off from 10:00am -6:00pm daily. It works great and was inexpensive. He made the plastic line extra long so it reaches the top of the cage. That way the mist is falling down into the air the fan is blowing. My guys have been jumping for my grape leaves. That love it! There will not be any left on the bottom of the plant soon.
Kris

 

[parentwarrior]

I wonder if you saw a Rock Squirrel? They look very much like grey squirrels back east but are native to the lower deserts of AZ. They are cute but unbelievably destructive. My neighbor has a group of them living under their sheds and they've made a terrible mess with their excavations. I think it was Mama Hen Chris that recently posted a pic of one.

I don't know the difference, probably was. I had no idea they were around here in the desert. I would love to rescue and hand tame a baby. I could make a pocket pet out of one. I hear people do that in other parts of the USA.

 

[GoldBarRanch]

i have the misters going a few times a day, haven't set up the evap yet or water pans to stand in and they seem to be doing alright. think i am at the point that if i have to be out there caring for them more than for my kids, then it's time for that type of bird to move along. if it can't withstand our summers with all the shade and water i provide, plus extras, forget it. can i just say again, I AM DIGGING THESE DUCKS!!!!!!!!!!

Aww dont give up on them so soon, we just have to get material to build a bunny barn with a AC unit because my rabbits all had bloody noses and we getting ready to crock from the heat. They cant handle this heat. It was 110 here at the house and no shade made it a tiring day and worked on it a little at a time trying not to have a heat stroke ourselves. Needless to say we didnt finish so all the bunnies came inside until its finish. Problem is Hubby is allergic to cats and bunnies have the same dander except for the mini rexs which is hypoalergenic like poodles. Poor Hubby can hardly breath until we get this finished. Until then ive got sticky house gross and theyre in cages in the laundry room.

 

[GoldBarRanch]

How is everyone's flock doing during this heat? It is going to be a long summer worrying about the girls everyday

I have the misters running, ice block in the coop every morning and fresh water daily. I guess there isn't much more I can do. They seem to be doing ok although I do notice a little panting.

I will second that

 

[hemet dennis]

Sorry hockey fans the kings won you are out of the running for the cup.

 

[GoldBarRanch]

I wonder if you saw a Rock Squirrel? They look very much like grey squirrels back east but are native to the lower deserts of AZ. They are cute but unbelievably destructive. My neighbor has a group of them living under their sheds and they've made a terrible mess with their excavations. I think it was Mama Hen Chris that recently posted a pic of one.

Maybe it was a silkie squirrel?