Arizona Chickens

[Gallo del Cielo]

Sorry if this has been asked and answered on this thread, but does anyone here have ducks in Phoenix? I'm in Nebraska right now, but we are seriously thinking about moving to Phoenix and I would love to take my babies. My main concerns are (1) the heat (2) water- would it be too expensive or impractical to have waterbirds in the desert? (3) Housing or city rules- my ducks are technically illegal here, but no one cares. What is the situation in Phoenix? (4) How do you keep them out of the pool?!

Thanks!!!

Lots of people here have ducks. Hopefully our duck advocate, pastrymama, will see this and provide some advice.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: What breeds do you have? A covered pen where they cannot get to the pool helps keep them out. Plastic wading pools usually work quite well for letting them have their "own" swimming pool. If only the manufacturers would make ones with a drain. As is, have to either add your own or tump them over pretty frequently.

 

[DuckiesAndBees]

What breeds do you have? A covered pen where they cannot get to the pool helps keep them out. Plastic wading pools usually work quite well for letting them have their "own" swimming pool. If only the manufacturers would make ones with a drain. As is, have to either add your own or tump them over pretty frequently.

Right now I have 8 of various breeds (runner, pekin, cayuga, mixed) but I will downsize if we move. I want to keep two girls for sure (runner and cayuga) and at least one male (pekin). They aren't too loud, but in the morning can be kind of talkative. Baby pools are what I use now, so no change there. I'm really hoping we can find a place (without an HOA!) where I will be able to bring them. Thanks for the advice!

 

[AZTiff]

X2 no ventilation on bottom and you will be doomed before you get started. If you could take that bottom panels off you will be ok and maybe add a run to it. Its way to small to keep them in that small of a space all the time . you could look on the coop forum and get some remodling ideas before you get your chicken.

I think we are going to build ourselves. That wasn't my hubby's first choice but I really don't want plywood. Now that I'm aware of the ventilation issues I am even more convinced.

 

[parentwarrior]

I wimped out today. I could not trim my chickens scissor beak, not my thing. I took her to my vet and had him do it...LOL He has chickens himself and is a Avian bird specialist. They shortened the lower beak so it fit under the top beak which curves downward and is pointed. It did bleed a bit and was painful when he did it but he put something on to stop the bleeding. Now she can close her beak. I think she will feel better in the long run. He said that the scissor beak would of gotten worse as the lower beak grew wider and bigger it would of pushed the top beak more and more to the side.Chicken beaks do not grow as fast as other birds. She is about a month or so away from laying eggs, still young.

 

[Demosthine]

Right now I have 8 of various breeds (runner, pekin, cayuga, mixed) but I will downsize if we move. I want to keep two girls for sure (runner and cayuga) and at least one male (pekin). They aren't too loud, but in the morning can be kind of talkative. Baby pools are what I use now, so no change there. I'm really hoping we can find a place (without an HOA!) where I will be able to bring them. Thanks for the advice!

Depending on what you're looking for, my community does not have an HOA and there were several houses available in the area. We are in Northwest Peoria, but the mailing address is Sun City since that was the nearest Post Office when the development went in. Depending on your insurance company, it can help dramatically. We are located in the Wildflower Point development at 107th Avenue and Rose Garden Lane. If you use Zillow.Com, you can see the area using this map. Basically, we are located from 107th Avenue to 109th Avenue, from Rose Garden Lane to Deer Valley Road. It's a very nice, quiet neighborhood. The area to the West of 109th Avenue is pure desert, as it's dedicated State Trust Land. The lots here are larger than many you will find in the Metro Phoenix area with really nice houses.

We bought our 2600 square foot, two story house with a three-car garage, barbeque area and pool for $137,500 a little over a year ago. Supposedly, prices have gone up a touch, but they are still great values. At one point, the houses were being appraised at nearly a half-million during the peak.

 

[JohnSWA]

Thank you, this is just the feedback I needed.

If you got a smoking deal on the coop, just cut windows out of the lower section and wire the open holes! Simple solution! Also, you could still paint the OSB. I made my coop out of OSB and put wood siding on the outside. I painted the outside and inside the same color and it looks great and the ladies don't seam to mind.

 

[icdred]

I finally had a little time to work on the coop a bit. I need a little advise though....I am planning on keeping the coop 3 sided for extra ventillation (the side next to the door will be covered and include a window such as the other side). My question is, do I enclose all 4 side to give them privacy or should I leave it open on the side with the ladder?

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I finally had a little time to work on the coop a bit. I need a little advise though....I am planning on keeping the coop 3 sided for extra ventillation (the side next to the door will be covered and include a window such as the other side). My question is, do I enclose all 4 side to give them privacy or should I leave it open on the side with the ladder?

My coop is essentially the same layout and the section where your ladder is located is open. I don't have windows where you do though, it's mostly all open above the tops of the walls and below the roof. Do your windows close?

 

[Mikey D]

Quote: Mine is essentially the same as well except the high side long edge is up against the house.

Leave it, it looks great!

I put a panel against a few open sides in the winter to keep the wind out for them, but I'm a big woosie as far as the cold goes.