Arizona Chickens

[aznewmom]

Just stopping by the board to say, "Hi".
There is no way I can possibly catch up, so I won't try.

I went back a few pages, though.
I'm so very sorry to hear about Hoppy and Lacey.

That is just so sad.

I have not been on FB or my boards much lately. Some health issues, back to school for the kids, and
a bunch of other 'stuff' ("real" life, perhaps?!?!?) are taking up my time. I do still lurk on occasion, when I
can! This heat is crazy. I know you folks up in Phoenix and Yuma are having it worse. We are having terrible
issues with humidity and mosquitoes here in Tucson.

Well, that's it for now.
Mostly a "Hi!!"

Have a great day, Everyone!
Cheers,
Stacy

 

[Billiam]

Who's getting ready for their next bunch of chicks? I'm thinking of getting three more chicks, not sure on the breeds yet, to add to the flock. This is the first time I'll be adding to the flock. I will not be a victim of chicken math!
I have 5 Black Australorps now. We started with six and one got suffocated at around 12 weeks. Flat as a pancake in the chicken-dog pile. Anyways, what are your plans for adding to your flock this fall?

 

[Billiam]

Is my coop over crowded? Like I said in the above post I have five hens that are full grown now, almost one year old. The coop is 15 sq ft and the roost is probably 6 sq ft multi-leveled. They all want to be on the top rung but one of them usually ends up on the bottom rung. Just not enough room for all five on the top. Well lately one of the hens stays out in the run area for as long as I can tell. She's still there when I go to bed. Too crowded or do you think she's just being anti-social?
I do plan to pop out the coop a couple of feet anyways since I want to add a couple more to the flock so don't flame me

 

[Demosthine]

Is my coop over crowded? Like I said in the above post I have five hens that are full grown now, almost one year old. The coop is 15 sq ft and the roost is probably 6 sq ft multi-leveled. They all want to be on the top rung but one of them usually ends up on the bottom rung. Just not enough room for all five on the top. Well lately one of the hens stays out in the run area for as long as I can tell. She's still there when I go to bed. Too crowded or do you think she's just being anti-social?
I do plan to pop out the coop a couple of feet anyways since I want to add a couple more to the flock so don't flame me

From what I've heard and read so far, it sounds like you're already overcrowded, so I'd hold off on any additions. Take it with a grain of salt, though, because I'm still in the research and "convince the wife" stage. I do believe the general rule was 4-5 square feet for each chicken, so that should put you at only 3-4 chickens.

Also, chickens seem to be really, really smart. They tend to avoid eating things that will hurt them and everything. I'd say that if that one is staying outside all the time, it's another sign of being too crowded. Is she showing any signs of being picked on or being the bottom of the pecking order? I haven't heard of a chicken being "isolated" like that so far.

But again, I'm a pre-newbie, so what do I know?

 

[Billiam]

From what I've heard and read so far, it sounds like you're already overcrowded, so I'd hold off on any additions. Take it with a grain of salt, though, because I'm still in the research and "convince the wife" stage. I do believe the general rule was 4-5 square feet for each chicken, so that should put you at only 3-4 chickens.

Also, chickens seem to be really, really smart. They tend to avoid eating things that will hurt them and everything. I'd say that if that one is staying outside all the time, it's another sign of being too crowded. Is she showing any signs of being picked on or being the bottom of the pecking order? I haven't heard of a chicken being "isolated" like that so far.

But again, I'm a pre-newbie, so what do I know?

The books they promote on this site say 1 to 2 sq ft in the coop and 4 to 5 sq ft min for their run in they are fenced in. She's been doing this ever since a couple of days after I let them out of the run after my garden was done. They have free range of the entire backyard now. No she is in the middle of the pecking order if not second in charge as far as I can tell. When I expand the coop that will bring my total sq ft to 25 with about double roosting space of 12 sq ft. They only need the coop for protection at night and their nesting boxes for laying eggs. Maybe she just likes it out side?

 

[Arizonachicken]

Who's getting ready for their next bunch of chicks? I'm thinking of getting three more chicks, not sure on the breeds yet, to add to the flock. This is the first time I'll be adding to the flock. I will not be a victim of chicken math!
I have 5 Black Australorps now. We started with six and one got suffocated at around 12 weeks. Flat as a pancake in the chicken-dog pile. Anyways, what are your plans for adding to your flock this fall?

I am! I am! I am expecting 18 eggs tomorrow. They will be Silver Laced Wyandotte and Blue Copper and Black Copper Marans (mix of the two most likely). Pastrymama is being very gracious in providing her mad incubator skills for the eggies. If we have a good hatch, I will have extra chicks beginning of September. If you or anyone is interested, PM me!

 

[Arizonachicken]

Is my coop over crowded? Like I said in the above post I have five hens that are full grown now, almost one year old. The coop is 15 sq ft and the roost is probably 6 sq ft multi-leveled. They all want to be on the top rung but one of them usually ends up on the bottom rung. Just not enough room for all five on the top. Well lately one of the hens stays out in the run area for as long as I can tell. She's still there when I go to bed. Too crowded or do you think she's just being anti-social?
I do plan to pop out the coop a couple of feet anyways since I want to add a couple more to the flock so don't flame me

They may be a little crowded. My coop is 20 sq ft, with two roosts. I have an Ameraucana that sleeps in the nesting box and the two younger pullets sleep on the lower roost. I have nine chickens total, but they are not all in the coop. The Rooster sleeps in the garage and I have two broodies in a separate coop. So that leaves 6 hens in the big coop at night. My run (for what it's worth) is 34 sq ft, BUT they free range almost all day, so they only go in to the coop/run to eat their pellets and to lay yummy eggs, and to sleep. So total, I have 7 standard sized chickens in the coop/run and they have about 8 sq ft/bird. That's daytime...remember, the rooster doesn't sleep in the coop, and they are free ranging all day. I don't know if that helps, but that's my set up and my girls seem happy.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Gail Damerov has a chart on space requirements in one of her books; I don't recall whether it is the Chicken Health Handbook or Storey's Guide To Raising Chickens that lists the total space needed based upon the size of the bird. Medium sized birds (larger bantams or smaller largefowl) need a total of 7 sq ft per bird. Small bantams (serama, moderns, OEGB, dutch, etc.) need 4 sq ft per bird. Larger largefowl need 10 sq ft per bird. Provide sufficient roosting space that they can comfortably fit with space to spare. Unless you are in the frozen north, extra space is better than too little.

Free-ranging can be considered as adding to the pen size if it occurs regularly.

 

[City farm]

My husband is highly allergic to mosquito bite's..!!!
To the point that we have tried 5 different "catchers"
Non deat sprays.. Ect... You get my drift..
However finally we got a mosquito fish... Yes a mosquito fish..
They do exist and work wonderfully!!!!
Call SRP and ask them where to go and pick them up..
They put them into abandon homes pools.. We do not have
a pool, we just put a small fish tank on the front patio and never
change the water...
Althought I will this year after they are done laying..:/ I plan on
changing the H20.
We do feed the fish in the winter when they are not laying their
nasty little critters...

Did anyone hear that bill gates agrees with GMO mosquito's!!
Mosquit's that will carry a vaccine & as they sting they will vaccinate?
I forget what show we were watching, but it was on the news...
I could not believe my eyes & ears...
Crazy... To say the least...

 

[itsredcandy]

anyone here keep quail?

I am going to start here really soon. Just waiting for the guys to put the legs on my Quail Hutch and move it to it's perm location. Hopefully this weekend.