BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[BantyChooks]

Sounds a lot like where I live here in southern AZ, except the temps at my house have been over 100* and we're due for a heat wave next week, which means I'll be battling 110*. My chickens have faired okay so far, but I get heat stroke trying to keep them cool.

I bow to those keeping livestock in southern climates.

 

[lpatelski]

Wow it's been extremely hot here In the upper 90's with little to no rain, I feel like I have moved to the desert. I have lost about half the pasture and our lawn has giant patches of brown despite me trying to get some water on it. The storms keep missing us, we need the rain so badly. I have managed to keep the apple, guava, and banana trees alive by watering daily. One of my older hens (I think she is 6 yrs) is having a lot of trouble with the heat I fear I am probably going to lose her, she is a sweet EE girl. I have been adding SAV-A-chick to their water every other day for the last week, and putting out lots of wet veggies in the run in the heat of the afternoon. The hay bill has been astronomical for the sheep, I have been watering three small areas in the pasture so they have some fresh grass but this is crazy, this is supposed to be rainy season in Florida.
Yesterday we were driving past one of the farms and saw two dead cows in the pasture down the road, probably from the heat and poor pasture conditions. So sad.
It is so dry that when I get in the pool I constantly get dive bombed by wasps looking for a drink. I am allergic so this has been an issue with using the pool. Someone said they hate dryer sheets so I tied several up around the pool they did not work the wasps landed within inches of them...ugh

So sorry. The weather can be so dangerous for animals.

 

[lpatelski]

I bow to those keeping livestock in southern climates.

The temps can run a 30 to 40 degree variation from morning to the heat of the afternoon. Anything more than 20 degrees can play havoc on animal health.

 

[ChickieMamaOf4]

They are adorable!

Okay I have some updating to do.




My new CX Roosters have been covering my White 3/4 Dark Cornish-1/4CX hens since 3/26/17.

My first fertile egg, laid 3 days later, hatched out on 4/20/2017.

The first chick is 10 days old and weighs 260g


For comparison, these guys are 3/4 Dark Cornish born in the same batch.




The next 4 chicks - CX roosters over 3/4DC-CX were born 4/26/17 and are 4 days old.
weights 91g, 78g, 69g, 66g

 

[lpatelski]

They are adorable!
@ChickieMamaOf4 I love African Greys...My friend had one, a boy, and he sounded JUST LIKE HER!

 

[lpatelski]

My Big Boy "Spike". He makes Bob look like a pup!

 

[Gorman Farm]

Sounds a lot like where I live here in southern AZ, except the temps at my house have been over 100* and we're due for a heat wave next week, which means I'll be battling 110*. My chickens have faired okay so far, but I get heat stroke trying to keep them cool.

Yeah I was thinking of you when I was outside today trying to make sure everyone had enough water and shade. Once again tonight I can hear the thunder of near by storms but no rain here yet. The news said this is the worst drought in over 20 years in this area which is funny because 2 years ago when we moved here to the farm they had the wettest spring/summer on record. Go figure.
On average how long do hens live if they have a good quality of life? I have lost two that were 5 this past year, but one was because of egg binding that I couldn't resolve. My EE in question is actually still laying she gave me an egg today, but she is very sluggish for the last few days. I examined her today and I cannot see anything unusual.
Stay cool, I have been donning a cool wet towel on the back of my neck lately outdoors.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

I have found that misters really help a lot with hot weather. I bought some of those stiff stand-up noodle mister things, and had one pointing into each paddock (if you have a lot of birds in one area, you may wish to set up a few). Hooked up all the hoses, etc., and as a routine, once it was reliably over 95F or so every day, I would turn on the hose before leaving for work, and turn it off in the evening when collecting eggs. (You could also use a timer). Worked VERY well -gives them a little zone that cooler. This year I bought some of the brass nozzle parts and am going to try to rig some misters myself (I have a bunch more chickens this year). It took a little doing to drape the hoses all over the yard, but it was totally worth it.

- Ant Farm

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Oh, and if it was going to be cooler than 95F, I wouldn't use them.

 

[Gorman Farm]

Misters are a good idea. I am home all day so I do usually go out and make a mud puddle or two in the runs. The chickens seem to enjoy that. I am sort of afraid to run the well dry, it has been so dry and I have been using a lot of water trying to keep lawn, parts of the pasture and trees alive. My neighbor down the road has a well that isn't quite as deep as mine and he seized his pump when his dried out. It's a scary thing.
Another night we were supposed to get rain but not a drop so far. The towns all around us got some though.