Conch Republic Chicks in the Florida Keys

[jotebo]

I'd love to hear who else is raising chickens on our beautiful islands of the Florida Keys.
Lets talk about the different environment and challenges we have.

Conch Chickens

 

[dixieANDbutters]

Hello!

I'm raising in the keys!

 

[jotebo]

Where are you located in the Keys? I'm in Tavernier.

 

[dixieANDbutters]

I'm in Marathon on Duck key. What kind of chickens do you have? What so of precautions are you taking with this heat to protect them?

 

[jotebo]

I have one Buff Orpington and one Black Australorp. The heat is really bothering my Buff. I almost lost her 3 days ago. Their not laying very well either. They have shade and I've got 2 fans going. What are you doing for yours?
How many do you have and what do you have?

 

[dixieANDbutters]

Oh no! How did you almost lose her? I have a Buff and an Aracuana. My yard has plenty of shade during the day but at the night my Buff is always panting in the coop, I think I'm going to get a fan today. I ordered my girls from Murray McMurray as started pullets, they're anywhere between 15-22 weeks so they haven't started laying yet but I'm sure the heat isn't helping with that.

 

[jotebo]

I also got my girls from McMurray and the same age. They were delivered in mid November and my Buff didn't lay until the beginning of February.
But she has laid perfect eggs from the beginning.
I have her in the a/c'd shed today and will keep her there every afternoon during this heat. (My Black Australorp is doing great). The buff is not eating or drinking.
just sitting in a poof. Maybe she's decided to go broody. She's not even eating her favorite treat, green grapes. Not sure what to think of it.

 

[dixieANDbutters]

Oh no don't say that I don't know if I can possibly wait any longer for eggs lol! I raised two Barred Rock "hens" my mother purchased for me off Craigslist until they crowed. Luckily I was able to find them a wonderful home but I am hopelessly attached to them and miss them constantly even though I visit them all the time.

When your girls arrived were they standoffish? Terrified of you? I think I'm just used to the boys I raised from babies that would fall asleep in my lap and these girls won't even eat out of my hand and it's been two weeks since they arrived. It will give me hope if your girls were the same way in the beginning.

Now that you say that about your Buff I'm going to make sure I see her eating and drinking today, she is up and moving around though. Do you think the fans in the coop at night help a lot?

Where do you get your feed and supplies down here? Online? It's so hard to justify the shipping cost!

 

[dixieANDbutters]

I read your post about your Buff laying her first egg, did she lay shortly after that? Are those the signs I should look for? Both the girls combs, waddles, and cheeks are getting more red. Whenever I look in the coop at night they will "tend to the nest" but only when they see me. They aren't doing the squat and they sleep in their nest boxes regardless of roost and ceramic eggs in the nest boxes. I think I'm going to put up next box curtains tomorrow...

 

[jotebo]

My girls were a little standoffish. I just kept giving them scratch in my hand. Now they are all around me. But they would never jump up in my lap. My Blondie does like ear rings though.
yes, I would consider a fan in the coop. I have been thinking about a misting fan. It's just been so hot down here and we don't get much of a relief at night. I also have soil in a litter box and have it wet. they will lay in that to cool off and take a dust bath. I've got all pea rock. about every 2 months I go to Homestead and get pieces of sod for them to forage. It doesn't last long, but they have a good time. I also get their food at the feed store on Krome up there. Another thought, you might want to put some electrolytes in their water.