Desert chickens

[BorregoMike]

I’m new to chickens but raised turkeys once in the past. I plan to get started this fall with chickens, 25 or so, but have a few questions. I will begin in october when temps are moderate and continue through our also moderate winter.

1. The location is SW desert, there is little point, I think, in letting them range, the ground is mostly bare, gravelly sand, not much to eat. But I can give them a run of 10sq ft per bird and a coop of 4 sq ft each. The run should stay dry with daily sunshine. We have lots of coyotes around, and hawks above, all in constant search for food. The coop is secure and the run will be screened with 1 inch chicken wire top and sides but I am wondering what I can do to keep coyotes from burrowing under the sides and into the run? Is there anything else about raising birds in this environment that I should know?

2. I am mostly interested in meat but I think I’ll go with buff Orpingtons as they seem less demanding/easier for me to start with than the Cornish cross and other meat birds. I would butcher the majority at about 6 months and keep a few for eggs. It’s a bit cheaper to get straight run but I don’t want roosters crowing and fighting, etc. ( I have 1+ acre and neighbors with about the same) would I be better to get all hens?

Thanks,

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Burry fence all around the inside of the run that’s away the coyotes will burrow under and dig into fence enabling them to get into the other side.I would wrap your chicken run with chicken wire,then wire mesh around it as a second layer.I recommend getting a dog or two as well for predators as long as electric fences.

If I were I would look deep into breeds,get a breed for eggs and a breed for meat,certain birds do better in certain climates,you don’t want a meat bird who can’t stand the heat,because then it may die before it’s time to butcher and then you don’t want egg layer who cannot stand the heat.Luckily buffs are good in heat but you should search into more breeds because your more then likely gonna lose soem and want more hens,and maybe want different breeds.

 

[paddock36]

I live in Florida, so I don't know much about your area. I would say make sure your coup is secure for your flock at night. If you think the coyotes will try to dig under I would add wire a few feet under ground along the run as a preventative. Hope that helps a little. As far as the roosters, they help to protect your flock a little, but if you don't want fertile eggs then I'd probably go with hens, at least you can get eggs while you have them. Just my preference.

 

[Beer can]

Check out naked neck turkens, they lay great and make decent meat birds and thrive in extreme heat and cold.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If coyotes are a main concern, I would axe the chicken wire or use it in conjunction with something stronger like welded wire, as chicken wire isn't strong enough to stop most predators.

 

[RWise]

Last roll of "chicken wire" will be the last I ever purchase! It was so crappy the birds would put their head through it and push, the wire came unwound, and they stepped through the now big hole. I have 50 YO old rusted chicken wire that holds more, I use welded wire now.

 

[aart]

2. I am mostly interested in meat but I think I’ll go with buff Orpingtons as they seem less demanding/easier for me to start with than the Cornish cross and other meat birds. I would butcher the majority at about 6 months and keep a few for eggs. It’s a bit cheaper to get straight run but I don’t want roosters crowing and fighting, etc. ( I have 1+ acre and neighbors with about the same) would I be better to get all hens?

Have you ever eaten a layer breed?
They are nothing like a grocery or CX bird...especially at 6 months old.
Much more 'toothsome' and not near as much meat on them.

Will you start with day old chicks...or...?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum, glad you joined.

1. The location is SW desert, there is little point, I think, in letting them range, the ground is mostly bare, gravelly sand, not much to eat. But I can give them a run of 10sq ft per bird and a coop of 4 sq ft each. The run should stay dry with daily sunshine. We have lots of coyotes around, and hawks above, all in constant search for food. The coop is secure and the run will be screened with 1 inch chicken wire top and sides but I am wondering what I can do to keep coyotes from burrowing under the sides and into the run? Is there anything else about raising birds in this environment that I should know?

Some larger animals like a large raccoon, big, dogs, and maybe coyotes can tear most chicken wire and some hardware cloth. It depend on the gauge of the wire and how big the holes are. Bigger holes can give them a better grip. Pay attention to the connections and gates too, those can be your weakness. To stop coyotes I'd suggest you look at 2x4 welded wire or other similar types of wire fencing. Chicken wire will stop hawks from going in but a big climbing predator could rip it if they can get up there. I'd want the run tall enough so I could walk in there without bumping my head.

To stop digging predators I suggest you look into aprons. Take an 18" or so wide piece of wire and lay it horizontally around the outside of your coop/run. Attach that to the bottom so nothing can squeeze through. In sand I suggest you bury it an inch or two. The idea is that a predator will go up to the fence, start digging, hit the wire, and not know to back up. It's pretty effective.

When building the run don't get too married to the idea of only 10 sq ft per bird. Look at the length of a roll of fencing and use it all. People don't complain of building too big once they get past the cost, but building too small can lead to all kinds of problems. You can follow the link in my signature to get some of my thoughts on room for chickens. If you notice, most of those are for your comfort and convenience. I find the tighter I squeeze them the more behavioral problems I have to deal with, the harder I have to work, and the less flexibility I have to deal with issues which raises my stress levels. The same general comments apply to the coop and that 4 sq ft rule. Just a little extra room can give you a lot of flexibility in there.

When building a ruin, you can get more square footage with the same length of wire if you build close to a square as opposed to a long narrow rectangle. But if you are covering it the longer span will cause more sag. There might be some trade-offs there. When building a coop, a standard material size is 4' or 8'. If you incorporate that into your design you can maximize space and reduce cutting, fitting, and waste for little extra cost.

What are your future plans? Do you expect to get more chicks next year and integrate them? Extra room in coop and run makes integration a lot easier.

I don't know your elevation or how cold it gets in the winter but your enemy is not going to be cold, it is heat. Heat kills chickens. Sunlight does not just come in from the top, it comes in from the sides. You need to maximize your ventilation in the coop and provide as much cool shade as you can. I don't know which state you are in but your state extension service might have some recommendations for you. I think it is worth a call.

2. I am mostly interested in meat but I think I’ll go with buff Orpingtons as they seem less demanding/easier for me to start with than the Cornish cross and other meat birds. I would butcher the majority at about 6 months and keep a few for eggs. It’s a bit cheaper to get straight run but I don’t want roosters crowing and fighting, etc. ( I have 1+ acre and neighbors with about the same) would I be better to get all hens?

Is it legal for you to have chickens or what restrictions do you face? Some cities, towns, or HMO's have rules about that. 1 acre lots sounds like it could be some type of subdivision.

There are so many different ways you could go with which birds to get. If the crowing and fighting bothers you, go with all pullets. The carcasses will not be as big but at six months the pullets will be easier to butcher, there is not as much connective tissue.

I don't know how many you want to start with. We all have our favorite breeds and suggestions. You can certainly try all of one breed if you wish. You can order a few of several different breeds and try them to see which you prefer. Many hatcheries offer packages of mixed breeds or their choosing at a reduced cost. These are essentially leftover pullets after they have filled their other orders. These packages for hens may possibly include leghorns or other smaller hens that lay well but will not have much of a carcass for meat.

Enough typing this morning. Hopefully I've given you a few things to think about. Once again,

 

[BorregoMike]

Have you ever eaten a layer breed?
They are nothing like a grocery or CX bird...especially at 6 months old.
Much more 'toothsome' and not near as much meat on them.

Will you start with day old chicks...or...?

I’ll start with day olds. No, never have eaten an or

Have you ever eaten a layer breed?
They are nothing like a grocery or CX bird...especially at 6 months old.
Much more 'toothsome' and not near as much meat on them.

Will you start with day old chicks...or...?

I plan to start with day olds. I’ve never eaten a Orpington but posts I’ve seen say they are good. I don’t care if they are a bit

Welcome to the forum, glad you joined.

1. The location is SW desert, there is little point, I think, in letting them range, the ground is mostly bare, gravelly sand, not much to eat. But I can give them a run of 10sq ft per bird and a coop of 4 sq ft each. The run should stay dry with daily sunshine. We have lots of coyotes around, and hawks above, all in constant search for food. The coop is secure and the run will be screened with 1 inch chicken wire top and sides but I am wondering what I can do to keep coyotes from burrowing under the sides and into the run? Is there anything else about raising birds in this environment that I should know?

Some larger animals like a large raccoon, big, dogs, and maybe coyotes can tear most chicken wire and some hardware cloth. It depend on the gauge of the wire and how big the holes are. Bigger holes can give them a better grip. Pay attention to the connections and gates too, those can be your weakness. To stop coyotes I'd suggest you look at 2x4 welded wire or other similar types of wire fencing. Chicken wire will stop hawks from going in but a big climbing predator could rip it if they can get up there. I'd want the run tall enough so I could walk in there without bumping my head.

To stop digging predators I suggest you look into aprons. Take an 18" or so wide piece of wire and lay it horizontally around the outside of your coop/run. Attach that to the bottom so nothing can squeeze through. In sand I suggest you bury it an inch or two. The idea is that a predator will go up to the fence, start digging, hit the wire, and not know to back up. It's pretty effective.

When building the run don't get too married to the idea of only 10 sq ft per bird. Look at the length of a roll of fencing and use it all. People don't complain of building too big once they get past the cost, but building too small can lead to all kinds of problems. You can follow the link in my signature to get some of my thoughts on room for chickens. If you notice, most of those are for your comfort and convenience. I find the tighter I squeeze them the more behavioral problems I have to deal with, the harder I have to work, and the less flexibility I have to deal with issues which raises my stress levels. The same general comments apply to the coop and that 4 sq ft rule. Just a little extra room can give you a lot of flexibility in there.

When building a ruin, you can get more square footage with the same length of wire if you build close to a square as opposed to a long narrow rectangle. But if you are covering it the longer span will cause more sag. There might be some trade-offs there. When building a coop, a standard material size is 4' or 8'. If you incorporate that into your design you can maximize space and reduce cutting, fitting, and waste for little extra cost.

What are your future plans? Do you expect to get more chicks next year and integrate them? Extra room in coop and run makes integration a lot easier.

I don't know your elevation or how cold it gets in the winter but your enemy is not going to be cold, it is heat. Heat kills chickens. Sunlight does not just come in from the top, it comes in from the sides. You need to maximize your ventilation in the coop and provide as much cool shade as you can. I don't know which state you are in but your state extension service might have some recommendations for you. I think it is worth a call.

2. I am mostly interested in meat but I think I’ll go with buff Orpingtons as they seem less demanding/easier for me to start with than the Cornish cross and other meat birds. I would butcher the majority at about 6 months and keep a few for eggs. It’s a bit cheaper to get straight run but I don’t want roosters crowing and fighting, etc. ( I have 1+ acre and neighbors with about the same) would I be better to get all hens?

Is it legal for you to have chickens or what restrictions do you face? Some cities, towns, or HMO's have rules about that. 1 acre lots sounds like it could be some type of subdivision.

There are so many different ways you could go with which birds to get. If the crowing and fighting bothers you, go with all pullets. The carcasses will not be as big but at six months the pullets will be easier to butcher, there is not as much connective tissue.

I don't know how many you want to start with. We all have our favorite breeds and suggestions. You can certainly try all of one breed if you wish. You can order a few of several different breeds and try them to see which you prefer. Many hatcheries offer packages of mixed breeds or their choosing at a reduced cost. These are essentially leftover pullets after they have filled their other orders. These packages for hens may possibly include leghorns or other smaller hens that lay well but will not have much of a carcass for meat.

Enough typing this morning. Hopefully I've given you a few things to think about. Once again,

I appreciate the feedback!

Zoning let’s me have 25 birds, 2 roosters. Our summers are fiercely hot so each year would be a new batch, starting sep or oct. I’d likely butcher most, keep a few for eggs, and then, in perhaps May of each year, sell the few layers I have. I think I can do that, people living in nearby higher elevations don’t get the 115 we get in June and July, and the area is all rural.

I have never eaten an Orpington but most posts I have found say good things - they don’t need to be exactly like store bought. Keeping them six months is maybe too long for meat? I just picked 6 months because what I’ve seen says full grown at 20-24 weeks. I’d like to hear more about that.

Basically I am new to this, want to learn, and eager to hear what others have learned.

Mike

 

[aart]

Basically I am new to this, want to learn, and eager to hear what others have learned.

IMO, stewing is about the only way to cook a layer breed bird older than ~16 weeks.
But, I'm not a great cook either.
They are delicious and make very rich stock, but there's less meat and it's 'toothsome',
you'll end up with more stock than stew.
I slaughter all my cockerels between 12-16 weeks and cook them on the grill for that crispy skin deliciousness and make killer bone stock.
Older birds I pressure cook until meat is cooked then put the rest back for couple hours for gelatinous stock to use in whatever you use stock for.

Whenever you slaughter, and however you cook, make sure to rest the cleaned carcasses for 48-72 hours before cooking or freezing so rigor mortis can pass, will make for much more tender meat(tho still toothsome, it's edible).

You might want to browse the meat birds sub-forum,
here's a search of that forum to get you started:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/se...t=post&o=relevance&c[title_only]=1&c[node]=21