Getting Chicks...Got Butterflies!

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Joious

Joious

Chirping
10 Years
Aug 30, 2009
9
0
65
San Tan Valley
Hello All!
I grew up in Northern CA and am currently reside with my wonderful hubby, 2 kids (9 y/o daughter & almost 4 y/o son), about 45 miles SE of Phoenix in a little subdivision. I asked my HOA if we could get chickens and they said YES!!! We've decided we want Easter Eggers and I'm about to order them in the family pack from http://www.randallBurkey.com/5-Chick-Family-Special/productinfo/80248 Now what do I do? I'll ready the brooder, while reading "Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens", which unfortunately comes WITH the chicks and not before. I have spent hours poring over the posts on this site and other Chicken web sites. I just hope to be a good momma bird. My son keeps telling me "I want to hold the baby bird in my hand!" Me too but I'm afraid my 2 big dogs might want to hold the chicks in their mouth.
These are my fears:
1. Killing them for lack of knowledge
2. Not being able to protect them from our Lab and Lab/Australian Shepherd/Pit Mutt
3. Not being able to protect them from the elements, i.e. how do I build a coop the keep them from cooking in 114 degree heat and not freeze during 32 degree winter nights (a good friend lost several chickens one cold winter night when the heat light failed to work)
4. Keeping them quite so my HOA doesn't make me get rid of them
Any advice?
Thank you in advance
 
The heat will be a challenge, but I don't understand losing chickens to 32 degree cold; makes no sense; they can tolerate much colder temps than that, with no supplemental heat. I very much suspect something else killed those chickens, if they were full grown, of course.

They will need shade and very good ventilation. You might look into a swamp cooler. They work well in your arid climate and are inexpensive, just a modified fan. All they will need in winter is protection from direct drafts on the roost at night; they will not need a heat lamp in that climate.

Have you built a coop yet? Be sure it is large enough for ample air movement.

For the babies, outdoor temps are already warm enough for them during the day, and 85 at night is nearly warm enough. I would definitely brood them in the coop, and would probably remove the light even at night after the first week. They will need protection from direct drafts but still will need plenty of fresh air, even as babies. Best to acclimate them to your climate from a very early age. If you are thinking of brooding them indoors, they will be accustomed to air conditioning, I assume; not helpful for them, in my opinion.

Here is a thread about hot weather coops to look over. Even if you already have a coop, it will give you some ideas of their needs. Don't make the mistake of making it cramped or to low, if you have not built one; they need the air movement.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=163417

You can get a good quick overview of the basics of raising baby chicks here in the learning center, til you get your Story's to have at hand.
 
Thank you DDawn and Hello Camelot Farms. I haven't built anything yet. I thought I'd have a few weeks to brood them inside. I haven't ordered them yet either so I have some time. Most of the feed stores get their chickens in September so that's when I was going to have mine delivered. Thank you for the link, I'll look at the coops now!
 
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from S. Florida! Glad you joined! Thats good advice from ddawn. Enjoy those chickens!
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