Hello from Tombstone!

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DEP67

DEP67

Chirping
Feb 23, 2020
31
266
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Tombstone, AZ
My wife and I are just getting started on learning about raising chickens. First things first, we're trying to figure out how many, and then coop size and location. We think 8-10 chickens will be more than enough for us, so the coop won't have to be huge (they will have an outdoor run as well), but we are concerned about the temperature fluctuations between summer heat and winter freezing, not to mention the monsoons we get here. Predators could be an issue, but since I tend to overbuild everything I make, I am hoping to have the predator concern covered.
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC! :frow

Chickens need about 5 square foot per bird in the coop, not including nest boxes or roosts. (1 ft of space on the roost per bird). And 10 square foot per bird in the run.

Chickens become acclimated to their environment over time and can handle pretty big swings in temp. We see 40 degree swings very often. They adapt. Get a hardy breed like Buff Orpingtons, Black Australorps, Barred Rocks, etc...

Make yourself at home here and ask as many questions as needed. Welcome aboard! :)
 
Hello, and welcome! I'm in AZ. also. In the summer make sure there's plenty of cool fresh clean water and shaded places to go to get out of the sun. I used to put up a small mister when I used to have those fluffier breed's. Now I have the Naked Neck's that have less feathering, and they handle the heat better.
 
Welcome! I live north of Phoenix, where it barely tops 100F. Of course, that's still "extreme heat" for chickens. Here's my two cents:
Artificial shade from a shade cloth 6 feet up is a very distant 99th place to real shade from a big established tree in terms of how many degrees cooling you get.
You'll likely have to be cooping up the birds for night, when it's still quite hot out.
Look at the desert oasis thread (I think by igorsmistress).
Consider the whole food chain-- if you can keep out the mice, you'll also be repelling snakes and other predators that would eat the mice.
A top rail along a fence serves as a "roost here" sign, so if you have a choice, you might keep birds confined more successfully without a top rail, using a top wire instead for support.
I second the advice already given about choosing your breeds for heat tolerance, space, etc. and the idea of a mister. Also, you'll probably want a fan, so you'll want the coop to be close to an electrical source.
Best of luck in your chicken endevors!
 

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