High Desert, California!!

[Moochie]

We are in the High Desert @ 3,000' Our coop is 10 x 12 and built with windows on all four sides covered with chicken wire. The wind prevails from the East to West in the winter in my area. The North and South windows (3'x6') tilt inward to deter the chickens from trying to jump up onto them the other two (2'x2') just have plywood inserts that I remove in the warm season. The chickens have both indoor and outdoor automatic waterers and there are three 150W ceramic heaters above the roosts on a thermostat that is set for 40*. The droppings pit has chicken wire top and a hinged front for east mucking out. I keep +/- 30 hens and eight nest boxes works well. I also have about 30ft of roosting space.

Did you build all that? Very good though either way. We're using a simple metal gardening shed that was already in the backyard when we moved here. Mom added roosts and nest boxes on the inside. Very warm at night but noisy when it rains.

 

[Jade71]

Hello everyone! I am Esther and I live in Cal. City. Hopefully not too much longer though the heat is not agreeing with me.
Anyway, I am soo glad to have found this thread! I really hate to be a newbie and already am asking for something but I have a huge favor to ask.
I am new to chickens and when I bought my babies I found out two of them were roosters. One of them was my son's and he had to give up his little chick which he took ok. I let him have my then 4 week old Easter Egger and he has been building an adorable bond with his chicken. The last two weeks I noticed his comb was getting more red, at first I was hoping against it but as I kept an eye on him I got a sneaky suspision, and it was confirmed this morning by members here that yes it is a little rooster. I told my son (12) and he is absolutely heartbroken. Now here is my question, is there someone close to Cal. City who is willing to foster or take him in? My problem is, I do not know how long before we are able to move to Tehachapi, which when we do move we'd like to be able to take the rooster with us. Now if he is too established where he goes understandably he'd get to stay with whoever would take him. Also would my son be able to visit his buddy? I have pictures of him in my foto album called almost two months old. The last picture is the rooster's chicken buddy, that one is staying with us. It is just the one rooster. Both his feet have crooked toes but that does not seem to stop him and he is as sweet as can be. My son loves to have him on his lap when he studies and sometimes he has the chicken on the diningroom table while my son is doing his homework. His name is Topple. If anyone is interested please let me know. It is breaking my heart having to do this but we have no choice.

 

[perchie.girl]

Hello everyone! I am Esther and I live in Cal. City. Hopefully not too much longer though the heat is not agreeing with me.
Anyway, I am soo glad to have found this thread! I really hate to be a newbie and already am asking for something but I have a huge favor to ask.
I am new to chickens and when I bought my babies I found out two of them were roosters. One of them was my son's and he had to give up his little chick which he took ok. I let him have my then 4 week old Easter Egger and he has been building an adorable bond with his chicken. The last two weeks I noticed his comb was getting more red, at first I was hoping against it but as I kept an eye on him I got a sneaky suspision, and it was confirmed this morning by members here that yes it is a little rooster. I told my son (12) and he is absolutely heartbroken. Now here is my question, is there someone close to Cal. City who is willing to foster or take him in? My problem is, I do not know how long before we are able to move to Tehachapi, which when we do move we'd like to be able to take the rooster with us. Now if he is too established where he goes understandably he'd get to stay with whoever would take him. Also would my son be able to visit his buddy? I have pictures of him in my foto album called almost two months old. The last picture is the rooster's chicken buddy, that one is staying with us. It is just the one rooster. Both his feet have crooked toes but that does not seem to stop him and he is as sweet as can be. My son loves to have him on his lap when he studies and sometimes he has the chicken on the diningroom table while my son is doing his homework. His name is Topple. If anyone is interested please let me know. It is breaking my heart having to do this but we have no choice.

It takes them a couple of months for them to start crowing. And then it will sound like someone is playing the Kazoo. Do you think you will be moving by then? You might wait till he starts crowing before you consider re-home him.

Oh and Welcome.

deb

 

[Jade71]

Hello Deb, thank you for the welcome

For now we are looking at one maybe two years before we move. I have to say though I wish we moved yesterday. I've lived here now almost 20 years and the heat is doing a number on me.
Anyway, when we notified our neighbors they had no problems with chickens, it's roosters that would be a big problem. And since we are too closed in with other neighbors, well I rather not get some sort of citation or worse having to let go of all my babies.

 

[perchie.girl]

Hello Deb, thank you for the welcome

For now we are looking at one maybe two years before we move. I have to say though I wish we moved yesterday. I've lived here now almost 20 years and the heat is doing a number on me.
Anyway, when we notified our neighbors they had no problems with chickens, it's roosters that would be a big problem. And since we are too closed in with other neighbors, well I rather not get some sort of citation or worse having to let go of all my babies.

Dang.... oh well. I have family in Ridgecrest area and the heat there is brutal. Make sure you keep up on your electrolytes and keep hydrated. I keep a gallon jug of water everywhere I light. By the computer in the bed room and in the truck. So I have access to water at all times. I got heatstroke one year and ever since I take double care.

deb

 

[Jade71]

Oh my! I understand your pain. I had two sunstrokes in the last 5 years. The last one was the worst where I actually passed out in front of my family. My husband caught me before I hit the ground but it sure scared the dickens out of us. Since then I renamed this town *ell city. But yeah, all silliness aside it is a serious problem for me and we have to move. For now, like you, I am constantly lugging water with me where ever I go, even out in the backyard.

 

[perchie.girl]

Oh my! I understand your pain. I had two sunstrokes in the last 5 years. The last one was the worst where I actually passed out in front of my family. My husband caught me before I hit the ground but it sure scared the dickens out of us. Since then I renamed this town *ell city. But yeah, all silliness aside it is a serious problem for me and we have to move. For now, like you, I am constantly lugging water with me where ever I go, even out in the backyard.

Yep once you've had one I believe you are susceptible thereafter. I've lived in arid hot climates most of my life. Matter of fact here is the mildest It only gets to 110 on occasion.

deb

 

[ccar2000]

Hi Jade,
Welcome to the site Sorry to hear about your dilemma. I am in Littlerock, not really interested in short term adoption and a little far from Cal City to travel for a visit but I do not currently have a rooster and I have about 25 layers. Pictures of my coop/run are just above your first post.

 

[ccar2000]

Hello Moochie,
Sorry that I did not see your post a couple of weeks ago. Yes, my youngest daughter and I built the coop as a High School project for her senior year about three years ago. It is holding up really well and keeps the chickens comfortable year out. You can see in the pictures that we have since split the yard in half and added a second outdoor waterer. Currently my girlfriend and I are building a little brooder house that will keep the chicks indoors from 1-day old until they are ready to be open to their side of the run so we can raise chicks to pullets before combining the flock.

 

[Jade71]

Hi Jade,
Welcome to the site Sorry to hear about your dilemma. I am in Littlerock, not really interested in short term adoption and a little far from Cal City to travel for a visit but I do not currently have a rooster and I have about 25 layers. Pictures of my coop/run are just above your first post.

Hello ccar,

Thank you for the welcome
Litlerock might be a bit too far away for us. So far we have not found anyone yet willing to take him But we will keep hoping.
If we cannot find anyone would you be willing to take him?