New to chickens in AZ

[Ponypoor]

Hello everyone! As the title says, I am new to keeping chickens and am excited to be on this new journey, We decided it was finally time to get some chickens and start enjoying the fresh eggs they provide. Last weekend we started our journey by purchasing many of the materials needed to build the coop and run, and got 12 chicks at a local feed store. The plan was to build an inexpensive (relatively) coop and run and the first trip to the hardware store reflected that @ about $400.

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We are not carpenters, and don't have a lot of skills in this realm, so please bear with me and don't judge too harshly. We decided we would build a raised 4'x8' coop with an 8'x16' attached run. With the plan set and materials on hand, we began to construct the new coop. As we worked, the plans continually changed, extra bracing was added, new designs were implemented, and before we knew it, we were headed back to the hardware store for more wood and supplies. By the end of our second trip, the build cost was @ about $1200 total. This is what we had completed by the end of the day.

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It is at this point that we learned that we has some flaws with our coop design and that it was not large enough for our 12 chickens. Now we needed to figure out how we could use what we had built and make it work. In the end we decided to go with an open air coop and not put a wall on the front of the coop. The 3 vertical boards will likely be removed from the front wall once we have attached the siding on top, to allow for a completely open front wall. This design should allow the space we have to support the chickens and help keep them cooler during HOT summers, by allowing maximum air flow. We are also considering adding solar powered fans on the sides of the coop and a misting system around the perimeter of the run before the temperatures rise again next summer.

After work today we were able to work some more on the build and got the door on the coop, installed the floor in the nesting boxes, got the siding on the sides (mostly), and got the structure for the run built and in place. We were only able to work for a few hours, so did not get as much done as we would have liked, but hope to finish the build tomorrow. Here are some pics of the progress we made today.

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After calling it quits this evening, we decided to make another run to the hardware store to get a few more things to complete the build, like shingles, an additional sheet of plywood for the roof, paint and painting supplies, hinges for the nesting box door, etc. We are hopeful that we have everything needed now to complete the build, but I would not be surprised if we have to make another trip to the hardware store before we finish. At this point we have spent ~$1800 on our "budget" chicken coop and run. What a bargain!!

The first order of business tomorrow will be to build and shingle the roof. Once the roof is on we will finish applying the siding to the nesting boxes and upper portions of the coop, frame out and build the door for the run, and finally attach hardware cloth to the entire run. After we complete those tasks we will caulk and seal everything, paint the coop, install the nesting box dividers and roosting bars, and finally, prepare to move the chicks into their new digs.

That sounds like owning horses!

One can very easily become a Millionaire with horses...

All you have to do is start with a Billion dollars

Looks good so far and I love the baby chicks. Will read onward to find out how you got on.

 

[BlueBaby]

Ok, so we got the brooder set up and everything running. We had to go to TSC to get some pine shavings and starter feed and while we were there we decided to get a few chicks ahead of the shipment we will get in a few days. The idea was to get 3 chicks now because it would be easy to teach them where the water and food were and then they would show the new chicks in a few days. Unfortunately, TSC had requires a minimum of 4 chicks, so we naturally left with 10. Chicken math at it's best.

We ended up with 5 White leghorn pullets and 5 Blue Plymouth Rock pullets. They are all doing well and took to the vertical nipple drinker immediately. Now they mostly race between the waterer and the brooder plate, with periodic stops at a feeder.

Now for a couple of pics and a short video.

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You've got your chicken math down well, already. I'm a hatch-a-holic, and I just hatched 3 duckling's a couple of day's ago, and I woke up this morning to one chick already hatched in my incubator, and 4 more egg's in there that look like they will be hatching soon too.

 

[TwoCrows]

Ok, so we got the brooder set up and everything running. We had to go to TSC to get some pine shavings and starter feed and while we were there we decided to get a few chicks ahead of the shipment we will get in a few days. The idea was to get 3 chicks now because it would be easy to teach them where the water and food were and then they would show the new chicks in a few days. Unfortunately, TSC had requires a minimum of 4 chicks, so we naturally left with 10. Chicken math at it's best.

We ended up with 5 White leghorn pullets and 5 Blue Plymouth Rock pullets. They are all doing well and took to the vertical nipple drinker immediately. Now they mostly race between the waterer and the brooder plate, with periodic stops at a feeder.

Now for a couple of pics and a short video.

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Very nice!

 

[DotToDot]

Welcome to BYC! We’re so happy to have you here.

 

[LTAY1946]

Hello and Welcome to BYC!

 

[Lpsouth1978]

Wednesday, we finally got the chicks we ordered back in march. That brought us up to 35 chicks in the house. Overall they are all doing great. They are constantly chirping, eating, drinking, and of course pooping. All the things healthy chicks should. Unfortunately, we did lose one Novagen White chick last night. I did not see any outward signs as to the cause, but It was just outside the brooder plate, so my guess is that it got smothered overnight.

I don't know entirely which chick is what breed at this point, but I do know that we now have (not including the current flock):

- 5 White Leghorns
- 5 Blue Plymouth Rocks
- 4 Novagen Whites
- 5 Novagen Browns
- 5 Barred Plymouth Rocks
- 5 Chocolate Copper Queens
- 5 ColorPack Layers

 

[TwoCrows]

Wednesday, we finally got the chicks we ordered back in march. That brought us up to 35 chicks in the house. Overall they are all doing great. They are constantly chirping, eating, drinking, and of course pooping. All the things healthy chicks should. Unfortunately, we did lose one Novagen White chick last night. I did not see any outward signs as to the cause, but It was just outside the brooder plate, so my guess is that it got smothered overnight.

I don't know entirely which chick is what breed at this point, but I do know that we now have (not including the current flock):

- 5 White Leghorns
- 5 Blue Plymouth Rocks
- 4 Novagen Whites
- 5 Novagen Browns
- 5 Barred Plymouth Rocks
- 5 Chocolate Copper Queens
- 5 ColorPack Layers

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VERY nice setup! The chick's have really taken to the nipple waterers, great job!

 

[Bella the Chicken Lover]

Hi and Welcome to BYC! Glad you decided to join us!
Btw, nice dog in your pic! Lol

 

[Lpsouth1978]

Another question for all you Arizona chicken parents. At what age do you think it will be ok to put the chicks outside? All of the chicks are between 2 and 2.5 weeks old now, but having 30 chicks in the house takes up a lot of space and the house is getting stinky faster with so many QUICKLY growing birds. Also, they are almost big enough to jump out of the brooder pen we have set up. I am either going to have to move them outside, or devise some sort of LARGE cover for the brooder.

On another note, we did lose a total of 4 birds in the first week after receiving the shipment. I believe 2 were smothered, but not sure on the others. The last one I found before it passed. It was weak, but alert, so I removed it and used a pipette to offer it water with Sav-a-chick in it. It drank quite a bit and seemed to be improving. Immediately after putting it back in the brooder, it drank some more on its own and even ate a little bit of food. Encouraged, I went to bed. In the morning, I found it lying on the ground, still alive, but not alert, couldn't stand, or lift its head. It could only kick it's legs and even then just barely. In the end, I decided to cull it instead of let it continue to suffer. The remaining birds all seem to be strong, healthy, and growing quickly.

Anyway, any thoughts on moving them outside would be greatly appreciated!

 

[TwoCrows]

Another question for all you Arizona chicken parents. At what age do you think it will be ok to put the chicks outside? All of the chicks are between 2 and 2.5 weeks old now, but having 30 chicks in the house takes up a lot of space and the house is getting stinky faster with so many QUICKLY growing birds. Also, they are almost big enough to jump out of the brooder pen we have set up. I am either going to have to move them outside, or devise some sort of LARGE cover for the brooder.

On another note, we did lose a total of 4 birds in the first week after receiving the shipment. I believe 2 were smothered, but not sure on the others. The last one I found before it passed. It was weak, but alert, so I removed it and used a pipette to offer it water with Sav-a-chick in it. It drank quite a bit and seemed to be improving. Immediately after putting it back in the brooder, it drank some more on its own and even ate a little bit of food. Encouraged, I went to bed. In the morning, I found it lying on the ground, still alive, but not alert, couldn't stand, or lift its head. It could only kick it's legs and even then just barely. In the end, I decided to cull it instead of let it continue to suffer. The remaining birds all seem to be strong, healthy, and growing quickly.

Anyway, any thoughts on moving them outside would be greatly appreciated!

You can brood them outside as long as you have a place that is draft free and you can keep them heated to upper 70s day and night for now, lower the heat by 5 degrees until fully feathered or 5 weeks or so.