Im about to make my first venture into chicken ownership.

I have a question I havent been able to find an answer to though, so I figured someone here may know.

I live in Las Vegas, and I'm wondering if I need to take any precautions for the chickens against the summer heat (110+ degrees ).

Im looking at getting some araucana's for laying purposes, but I've also heard good things about R.I. Reds.

Any tips or suggestions for the first time chicken owner?

[edit on 2-2-2010 by brainwrek]

I had great success with both, but I'm partial to reds. Heat can be an issue, keep them FRESH watered very very well, once you start getting production gather very early without fail, provide direct sun cover and good air flow, watch for predators, do a nice fence, I buried the bottom of mine INTO the ground but I've seen guys just attach boards across the bottom as well. Keep a good feed dry, and make sure you shell and grit them but not too heavy. Keep track of your supply and wash your eggs to eat ONLY directly before eating them, and have fun, youll enjoy it, (one other concern, read up on the waste and take precautions)

Those damned chicken experts, they're here when you don't need em, then gone when you need em

Do I need to worry about chickens eating any part of my small garden, or will they be beneficial in terms of eating any plant attacking bugs?

Thanks for your informative answer

Originally posted by brainwrek
Do I need to worry about chickens eating any part of my small garden, or will they be beneficial in terms of eating any plant attacking bugs?

Thanks for your informative answer

Youre going to free range them? I dont advise that without knowing more about your geography, it's not pretty when they become discovered and mauled, youll lose your chickens quick to dogs, fox and such.
As far as garden attacks, I never had a problem with them eating my plants just tearing them up from scratching, now DUCKS, I tried those once, they destroyed my garden, I then relaliated with a full frontal assault

Originally posted by brainwrek
Do I need to worry about chickens eating any part of my small garden,

The green parts of the tomato, potato, eggplant and rubarb are toxic but most animals will not eat them. Chickens will eat young sprouts and ripe beans (also will pick up seeds before they germinate) so protect your plants at vulnerable stages in their growth.

Chickens are easy to raise. Like said before, keep lots of fresh water available, and shade.
May I suggest you look into a "chicken tractor"... imagine a lightweight frame...PVC or wood... about 4' by 4', mounted on a sled or skids, covered on all sides with chicken wire or foul netting... except the bottom is open or not covered. The front wall has the waterer and feed trough mounted... the rear wall a place to roost and lay eggs. The roost is slightly tilted back so the eggs roll back and out so you can access and retrieve them. Every day, you simply pull the "tractor" forward allowing new ground for the chickens to peck, eat, scratch, and poop on. Works good in unused areas of garden in between crop plantings and rotation. A series of these can accommodate maybe 4-6 chickens per 4x4 "tractor" healthily.
There are various plans available on the net.
Save your poop if in a stationary pen, just layer the pen every week with straw or leaves, for compost and clean out once a month and spread on unused portions of garden and let "cure" out or breakdown and till into soil.
Chicken manure is great fertillizer for garden and grows best tomatoes you ever had.
Chickens will eat most anything and scraps, yard waste, dog food, unfortunately...they will even eat there own if they are sick or weak. We usually keep a scrap bucket in the kitchen for peelings, kitchen scraps, bad left overs...nothing ever goes to waste.
Check for eggs everyday... save the shell after eating, good source of calcium and chickens will eat them.
Start small in numbers, I usually get a new set every spring and fall, and alternate between barr rocks and rhode Island reds, so I know which was last set I got. Buff orpingtons are good too.

I just give them what I have to spare, of course I eat about 3 eggs a day or more if we are doing a lot of cooking or baking.
Sometimes if I have an egg that's questionable, ...as in how old is this egg?, I chunk them into the pen and it breaks...the chickens go crazy eating it.
Good Luck.

I had to know if ATS has chicken experts? lol

One of my friends had a farm that raised them and they had a low shelter for them that they kept them in during the rain/snow and it was not a hot climate as Las Vegas but occasionally it would get extremely hot in summer and the chickens would be kept inside then too.

Seeing as you're in a hot zone I would suggest digging a foot or two in ground and starting the shelter up from there, as it will remain cooler partly underground.

As has been said chickens dont eat plants but they eat seeds and shoots and scratch the place up, her pen had grass originally but the chickens ruin it (where the term chicken scratch comes from). They'll turn it into a desert (if Las Vegas isnt already haha)

i wish this thread was called calling all chicken lovers instead of experts

but what am i gonna do

but man that would be a great day when a thread on ats is titled calling all chicken lovers

but on a serious note, whats up with that chicken picture? what the hell? whats that all about? would love to hear more of the background on that one

Actually I heard a rumour years ago KFC was genetically engineering chickens to come without feathers, without beaks, and minus something else.

The point was that it would save them millions in labour/processing not having to pluck et cetera but it was just speculation and we all know on here how conspiracy theories can be just rumours.

Okay, I'll admit it...I'm a chicken expert, been raising them all my life.

Chickens will do fine in the heat of the desert as long as you keep fresh, cool water available at ALL times, and you will also need some kind of sun cover or shade for them. Big trees work fine if they're big enough to throw off enough shade, otherwise you can make some kind of sun cover. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just something that will allow the chickens to get out of the direct sun.

When it is extremely hot, chickens will often stop laying or lay eggs more sporadically, but this is natural and there's nothing wrong with them. They will start laying again regularly when the weather cools down a bit.

And a word to the wise, it's best to fence off your garden to keep the chickens out of it. Believe me, they will completely decimate your garden over the course of just a few hours if given the chance.

Eggshells are a very good source of calcium and minerals for chickens, but do NOT feed the shells to your chickens if they bear any resemblance to the actual eggshells. Either grind them or crush them up into very, very small pieces first. Otherwise, if you give them to the chickens while they still look like eggshells, some of your chickens may turn into "egg eaters" and they will actually go into the nest and peck, break and eat any newly laid eggs that they find. Once a chicken becomes an "egg eater," the only thing to do with it is either get rid of it or give it away/segregate it and keep it for a pet only. Once an egg eater, always an egg eater.

You can also save all of your table scraps for your chickens, they will absolutely love it. Believe me, chickens will eat anything and everything. The love fruit and vegetables, and yes, even cheese, scrambled eggs, noodles, rice and the like.

If you have any other specific questions, just ask away

Its been a long time but we fed out chickens oyster shells instead of egg shell, but you do want to feed them something of that nature or else the shells of their eggs can become thin. Remember the first few eggs a chicken may lay in its lifetime may come out leathery or deformed. Its normal.

Had to star for the originality of this thread, as for the 110 degree heat, is that enough to cook them? I prefer mine spicy with a bit of garlic to taste.
Sorry had to be the one to lower the tone of the thread and say it.