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Now that I'm in the Valley, I only have coturnix quail. They've been panting a bit. I'm using a small cottage cheese tub half filled with ice, dumped onto a plant pot tray. They took right to it. When I had chickens I used trays similar to what you have, plus some smaller/shallower. But I just...

Welcome! There are many open air coops. I used to use a dirt floor. The birds could dig dust baths, if your coop is large, a coop-run hybrid. Here's a design I love by igorsmistress: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/a-desert-oasis-updated-03-2024.75224/

I think it looks wonderful!

I didn't have a hoop coop, but for a while I had an arc--a 14 ft trampoline frame, with the 2 semicircles spaced 6 ft apart by no-climb fencing. So, the 14 ft diameter arc was covered with 2 layers of shatex 90% shade cloth. No annoying flapping in the wind, and underneath was always bone dry...

I used to use a baby monitor to make sure the chicks were OK. It had two pieces: the part that goes in the coop and the part the parent has, which had a small screen. It was in black and white, but was more than adequate to make sure the babies were doing well. For overnight I kept the parent...

I had an HOA up north, most communities created in this state have them, at least for a while. In cordes lakes, the HOA is defunct. In spring valley, it is alive and well---but whenever someone has a complaint, like noise, weeds, etc, the HOA web site tells them to call the county. in other...

I had probably this same exact model. It has a light on the control so you'll know it's working. I preferred to have a lamp with smaller bulbs than the usual 250 watt, but this heat pad does what the $100 or so brooder plate does for much less. I used about 12/18 inch section of 2/4 fence wire...

Sounds like you have most of the "skeleton" of the coop/run. You can make a door at least a couple ways: 1) use 2-3 or 2x2 lumber cut to about 5-6 feet long. Use lumber "straps". Just make sure you find the flexible ones. here's one, not sure if it's the one I used...

I used to have one. It didn't get too hot for two reasons: I lived north of the valley, so the record high was about 114, and the usual high was not much over a hundred, and it cooled off significantly before roost time, unlike in the valley. also, I had it under shade. I never had any luck...

We did a 3-course wall staggered, and built our 4x8 foot duck house on top of it. It wasn't cinder blocks all around though, but just at the corners. That was in 2015, I've seen it fairly recently and it's still standing. Because it wasn't continuous it didn't retain water. We didn't use mortar...

Why not an apron around the outside of the pen/coop. I did that, using the rabbit type fencing (2x3 graduating down to 1x3 I think). I was only trying to keep out predators and larger digging pests, not mice with this type of fencing. I used available rocks to hold it down, and wire to fasten...

It's not always as simple as "if you plan your time you can do it" I wish it were. Taking care of the flock, building and disassembling and reassembling the runs all by myself, etc, take their toll. And it is hard to plan for the "emergencies" that loved ones come up with, unfortunately.

I can't believe this is happening--my chicken days are coming to an end. I bought the hatchery surprise last year because it's something I always wanted to do. I ended up with a lovely 5 hens with colorful eggs. I bought a sapphire assortment this spring to try to keep up with hubs' egg...

Welcome back! I think meetups sound great, though I'm a bit north of Phx. Maybe the other bird is a California gray, or California white??

well I'm still using the heat up here in the house. I'll be weaning the chicks off the heat after a few days, when I'm once again able to take the frost protection off the outdoor spigots.

I meant walmart.com, seems the stores hardly have anything these days.

I have some I got from walmart, they also come in 50 watt but I only used the 100 watt. I have 2, 75 watt bulbs also, so the 100 was to supplement overnight when I had them brooding in the laundry room last spring.

How did you know it was out, do you have a monitor on them?

I tried the 20% once, it didn't do anything.

so sorry I'm just now reading this and wasn't there for you to talk you down from the chick purchasing ledge!