Urban Chickens (Scottsdale, Flagstaff: house, neighborhood, to live in)

[locolobo13]

Originally Posted by cap1717

yup, you sure will! Neighbor "weirdo" is making me "rehome" my small flock, that has been supplying eggs to half the neighborhood for over a year now. . . .
On the bright side, they will have a wonderful home with a friend in Flagstaff. . .I will no longer be "buying eggs " (feed, treats, care) for the neighbors, and I can happily contemplate getting a much more annoying bird for the coop / aviary! Anyone got a loud, annoying parrot they want to re-home?

Try peacocks.

[Desertspiritsteve]

There have been chickens, turkeys, peacocks and other birds roaming the neighborhood and streets for decades near the house I grew up in and now own. There are even chicken crossing street signs. That would be Flower St. from 32nd. to 34th. streets mostly. Someone must be feeding them. Maybe they drink the irrigation water. The birds treat the neighborhood as their own and kick back in any front yard they choose. No one pays any attention to them. I have no idea how they got there and I hope they never go away. I'm guessing they've been around for 40 years or so. The Republic did an article on the birds fifteen or twenty years ago. I should give my new Canon SLR some exercise and post some pictures here. The birds are really beautiful. An Easter duckling grown up wandered the neighborhood where I live in west central Phoenix. I took her in and she rewarded me with some beautiful blue eggs. She followed me around my back yard like a dog. I found a more suitable home for her with other ducks near Central and Maryland. A big house with a duck pond in the back yard. I had her long enough to name her Bridgette.

[LemonYellow]

Which breeds are doing well in the heat there?

[cap1717]

Originally Posted by locolobo13

Try peacocks.

brilliant suggestion, but on second thought. . . .I lived with the neighbors peacocks in the town of Paradise Valley for years. . . .I think not. . ..

[cap1717]

Originally Posted by LemonYellow

Which breeds are doing well in the heat there?

I have (had) a Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock, (2) Easter Eggers and (2 Ameracauna's). . . .all did fine, but they had plenty of fresh drinking water, multiple shaded areas, "wading" basins, multiple layers of shade, etc. etc. On hottest days they had a misting system and ice blocks. . . keeping them comfortable in the summer is a bit time consuming, but I love my girls. . . .

[cacto]

Originally Posted by Desertspiritsteve

There have been chickens, turkeys, peacocks and other birds roaming the neighborhood and streets for decades near the house I grew up in and now own. There are even chicken crossing street signs. That would be Flower St. from 32nd. to 34th. streets mostly. Someone must be feeding them. Maybe they drink the irrigation water. The birds treat the neighborhood as their own and kick back in any front yard they choose. No one pays any attention to them. I have no idea how they got there and I hope they never go away. I'm guessing they've been around for 40 years or so. The Republic did an article on the birds fifteen or twenty years ago. I should give my new Canon SLR some exercise and post some pictures here. The birds are really beautiful. An Easter duckling grown up wandered the neighborhood where I live in west central Phoenix. I took her in and she rewarded me with some beautiful blue eggs. She followed me around my back yard like a dog. I found a more suitable home for her with other ducks near Central and Maryland. A big house with a duck pond in the back yard. I had her long enough to name her Bridgette.

I've seen a neighborhood around there ( I want to say south of Camelback and east of 24th St. ) where chickens wander the streets everywhere for a few blocks. I'm not joking. They were in yards, crossing the streets in groups, and houses even had signs up for "Chicken Crossing". I even saw a chicken sculpture in one yard. For PHX, it's one of it's wierdest hidden neighborhoods.

[locolobo13]

Originally Posted by cap1717

brilliant suggestion, but on second thought. . . .I lived with the neighbors peacocks in the town of Paradise Valley for years. . . .I think not. . ..

LOL

Yeah. Years ago in Arkansas, someone turned loose peacocks in the hills near my Grandfather's farm. In the summers they slept with the doors & windows open. When we would visit on vacation back in the 60s & 70s the night sounded like a Tarzan movie. That's why I thought of them.

Every once in a while you would see them during the day. Amusing to watch the dog chase them.

[Desertspiritsteve]

I forgot, pheasants, too. Some of the houses sit on bigger lots. I recall seeing a barn structure between Flower and Osborn. It isn't really noticeable from either street. They aren't dumpy looking birds, some are quite colorful. The birds wander to Cheery Lynn and Earl Dr. and as far as 36th. St. Some of the yards are quite lush because of the irrigation.

[cap1717]

Originally Posted by cap1717

I have (had) a Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock, (2) Easter Eggers and (2 Ameracauna's). . . .all did fine, but they had plenty of fresh drinking water, multiple shaded areas, "wading" basins, multiple layers of shade, etc. etc. On hottest days they had a misting system and ice blocks. . . keeping them comfortable in the summer is a bit time consuming, but I love my girls. . . .

There is a "historical and protected" flock of feral chickens in one of the Phoenix neighborhoods. . . .near or in Arcadia, if my memory is correct. Those must be the ones you are seeing. . . .sure wish i lived there, then my sweet hens could stay. . . ..

[Desertspiritsteve]

I had to get my fix of Chi Tikka Masala for lunch today, so drove by my house at 3100 E. Flower and on to 3400 east. That is still the epicenter of the birds. The ground zero of the turkeys. Today I saw lots of young turkeys, some pheasants and some chickens. No peacocks today. Maybe they had the good sense to get out of the heat. Next time I'll take the camera. Hmmm historical feral chickens. I guess these would be the critters. If you had unexpected company you could simply open your front door and run out to get some free range chicken. I wonder if these birds do any damage, like poop on your car or anything?