Tag: TBN Ranch

We Have Babies!

Blue Sex-link Hatch-a-long Chicks, Spring 2025

Meet the newest additions to our little chicken farm! Raven, our resident mama, is a Silkie and the only hen here willing to raise chicks. This is her third time raising hatch-a-longs. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, let me explain.
Since we don’t have a rooster, our eggs aren’t fertilized. That means when a hen goes broody—sitting on a nest, determined to hatch eggs—it’s bound to be unsuccessful. She’ll continue sitting on them for 21 days or more before eventually giving up. However, before this happens, I buy baby chicks from the feed store. After dark, I gently take away her eggs and place the baby chicks under her.
Not all hens will accept chicks this way, but so far, it has been 100% successful on our farm!
Tip: The chicks should be no more than 3 days old.

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A Little Bit of Country in the Big City

Our little hobby farm was once tucked away in a quiet corner of Phoenix, but over the years, the city has grown around us, bringing many changes. Housing developments and businesses have increased traffic, and the once-tranquil surroundings are now filled with the constant hum of a nearby freeway—a freeway that didn’t even exist when we first bought this property. We also live near what was once a small airport, which has since grown into one of the busiest in the country. As a result, overhead air traffic and noise have become part of our daily lives.

Our hobby farm

Yet, amidst all this change, our little hobby farm remains much the same. We still raise chickens and visit the local feed store, a community staple since 1966. Walking into the store feels like stepping back in time, with the scent of fresh hay and grain in the air, friendly faces, and free-roaming feathered friends adding to the charm.

One of those friends is a regular at the feed store—a large turkey who follows me around and always makes me feel welcome. He’s often in the way, taking his sweet time strutting in front of my truck—especially when I’m in a hurry. Guinea hens perch on the rooftops like vigilant security guards, while the resident chickens entertain with their antics in a unique rustic enclosure.

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Happy Hens in Phoenix Miserable Heat

Keeping Chickens Comfortable, Here’s a Few Tips

It’s been a rough summer for our hens here in Phoenix. The temperatures have soared to 117 and averaged around 110 for more than 35 days since June. And… only one day of rain, in the last 4 months.
But my hens are doing great! Why, how? Well, my girls are in a large 10×10 covered pen inside a covered shedrow barn. They have shade tarps on the south, east & west side for protection from the sun. I hang a simple box fan on their pen, and a mist system far enough away to keep the pen dry, but cooler.

Shedrow Barn
Coop Inside

Here they are today, the outside temperature is 110, and 108 in the barn, no panting, or holding their wings away from their sides. They are smart enough to find just the right spot where they can catch a cool breeze from the mister, and as you can see, they are resting comfortably.  🙂

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