Life has a way of throwing you right into the deep end, and this particular plunge involves ten chickens, a father in the ICU, and a very determined parrot person who suddenly needs to become a chicken person. We have to say it: this is a cluck-tastic act of love, and you are a hero for stepping up. While we can't fix the stress of a family emergency, we can absolutely sort out the coop situation. You are not as clueless as you think, and your 20 years of parrot experience is a massive head start, even if it feels like comparing apples to, well, oranges. For a little perspective on identifying your new feathered friends, check out this mystery about This Roo's Face and Comb Are a Feather-Raising Mystery and a guide on Help me egg-samine these 5-week-old Easter Eggers: boys or girls to get a feel for the fun of fowl identification.
First, let's talk about that space. You are absolutely right that the aviary is too small for ten birds to live in full-time. Think of it this way: your parrots are indoor royalty, but chickens are outdoor rowdies who need room to scratch, dust-bathe, and have a little "fowl play." Your plan for a 10x10 metal dog kennel kit is a solid, quick solution. That gives them the 100 square feet the internet is yelling about, and with a roof cover for the brutal Phoenix sun, you are already ahead of the game. Your dirt yard is perfect, they will love that sandy soil for dust baths. For flooring inside the kennel, skip the complicated stuff. A deep layer of pine shavings (not cedar, which is toxic) is your best friend. It absorbs, it composts, and you can just scoop out the mess. Those manzanita branches you have? Yes, use them! They make excellent roosts. Chickens prefer a flat perch (a 2x4 with the rounded edge up is ideal), but sturdy branches work fine. Give them about 8-10 inches of roost space per bird.
Now, the nitty-gritty. Yes, you need calcium for those eggs. Crushed oyster shells in a separate feeder, free-choice, is the standard. Your quail experience here is directly transferable. For feeders and waterers, get the hanging metal kind that keep the birds from pooping in them. The "pest and bacteria" battle is won with daily diligence: dump and scrub the waterer every day, and do a full bedding change in the run every week or two. In the Phoenix heat, shade is life. That misting system on your porch is a genius idea if you can run a line out to the new kennel, or at least put a frozen water jug in the run for them to lean against. The block wall is a great start, but raccoons and coyotes can climb. You already know about hardware cloth, use it to bury a skirt around the base of the kennel to stop diggers, and secure the roof. You are building a fortress, and it is the right call.
The biggest question here is the rooster. Your city allows ten birds, but check if your suburb has a noise ordinance. A rooster is a loud, proud alarm clock, and Phoenix neighbors can be less forgiving than small-town ones. If he becomes a problem, you might have to rehome him. For now, get the coop set up, get them moved, and then breathe. You have done the hard part. The next few weeks will be a crash course in chicken math, where you realize how much personality comes in those feathered packages. Our concrete takeaway for you is this: forget the "old information" websites and focus on the basics of shade, water, predator-proofing, and deep litter. You have the skills, you have the heart, and you have a community here that has definitely dealt with a broody hen who thinks she's a stick-carrying delivery service. You are not alone in the madness. Now go get those chickens settled, and give yourself a pat on the back for being the best kind of family member.