Arizona Chickens

[bunsnpupsnchick]

The Horned Toad (aka Horny Toad Lizard) is the only one I know of that squirts blood from its eyes, though it's rare for it to do so. We've handled many of them from baby to full-grown elder and have yet to be squirted.

They're pretty neat looking. I kinda miss finding Larry out in the yard. I'm not a reptile fan in any way what so ever. Much as I love animals & nature...I respect their place in the world & their purpose. Massive awe for you handling them! Not something I could do.

 

[desertmarcy]

The Horned Toad (aka Horny Toad Lizard) is the only one I know of that squirts blood from its eyes, though it's rare for it to do so. We've handled many of them from baby to full-grown elder and have yet to be squirted.

http://www.asknature.org/strategy/32df43605fa6de230f3c3b4fd2b49f80 This article has a good description of this defensive mechanism used by horned lizards. It seems they use this as a last defense and handling them gently probably does not inspire in them a need to do this. I've also handled them and never seen one do this.

 

[MagicChicken]

Folks,

I haven't used it yet, but I bought an electric hand-held (like a weed whacker) SunJoe rototiller that's "supposed" to cut about 6 inches wide and 6 inches deep, and weighs less than 10 pounds. Yeah, still sitting brand new in the box for the last 18 months (like everything else I buy...LOL), but hope to use it while I'm on vacation all month. I'm not going to look for the receipt, but it may have been +- $100 bucks. It's reportedly good for small gardening projects, tilling those small veggie/flower beds.

I plan on using it in the near future, back to the drawing board, because I tend to draw and design extensively before putting my plans into action. I, too, want to have some type of water supply out to the run.

Raising chickens shouldn't be complicated, but I tend to over prepare and compensate for my future endeavor when I retire in a few months. My run is basically done, will be completely closed in with hardware cloth, including the top, no wild birds or two- or four-legged uninvited guests will have access. Built from the ground up, it's basically four 8x8 foot squares with a half portion reserved for watching Chicken TV. The wide opening in the center will be the entrance, and the space will be completely open to walk around. I will plant a small 6x6 coop in one of the sections.

I'll update you on how that little tiller works because I want to run a water supply and electric out there. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

Just curious, how will you access it to clean/change feed & water/check on birds/retrieve eggs laid in the run?

 

[DesertChic]

They're pretty neat looking. I kinda miss finding Larry out in the yard. I'm not a reptile fan in any way what so ever. Much as I love animals & nature...I respect their place in the world & their purpose. Massive awe for you handling them! Not something I could do.

They're completely docile and can actually be rather sweet. We had a mating pair living in the rocks outside my front door and they would hang out near us all the time. Eventually they birthed over 20 babies. It was so cute! We had little baby Horned Toads running around eating all the ants that had been plaguing us. I view the presence of Horned Toads as a sign of good luck.

 

[DesertChic]

Hello:3. I am from Douglas. I'm only 16 and I have little experience with the chicken business, I am learning a lot. I actually won $1000 from national FFA to start my own organic egg business and all has been perfect. I bought my very first 9 chicks in February, and they recently laid their first eggs. But I think someone might be stealing my eggs. It makes me sad :'(. I have been dealing with some heat issues but I am trying my best. I hope to learn more

Hello and welcome! The BYC is a great place to learn more about chickens. The amount of info I've accumulated from reading through the various threads and articles here have proven invaluable to me. Good luck and happy learning!

 

[ejcrist]

Hello:3. I am from Douglas. I'm only 16 and I have little experience with the chicken business, I am learning a lot. I actually won $1000 from national FFA to start my own organic egg business and all has been perfect. I bought my very first 9 chicks in February, and they recently laid their first eggs. But I think someone might be stealing my eggs. It makes me sad :'(. I have been dealing with some heat issues but I am trying my best. I hope to learn more

Hey there. Sounds like you got off to a neat start. Sorry to hear about any missing eggs. I don't know what kind of a setup you have but I keep the coop, attached run, and egg boxes (accessible from outside) under lock and key. I'm not so much worried about people as I am coons. I've had many a bad experiences with coons in the past and I know how cunning they can be. If you can secure your setup you might prevent future missing eggs. And that goes for both the two-legged, 4 legged, and crawling predators. Also, just something to think about, my girls have been laying less since the temperature has been over about 105 F every day. I wonder if that's what's going on down your way too. I believe Douglas is a little cooler than where I'm at above Phoenix but it still gets pretty hot.

 

[Sill]

Hello:3. I am from Douglas. I'm only 16 and I have little experience with the chicken business, I am learning a lot. I actually won $1000 from national FFA to start my own organic egg business and all has been perfect. I bought my very first 9 chicks in February, and they recently laid their first eggs. But I think someone might be stealing my eggs. It makes me sad :'(. I have been dealing with some heat issues but I am trying my best. I hope to learn more

Congrats on winning the scholarship! Yes on the 'coons, they can even open latches so locks are best.

Folks,

I haven't used it yet, but I bought an electric hand-held (like a weed whacker) SunJoe rototiller that's "supposed" to cut about 6 inches wide and 6 inches deep, and weighs less than 10 pounds. Yeah, still sitting brand new in the box for the last 18 months (like everything else I buy...LOL), but hope to use it while I'm on vacation all month. I'm not going to look for the receipt, but it may have been +- $100 bucks. It's reportedly good for small gardening projects, tilling those small veggie/flower beds.

I plan on using it in the near future, back to the drawing board, because I tend to draw and design extensively before putting my plans into action. I, too, want to have some type of water supply out to the run.

Raising chickens shouldn't be complicated, but I tend to over prepare and compensate for my future endeavor when I retire in a few months. My run is basically done, will be completely closed in with hardware cloth, including the top, no wild birds or two- or four-legged uninvited guests will have access. Built from the ground up, it's basically four 8x8 foot squares with a half portion reserved for watching Chicken TV. The wide opening in the center will be the entrance, and the space will be completely open to walk around. I will plant a small 6x6 coop in one of the sections.

I'll update you on how that little tiller works because I want to run a water supply and electric out there. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

Looks like a great start! Is the top going to be fully open?

 

[Sill]

They're completely docile and can actually be rather sweet. We had a mating pair living in the rocks outside my front door and they would hang out near us all the time. Eventually they birthed over 20 babies. It was so cute! We had little baby Horned Toads running around eating all the ants that had been plaguing us. I view the presence of Horned Toads as a sign of good luck.

How adorable! I didn't know they gave live birth.

 

[Bobby Basham]

I would just use PVC pipe to run a garden hose or an extension cord through it out to the run, maybe even some speaker wires to pipe some music out there to keep the girls entertained. Nothing fancy, just two to three inches deep, can be ripped out anytime. The large opening to the left of the deck is where I will make a door with a lock. It's 48 inches wide, so I may divide that in half to make a narrower entrance.

The previous pics you've seen are the RUN ONLY and is only 5 feet tall. I'm 5'8" on a good day, so it's no problem for me. Other than the open observation deck, the entire run will be enclosed in hardware cloth, including the top. There will be planter boxes all around the perimeter to hide the extended hardware cloth and grow some veggies, maybe a few shrubs and some vines.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread, but the issue of buried water lines etc., got my attention, and just remembered I purchased a small item that may get the job done. Being a musician, I like to "improvise" as I go, and these little ideas just pop up. It's easier for me to run these items through the pipe than trying to get into the complications of being a plumber and/or electrician tapping into a circuit box. This is not a permanent installation.

Oh, I like to draw and constantly redesigning (aka Procrastination), but the coop is on the way. These are old preliminary plans from over a year ago. I have to rethink windows, foundation, ventilation etc. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

 

[DesertChic]

So I went down to my aquaponics room this afternoon to find a 4+ foot long Red Racer snake stretched across one of the beds, drinking water as it fell from one bed to the next. Upon seeing me it climbed down into one of the cement blocks...completely unreachable. I told my husband...he totally freaked out and wants it gone. (He really doesn't like snakes.) Me? I'm thinking we now have an efficient solution to our growing mouse problem. And maybe this is also why we haven't been seeing many toads around here this year.