Arizona Chickens

[Sill]

Don't forget green beans too! I do think the leafy veggies will be mushy BUT still edible as a side dish (think collards) sprinkled with bacon or whatever. Okra? Sweet peppers - in fact any type of pepper. The Asian community does this all the time - they have a special crock for their refrigerator pickles and it just gets put on the table - use chopsticks to get what you want out. This way those fresh veggies that don't get eaten, get pickled for later!! When almost empty - they reuse the pickling liquid just adding to it - someone always has the honor (usually the elder) of drinking the last of the juice!

Yes, peppers work extremely well, as do green onions, but your leafy greens will definitely turn mushy.

I finally got my pickles started! I did three jars; one with hot peppers, two without. I used cukes, carrots, parsley root, Belgian endive, chaya spinach and tried some curry leaf in one of the jars for extra flavor. I topped each jar with a few hard boiled quail eggs to see how they do. It will be fun to see how the color of the veggies holds and the flavors turn out. I'll let them sit for a week before I try them.

Hi everyone, I'm Yolanda, out here in Phoenix, AZ. Got my big walk in coop/duck pen built. I have an Ancona female, breeding pair of Muscovy, 3 Alohas chicks, 1EE, 1EE/Barred rock, 1 EE/?, A Bearded buff silkie, and coturnix quail. Trying to get started on my hobby/urban farm. Have gotten some lovelies donated. Like my Silkie and baclyard mixed chicks. Wanted to hello. Having trouble navigating the site and finding az people. If anyone has little loves (smallstock/livestock) they need to rehome. Please keep me in mind. Other than that, camt wait to get even more infomation from you awesome people!!!!

Welcome Yolanda! What part of Phoenix are you in? I have chickens, muscovies and coturnix at my urban farm.

 

[ejcrist]

Just wanted to pass some info in case anyone didn't know, but you can buy mealworms direct from Chubby Mealworms (http://www.chubbymealworms.com/), and if you buy in bulk their prices are pretty good and shipping is free. I normally buy another brand from the feed store I frequent and they're fairly expensive but from now on I plan to buy from Chubby direct. My flock keeps growing so cost cutting is always something I'm looking for, and a few pennies here and there certainly adds up. One day I hope to start my own mealworm growing set-up but in the meantime I'll purchase freeze-dried. I found all this out from an email from Fresh Eggs Daily. Glad I took the time to read it.

 

[MrsxRobertson]

Hii im off the I 17& Thomas. Its hard finding quail!!! I have 12 fertile jumbo brown coturnix eggs. Trying to debate how to do my first hatch. Unfortunately, i dont have an incubator. Sooo been youtube watching tp get ideas. Do you think my Silkie hen will be good. My Silver leghorn (rip), just wanted to eat the fertile ones i gave her a couple weeks ago.

 

[Sill]

I'm planning to go next weekend (11/15 and/or 16) when we can view the chickens. I believe the judging takes place during the week (Wed or Th). I'm hoping to maybe meet a breeder of Brown Leghorns but I know that's probably a long shot but ya never know. I never been to a poultry showing so I'm really looking forward to it.

I have some brown leghorn pullets that are almost ready to lay. They are from a hatchery though. They are pretty cool chickens, sort of feral, but friendly too. They are excellent foragers and scout for predators. They take the place of a rooster in that regard. I think they are worth having just for that so great for cities that don't allow roosters. And I think they are one of the most beautiful breeds, like a quintessential chicken! I hope you find a breeder locally, please post if you do!

 

[Sill]

Hii im off the I 17& Thomas. Its hard finding quail!!! I have 12 fertile jumbo brown coturnix eggs. Trying to debate how to do my first hatch. Unfortunately, i dont have an incubator. Sooo been youtube watching tp get ideas. Do you think my Silkie hen will be good. My Silver leghorn (rip), just wanted to eat the fertile ones i gave her a couple weeks ago.

You need an incubator. Even banty chickens will break quail eggs. Their eggs are designed to be set by a tiny hen. A coturnix hen is only 6-15 ounces, chickens many times that. I bet the silver leghorn broke the eggs just because of her size, then ate them. Better to get an incubator.

Just wanted to pass some info in case anyone didn't know, but you can buy mealworms direct from Chubby Mealworms (http://www.chubbymealworms.com/), and if you buy in bulk their prices are pretty good and shipping is free. I normally buy another brand from the feed store I frequent and they're fairly expensive but from now on I plan to buy from Chubby direct. My flock keeps growing so cost cutting is always something I'm looking for, and a few pennies here and there certainly adds up. One day I hope to start my own mealworm growing set-up but in the meantime I'll purchase freeze-dried. I found all this out from an email from Fresh Eggs Daily. Glad I took the time to read it.

It's easy to start your own mealworm culture. Get any type of container, even something used cheap at Goodwill, as long as you can vent it it'll work. You can buy their food, wheat bran, in bulk super cheap (Winco Foods) and once you buy your original starter mealworms you don't have to buy them again. I don't like to buy the freeze dried mealworms. Most of them are from China and you have no idea what they fed them with to make them so cheap.

 

[ejcrist]

I have some brown leghorn pullets that are almost ready to lay. They are from a hatchery though. They are pretty cool chickens, sort of feral, but friendly too. They are excellent foragers and scout for predators. They take the place of a rooster in that regard. I think they are worth having just for that so great for cities that don't allow roosters. And I think they are one of the most beautiful breeds, like a quintessential chicken! I hope you find a breeder locally, please post if you do!

Thanks for the info Sill. I totally agree with you. The birds I have are coming on the 25th and I'm very anxious to get them. I'll find a breeder sooner or later and when I do I'll be glad to pass the info along to you. I really love Leghorns. Hopefully one day I'll be a breeder of good stock myself and I can throw some Leghorns your way.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

You mean you can buy chickens there too? Very cool! Gosh you shouldn't have told me that. I already packed the crate in the back of my truck just in case. Man, that's good to know - thanks much!

So I've been told. I know....I'm planning on taking what I can. Just in case.

Though I was also told of guy out my way who's thinning out/getting rid of his birds....all sorts I think young about 4 months or so....I'm supposed to have his information sent to me, but hasn't shown up yet. lol like I need to know he has bantam cochins....so dangerous!!!!

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

Just wanted to pass some info in case anyone didn't know, but you can buy mealworms direct from Chubby Mealworms (http://www.chubbymealworms.com/), and if you buy in bulk their prices are pretty good and shipping is free. I normally buy another brand from the feed store I frequent and they're fairly expensive but from now on I plan to buy from Chubby direct. My flock keeps growing so cost cutting is always something I'm looking for, and a few pennies here and there certainly adds up. One day I hope to start my own mealworm growing set-up but in the meantime I'll purchase freeze-dried. I found all this out from an email from Fresh Eggs Daily. Glad I took the time to read it.

I know a guy Ben who's Clucking Nuts Poultry Co had started growing his own meal worms. He said it was pretty easy & didn't take up a lot of room. I don't know if he sells them. You can find him on facebook by that name.

More power to you when you do start growing. I'm not certain if I could do that....I don't like touching the freeze dried ones! Thanks for the info!

Understand cost cutting. I just picked up 250lbs of feed for $50 in the west valley to try out. It's barley & corn with protein powder/pellets added along with molasses...sweet feed I guess? I had the guy make it for 20% protein. He was out of molasses due to the hurricanes, etc. back east. So, I'll be getting pure molasses to add myself. I'm thinking mix with some other grains, boss, etc to round it out a bit. I'm wondering about a bit of braggs amino acids too. If needed I'll mix with what I've been doing so I don't lose needed nutrients. I just noticed a change in the feed that I was feeding which negatively impacted my birds' shell quality & I think kept my 1 in an extended molt. So, I want a way to keep it stable for them. He'll sell in smaller amounts too. I just figured for the drive I was going to make it worth it.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

Yes we are looking forward to that.
The first hatch turned out to be re-enforcement of the lesson in genetics which is frequently discussed when talking about sex amd feather linking.
EE roo over BR and Leghorn hens made it very evident where the males are concerned.


The pullets it isn't as clear to me who the mamas are. There os a Red Star, a Speckled Sussex, a Brahma Orp and a RIR mix in addition to the pair of BRs and White Leghorns with the same EE roo.

Wow. I can imagine when some of moms' colors are so close it makes it hard.

 

[Banaynaychicken]

Guys my silkie gave up on her egg XD

Which I wasn't too sad about today when I foudn it abandoned and she was out having fun with the other girls and not being broody mean anymore, because it was not fertilized.

HOWEVER my agriculture teacher bought an INCUBATOR!!!!!!

huehuehue im so happy, as soon as Yukon starts laying again, and the incubator arrives at the school, it is go time, we will have pumpkin silkies yet!

so happyyyyy!

and as @bunsnpupsnchick is donating a trio of polish (still dont know gender, the silly little things cant decide) that im hoping will have atleast one girl so I can breed and sell BL polish ^^

I'v accumulated a passion for the breed ever since I adopted Dory. Bless her little soul.