Arizona Chickens

[MrsFitzDarcy]

Hope it didn't do too much damage. I've been having a very large hawk hanging around the past couple days. Yesterday while I was cleaning coops it landed on the fence about 20 feet from me. All the chickens already took cover under bushes or into coops but I couldn't believe how bold this hawk is! Impressive wing span too. Must be very hungry to be hunting my Orpingtons.

It probably was a red-tailed hawk. They are the biggest around here, I'm pretty sure. They are beautiful, and I would hate to kill one. Wildlife is too important to keep around! We have a Cooper's Hawk that tries to catch wild quail in our yard. He doesn't seem interested in the big chickens. I just put the littles out in a new coop (super deal on craigslist!!!), but they are covered, and I bring them in the shed at night in their box. While I was collecting them at dusk the other day there was a massive great horned owl sitting in the Palo Verde tree above the coop. Same night a pack of coyotes started whooping (don't know what else to call it) either in our yard or the neighbors. I ran out in my tank and undies and bare feet to run them off. Glad it was 3:30 AM so the neighbors couldn't see me! I didn't see how many there were as they ran off before my eyes had a chance to adjust to darkness. From last week, here is a paw print of the predator that took away one chicken (Crannie, my fave.) and Pepito, the duck:




Another view:



What do you think of the chair I'm refinishing (4 to go!):



I wanted to make the spots I distressed more worn and polished looking, but even with using fine grit sandpaper, they are still scratchy looking. The upholstery is waxed cloth. I think that's what you call it. It might be too sticky/hot in the AZ environment, but I can always change it. Any suggestions for tools to make the distressing look more natural?

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
Could have been yours, but it sounded like they were mostly north and east of me. You are west of me. Not sure how far north you are. One or two crows were coming from a different direction, so yours could have been involved in the fracas

My birds have been noisier lately, too. Some of that has to do with the Coopers hawk that has been hanging around. It's going after doves, not chickens, but it has made half-hearted swoops at the rooster on occasion. Rooster boy stays on alert but doesn't do much in response, except for his "bring it on, buddy, I dare you" attitude. He's not the best rooster in terms of conforming to the Standard of Perfection, but he's an awesome flock protector. He gets to stay.

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
Looks to me like it was a large dog.

 

[a little chiken]

Could have been yours, but it sounded like they were mostly north and east of me. You are west of me. Not sure how far north you are. One or two crows were coming from a different direction, so yours could have been involved in the fracas

My birds have been noisier lately, too. Some of that has to do with the Coopers hawk that has been hanging around. It's going after doves, not chickens, but it has made half-hearted swoops at the rooster on occasion. Rooster boy stays on alert but doesn't do much in response, except for his "bring it on, buddy, I dare you" attitude. He's not the best rooster in terms of conforming to the Standard of Perfection, but he's an awesome flock protector. He gets to stay.

I think I am right behind you or close too it but not 100% sure. I have had an owl up in my big pine tree at night. everyone is on guard. The geese are not sleeping much lately. Hey Good behaved and protective roo's are the best!!

 

[houdiniduck]

@K9Dave we have one pair of peking and one pair of mallard now. I am having the other pair of mallard for dinner this week. I have no use other than dinner for drakes, so I would prefer they go as pairs. I think we might keep the mallards... dependent on interest.

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

look who I found stuck in the pigeon coop

Cooper's hawk, right? We had one in our yard today. My husband saw Penguin(she has 4 chicks) chase it out of the yard. He said she looked like she was going to chase it away or die trying. She's a good mama.
It was probably going after the many sparrows and doves in our yard but I'm sure it wouldn't turn down a tasty 5 wk old chick.

 

[City farm]

Picked this from the garden today. BYC members helped me keep the Beeps out this year and now instead of eaten plants and vines, we have fruit and veggies!!!

Wow!! That is awesome!! I dream about our garden.. Our trees are getting so huge, we have too much shade. Plus the flock tears it up. So I have decided to go to pots with chicken wire on top.. However we do have a spot in the chicken run to put lettuce.. We can't get our soil right.. Another few days then we are planting.. Won't look as good as yours.. Thanks for the inspiration

 

[City farm]

I could probably help you find some good set of tools, but for me it's a little tough to watch. Even though I worked in the medical field off and on for 20 years, I still don't think my stomach very strong for some of these simple surgeries.

I'm looking in the very near future culling one of my roosters and culling one of my new friends father's roosters who offered me a few to cull, lol. Even been offered some free culling classes to boot!

Fresh and organically fed, free range free chicken sounds yummy!

They are,

You will always have separate flocks when there is different ages.. The best think for that is space.. Lots of space for them to hide or get a way..

Update on my chicks you gave me. They spent a week or so in a kennel locked and now they do whatever they want. Doing well. Very flighty. Thanks again. Can't wait to see what they look like when older. Are they good alerts to strangers when older? I've heard that of some bird, not sure which one.

Yes they are flighty.. They have been raised by the Moma hen's.. If you go out at night & pick them up and carry them around for a while they will calm down. "tiny" the small jungle fowl gets close to me & will eat from my hand.. But the other one wants nothing to do with people.. No, they don't alert like guinea fowl or geese. Let's try to have a afternoon tea, "long island ice tea". no, really beer & tea.. Fridays might work? Maybe this Friday for the seed box.. 3:00?? Plus sill has Fridays off, sometimes.. If others want to come let us know..

Who is wanting the BYC seed box. We will have it for a bit if you want to stop by before it leaves Tempe..private message us for time & date,, Tea in the Garden with a few members would be nice..

I will like to snag a few things possibly. I do t do that gross tea you have Dephane but I'll have a beer or something. Lol
Whatever? Thai tea is delish.. But we also have beer.. Shoot I added the rest of the quote above..
Still recovering from Saturday evening. We did not get done here till 1AM..

Any chance the box is heading to Tucson? I have some ridiculously hearty sweet banana pepper seeds to put in that do very well here, and some small cactus pieces. The cactus would be paper spine and spruce cone varieties. A bit uncommon but easy to grow.

I love peppers and would love a few seeds. I can possibly get the box to Tucson as well.

I do think someone will be bringing it there soon. I will keep ya all posted..

If there is room for others I would be interested in joining up with y'all, I have some ducks that if I don't sell I am going to need to cull. Duck sounds tasty to me. I hope I sell them first, but if not, yum?

We're wanting ducks by I think the owner doesn't want any drakes. What do you have?

From what I have read, a pound and a half (for a large fowl chick) is a good time to caponize.  My birds hit that size in just a few weeks. Too small and the wee bits are a bit too wee.  Too old and the birds are already maturing, crowing, etc.  It is possible to caponize a more mature bird but the testes are harder to get out intact.  It will prevent him from crowing if you caponize before they have matured enough to crow.  Not sure if it will totally stop a mature bird from crowing.  

I haven't actually tried caponizing yet.  I did get the tools via the person on one of the caponizing threads.  Problem with my breed is they mature slowly, and when they are only a pound and a half I can't tell the girls from the boys. 

So, if you live within city limits, can you caponize your cockerels and keep them without penalty? Do they still get rooster plumage?

 

[DesertChickens1]

Cooper's hawk, right?  We had one in our yard today.  My husband saw Penguin(she has 4 chicks) chase it out of the yard.  He said she looked like she was going to chase it away or die trying.  She's a good mama. 
It was probably going after the many sparrows and doves in our yard but I'm sure it wouldn't turn down a tasty 5 wk old chick. 

Yes, it is a Coopers hawk, and That is one brave mama!

 

[a little chiken]

I have a young pair of bonded ducks. She is a Pekin and he is a White crested. The only reason I am looking to re-home them is I have chosen to breed ducks on the watch/endangered lists. Her name is Ducky Moe moe and he is Fluffy. We purchased them in April. She should start laying soon. $35- pair. (must go together, they are bonded)

















.Let me know if any of you want a pretty white pair of duckies.